Explore the Festival programme

The Edinburgh International Book Festival takes place from 15-30 August 2026. The programme will be available in June 2026. Sign up for our ebulletins or follow us on social media to hear announcements and updates.

In the meantime, you can enjoy watching nearly 150 events from the 2025 Festival on our website. 

2024 Book Festival Highlights

EIBF - Phographer- Aly Wight - Super Sunny Murder Club 2 - Copy
EIBF_2024-08-13_image by Mihaela Bodlovic (113)
Aly Wight - Sat 10-08-24 - Sarah Perry
EIBF_2024-08-13_image by Mihaela Bodlovic (17)
EIBF - Phographer- Aly Wight - Sat 10-08-24 - File-6176
Sami Tamimi by Rob MacDougall ROB_5547 - Copy

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Look, Listen & read

Peter Mackay: Meeting One’s Makar

Peter Mackay: Meeting One’s Makar

At this unique event, we introduce this trailblazing poet, academic, and broadcaster, and discovers how a son of the Western Isles became the fifth incumbent in this totemic Scottish literary role. Tha fàilte air càch!…

Ian Rankin: A Rebus for the Dark Times (2020 Event)
Ian Rankin: A Rebus for the Dark Times (2020 Event)

We have all become familiar with living through these strange times but for Ian Rankin 2020 was unusual in more ways than one. For starters, even though the number one bestselling…

Anne Enright with Vicky Featherstone: Mothers and Daughters (2020 Event)
Anne Enright with Vicky Featherstone: Mothers and Daughters (2020 Event)

‘You were always sitting in character, you were just never sure which one.’ So says Norah to the memory of her mother in Actress, the new novel by Anne Enright. The mother in…

Vanishing Point
Vanishing Point by Louise Welsh

From this position I can see the slow progress of late afternoon shadow across the wall at the end of my bed. When the shade creeps beyond the top corner, turning it from stark white to a pale shade of blue-grey…