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

Big Manny - by Rob MacDougall RMD_8336
EIBF - Phographer- Aly Wight - Sun 11-08-24 - File-7465
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EIBF_2024-08-13_image by Mihaela Bodlovic (113)
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EIBF - Phographer- Aly Wight - Sat 10-08-24 - File-6708

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Look, Listen & read

Judy Murray: See You in Court

Judy Murray: See You in Court

Judy Murray needs no introduction: former tennis professional and coach, and of course mother of Those Tennis Brothers, she’s an icon of the game. Latterly, she’s become a figurehead for women in sport and has also subjected herself to the rigours of Strictly…

Val McDermid & Jo Sharp: Shaping a Better Future (2020 Event)
Val McDermid & Jo Sharp: Shaping a Better Future (2020 Event)

At last year’s Edinburgh International Book Festival, bestselling author Val McDermid and professor of geography Jo Sharp were inspired by the festival theme, We Need New Stories…

Frans Timmermans with Gordon Brown: The Way Forward for Europe (2020 Event)
Frans Timmermans with Gordon Brown: The Way Forward for Europe (2020 Event)

In this special conversation recorded live at the 2020 Edinburgh International Book Festival, Timmermans sits down with former UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown to discuss the…

A Flash of Blue Light
A Flash of Blue Light by Michel Faber

“I was abducted by aliens,” the woman with the foreign accent told the policeman at the desk…