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All you need to know about the 2023 Book Festival

Book - Village

What is the Edinburgh International Book Festival?

The Edinburgh International Book Festival is one of the world’s most distinctive international showcases celebrating the written word, literature and ideas. It brings leading and emerging international, British and Scottish authors and thinkers together to inspire each other and audiences in an extensive programme of public events. Discussion, performance and interactive events have become prominent features of the Festival, complementing the more traditional interview-style conversations and readings, and contributing to the Book Festival’s reputation as a powerful forum for the public to exchange views with writers and experts on a wide range of issues: social, ethical and political as well as literary and cultural.

Where does it all happen?

Entry to the Book Festival Village is FREE and EVERYONE is welcome. The Festival's home is Edinburgh College of Art [74 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh EH3 9DF], a charming, leafy courtyard with lovely old listed buildings, which house our venues, cafes, bars, bookshop and broadcast studios.

The Book Festival Village opens 09:30-23:00 every day from 12-28 August. Pop in for a visit, it's a wonderful space to sit, talk, think, play and be entertained. The site also has free WiFi for visitors. You can see a favourite author, enjoy a cuppa in the café, a beer in the bar, or simply park yourself on the grass (with or without a book) and soak up the atmosphere. You don't need a ticket to an event to enjoy the Book Festival village.

All but one of the venues is located within the grounds and buildings of the Book Festival Village, the exception being Edinburgh Playhouse which will host a special event with climate activist Greta Thunberg. 

When does it all happen?

The programme launch usually taking place in early June and this year the festival runs from Saturday 12th August to Monday 28th August.

So what’s on this year?

  • With over 500 events, and over 100 of those for children and young adults, there's something for everyone during this 40th anniversary year. It’s an incredible forty years since the Book Festival opened in 1983.
  • ‘Climate Positive’ is a core theme in the programme this year and Greta Thunberg will be joining us at The Edinburgh Playhouse for a special event;
  • Join in the conversation with literary greats like Ian McEwan, Ali Smith, and Colson Whitehead; 
  • Be inspired by thinkers including Mikaela Loach, Simon Schama, and Fergal Keane; 
  • Find out ‘what makes a writer’ with Festival favourites Val McDermid, Bernardine Evaristo, and Jackie Kay; 
  • Enjoy well-known names Judy Murray, Rob Delaney, and Sara Pascoe; 
  • Delight in the imaginations of author-artists pushing boundaries with David Shrigley, Charlie Mackesy, and Simone Seales ……..and many more. 

Are there any events for children?

Yes, the Festival has a programme of events dedicated to children. The Book Festival’s Baillie Gifford Children’s programme of author events, activities and workshops is produced for young audiences of all ages, from babies to teenagers, attracting family audiences of around 20,000 each year. In addition, an extensive schools programme is created for primary and secondary pupils, with around 14,000 school children attending each year. Use the event search to find events for children or visit their families page.

Are any events online?

Around 100 of the events will be livestreamed for you to watch from home, with a Pay What You Can ticket price, and most will be available to watch on-demand afterwards. Check the event pages to see how long your event is available The Pay What You Can pricing helps make the Book Festival accessible to those with limited means. A standard priced ticket is £14 for adult events and £5 for children’s events, but paying more for your ticket helps us to continue to offer Pay What You Can pricing and supports those who need it most.

Where can I find the programme?

You can browse the full programme online HERE or download a Festival Brochure PDF. 

Where can I buy tickets?

  • Use the search filters to explore the programme line-up on the events page. You can browse events by child’s age, category, theme or author. You can enter any word(s) into the keyword search to find events that suit your interests. Once you’ve found an event, click into the event page. Use booking buttons to add tickets to your shopping basket.
  • If you are unable to book tickets on the website our Box Office phoneline is 0345 373 5888. Please note:the Festival has a small friendly team dealing with phone bookings and enquiries; please only use the phoneline if you cannot book on the website. It will help to reduce wait times for customers who cannot book in any other way or need assistance. They will do our best to deal with calls quickly, however you may not get through immediately. Calls are charged at the same rate as a local call to a landline. Please check your mobile contract as network charges may differ.
  • The in-person Box Office counter is available during the run of the Festival only. You can find it in our Festival Village at Edinburgh College of Art, just at the entrance. It opens daily from Saturday 12 August: 09:30–20:45 until the last day of the Festival on Monday 28 August.
  • For more detailed guidance see https://www.edbookfest.co.uk/the-festival/how-to-book

How long do events last?

The majority of events last one hour. Occasionally some events may be 75 or 90 minutes or even up to two hours long and events for very young children are often less than an hour. Check the end time of events when booking – each is detailed on the online event listing.

Are latecomers admitted?

Out of consideration to audience members and authors, the Festival does not admit latecomers once the doors have been closed to an event, or give refunds on latecomers' tickets. However, they understand people with young children may need to leave an event unexpectedly and they will help you exit as discreetly as possible, and get you back in again should you want to return. Please be sure to allow yourself enough time to get to the venue and get seated before the event start time. The Festival site may be busy with many people milling around, and it may take longer than usual to walk across it to your venue.

Is the Festival accessible?

Yes, and you can find full access information at HERE and the Festival's Access Officer can help with any specific needs for your visit and answer questions. Please contact access@edbookfest.co.uk 

Can I bring my dog onto site?

Well-behaved dogs are allowed on site. Dogs must be kept on a lead at all times and their mess cleaned up.

Can I buy books in the Book Festival Village?

The Festival Bookshop in our festival village is brought to you by Waterstones and is located in the beautiful old Fire Station building on Lauriston Place. It is open daily during the Book Festival and stocks titles by all our visiting authors plus an array of related contemporary literature and books from Scottish publishers.

Where can I eat and drink?

The Book Festival Village offers a range of places to buy food and drink, including a licensed indoor cafe. Open until late, it's in a large and airy space with a lovely vantage point across the main courtyard. There are also outdoor seating areas, some of which are undercover, along with a variety of areas to buy hot and cold drinks and snacks. You can also view a wider selection of some of our favourite bars, cafes and restaurants in Edinburgh.

Are their toilets in the Festival Village?

Toilets for everyone are located in the paved area at the rear of the Book Festival Bookshop, including a standard Disabled Toilet and a Changing Places Toilet (with a hoist). Access to the toilets is via a ramp from the courtyard.

And finally, how did it all begin?

With the encouragement of the Edinburgh International Festival a committee was formed under Lord Balfour of Burleigh to organise a book fair with funding from the Scottish Arts Council.  The first fair took place in 1983 and was an instant success with 120 authors attending, including John Updike and Anthony Burgess. “Meet the author” events, and the inspired decision to have a children’s fair, attracted 30,000 visitors.  The fair became a festival, held biennially until 1997 when its growing popularity warranted the transition to an annual event. The current director Nick Barley, appointed in October 2009, is the sixth festival director, succeeding Catherine Lockerbie who occupied the role for nine years

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