Celebrating words and authors together
Kirkcudbright, in South West Scotland, has a long association with the arts and the promotion of books, reading and illustration, and the Book Festival adds to this cultural repertoire, attracting visitors and providing access to authors and writers for local residents too.
Kirkcudbright Book Festival was established in 2025, building on the success of Kirkcudbright Book Week, founded in 2019 by John Dean, a former journalist and popular crime fiction novelist, that ran from 2020 for five years apart from during the Covid lockdown. By 2025 Book Week had expanded from its original focus on crime fiction and local voices to showcasing a wider canvas of topics. Take a moment to look at some photos of the 2025 Book Week events.
Kirkcudbright Book Festival in 2026 and beyond will draw from the great work undertaken by Book Week whilst also evolving, adapting and reflecting the interests of town residents and visitors.
The Book Festival will take place annually over four days at the beginning of March, starting with World Book Day and offer talks, workshops and activities for readers of all ages.
Our five key aims are:
Championing local stories and voices
Celebrating Scottish Culture and history
Nurturing books and writing for children
Valuing nature and the environment
Encouraging expression through writing and words
The Kirkcudbright Book Festival is organised by a dedicated team of people passionate about books, reading and writing. We have a core team which considers all aspects of the Book Festival and collaborates with a dedicated and interested group of volunteers who review and feedback on all actions and activities of the Festival.
The Festival events are then delivered with the support of the same volunteers who act as Event Stewards and/or Chairs, always wanting to make each event run smoothly in order to give you the best possible experience.
If you would like to be involved or find out more before committing, please get in touch by filling in the Contact Us form.