Events for all ages

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Adults
Explore our programme for an exciting mix of in-person and online events.

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Young Adults
Looking for events for young adults? Join us for Wigtown YA's 10th anniversary.

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Children
Big Wig, our popular children's programme, also returns this autumn.

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Visit our bookshop online

Looking for your next read? Our online bookshop stocks all the titles from our current and recent online programmes, bestsellers and new publications. We can also order any new title we don't stock to have delivered to your door within 3 working days (subject to availability). Each sale helps support the work of Wigtown Book Festival.

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About Wigtown Book Festival 2021

Adrian

Welcome back
A letter from the festival's artistic director, Adrian Turpin.

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How to watch online
If you're not joining us in person this year, why not watch our events from home?

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Audience Laughter

Book It - And Spread the Word!
Find out how you can support us in a challenging year.

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Our fundraising campaign
Help us reach our initial target of £25,000. Your generosity is vital in supporting this year's Wigtown Book Festival. Each contribution ensures that we can continue to provide events for all ages and make up the considerable shortfall from box-office revenue this year.
Donate
£6,400.00

Featured

Emma Soames

Mary Churchill's War

1 Oct 2021
Mary Churchill’s War, the newly published diaries of a truly remarkable woman, are packed with insight and anecdote. Some entries are joyful jottings about small delights, such as buying an absolute “honey of a hat at Harvey Nichols”. Others betray personal angsts about looks and style – typical teenage worries.
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Gavin Hastings

Legacy of the Lions

1 Oct 2021
As team captain for the 1993 New Zealand tour Gavin Hastings was responsible for helping weld some big men, with very big personalities into a unit capable of taking on the best in the world.
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The Bequest

by Dani Garavelli

27 Sep 2021
The Anne Brown Essay Prize 2021 Winner
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Away with the birds

by Jemma Neville

28 Sep 2021
The Anne Brown Essay Prize 2021 Finalist
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Peat

by Patrick Laurie

28 Sep 2021
The Anne Brown Essay Prize 2021
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Take a trip with the Joy and Light Bus Company

Alexander McCall Smith

8 Sep 2021
Alexander McCall Smith tells us a bit about his annual conversation with Mma Ramotswe.
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31 Questions with Caleb Azumah Nelson

4 Aug 2021
Caleb Azumah Nelson, author of 'Open Water', answers 31 pressing questions for Same Page, the new monthly e-publication from the Wigtown YA team.
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5 Questions

5 Questions

Henry Mance

27 Aug 2021
Henry Mance, chief features writer for the Financial Times, answers five questions on the animal kingdom, writing and the creatures we share our world with.
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Des Dillon

The Creation of Pignut and Nuncle

2 Sep 2021
Des Dillon introduces us to his book Pignut and Nuncle, which features in this year's Book Festival Programme.
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Partner events

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Sanctuary 2021
This unique art event in Galloway Forest Park takes place during our first weekend.

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The Swallow Theatre
Enjoy a choice of performances at Scotland's smallest theatre over the festival period.

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Reading Is Magic Festival
We're joining book festivals worldwide to deliver special events for young people.

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We need you

Wigtown Festival Company is commited to engaging new and existing audiences throughout the current crisis. Please consider donating to support our work

Donate

Find us in Wigtown, Scotland’s National Book Town

Designated Scotland's National Book Town in 1998 - by an international panel - Wigtown is home to a community of booksellers and literary events.

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Wigtown Book Town

A community regenerated through books

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A browser outside The Bookshop on Wigtown's main street
Bookshops

Wigtown is home to more than a dozen bookshops

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A panel event during Wigtown Book Festival
History of the Festival

We celebrated with our 20th Festival in 2018

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More than just a festival: what we do

Since the first Wigtown Book Festival in 1999, we have expanded to become an energetic arts organisation working through the year to deliver a programme of literature development activities in the Dumfries & Galloway region of south-west Scotland.

Interior of The Bookshop, Wigtown. Armchair by fireplace, bookshelves
The sort of festival people become possessive about.

The Guardian