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Our 2026 Festival programme is now yours!
Explore 600 events for booklovers from 1 to 100. Public on sale, 10AM Thu 25 June.
2026 Book Festival: Sat 15 - Sun 30 August
Public on sale: 10am, Thu 25 June
Who we are
The Edinburgh International Book Festival is a charity which has been bringing outstanding writers and thinkers from around the world together with curious audiences for over forty years. We celebrate the power of words, examine pressing issues, shift perspectives, and create joyful experiences for those of all ages. Our programme sparks essential conversations about the world around us, our place in it, and how we can improve it, together. Making these discussions accessible to anyone is at the heart of everything we do, in August and beyond.
Here, a book is a beginning – of a conversation, of a better understanding, of a debate, of a memory. What happens next is up to you.
Our work with communities

Paper Trails
Our ambitious, multi-year project, in partnership with Edinburgh Libraries and the Streetreads Library.
Story Nation
Connecting authors and artists with people in hospitals, prisons, and community spaces for older adults experiencing isolation.
Young People
We work with young people to build creative skills, open up the literary sector, and improve wellbeing.
Our latest news

16 June 2026Full 2026 programme line-up and Changing Your Mind theme announced
We're thrilled to announce the full programme for our 2026 Festival, including this year's hero theme of Changing Your Mind.“Our theme…
9 June 2026A Look Back at Paper Trails
As summer approaches, the August Festival is just around the corner! But before we get into the full swing at Edinburgh Futures Institute,…
21 May 2026Global Ink 2026 international delegates announced
This August we're very excited to be welcoming 20 festival directors from 17 countries to Edinburgh as part of Global Ink 2026. In its…

