Families gathering outside the Wigtown County Buildings during a Children's Book Festival event. They are holding purple and yellow banners which are flapping in the wind.

Big Wig Children's Book Festival

Events for children and families at Wigtown Book Festival

The Big Wig children's programme brings the UK's best-loved children's authors and illustrators to Wigtown for two weekends of family fun. Counted among last year's guests were Michael Morpurgo, AF Steadman and Katherine Rundell as well as a special event celebrating Beano's 85th birthday with two Beano editors.

Big Wig caters for ages 0-13, providing author sessions, workshops, children's theatre and storytelling.

Family Tickets

We're committed to keeping our events accessible, with affordable tickets and family discounts.

Family-Friendly Places to Eat

Front view of Cafe Reading Lasses in Wigtown. The house is painted pink with white windows, the cafe sign is vertically placed on the building.

ReadingLasses Café

Books and babyccinos in a cosy bookshop-café

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Side view of Cafe Cobwebs in Wigtown. The building is painted yellow with contrasting orange trim around the windows. The cafe sign is above the door in black and white.

Cobwebs Café

Family-Friendly café with a crowd-pleasing children's menu. Baby changing and accessible toilet

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Side view of Cafe Rendezvous in Wigtown. White building with blue window and door trim. Hanging baskets over the door, red geraniums in pots outside. The window display features pottery items for sale.

Rendezvous Café

A broad weekend lunch menu with a choice of desserts. Open evenings for family meals throughout the festival

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The Festival Cafe

Wigtown's population expands drastically during the festival, so we commission an annual pop-up cafe, providing a food and drink hub open throughout the festival.

On a table stand two cups of coffee latte in brown pottery, a pastry and a small cake on plates.


Family Spaces for In Between Events

A double swing in the park at Wigtown, the sun is shining on the green grass.

Spend time in the sunshine in between events at Wigtown's swing parks

Wigtown library's children section. Lots of bookshelves filled with books, comfortable cosy beanbags on the floor.

Wigtown Library will be open as a drop-in space throughout the festival.

Front view of Foggie Toddle Books in Wigtown.Large windows with the shop name in yellow above. Two benches and pots of flowers outside. Inside the windows are displaying various Wigtown merchandise and books.

Foggie Toddle children's bookshop carries gifts, children's titles both new and secondhand, and spaces to play.

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Meet Big Wig

Keep a lookout for our mascot Big Wig! He'll be wandering Wigtown in search of a good story, but he's always happy to stop for a photo.


Big Wig Activity Pack

Free Big Wig activity packs will be available in venues across Wigtown. Enjoy games, puzzles and activities to spark imaginations, as well as a chance to win a prize with our Spot the Big Wig treasure hunt.


Spot the Big Wig

Follow the map in the activity pack to find Big Wig stickers hidden around Wigtown. Find the hidden letters to win a Big Wig badge.

Children running around a playground holding kites they made at a Children's Book Festival event.

We release an up-to-date access guide each year which you can view through the link below.

If you have any other access requirements or questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at 01988 403222

View Access Guide