Edinburgh International Book Festival

The Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) is a special event for people who love books. It happens for two weeks every August in Edinburgh, Scotland.

During the festival, people can listen to talks and discussions about culture and ideas. There are also fun events just for children.

The festival shares its time with other big events in Edinburgh, like the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Jenny Niven is the person in charge of making sure everything runs smoothly. People from all over the world come to share stories and learn new things.

History

The first Edinburgh International Book Festival happened in a tent in Edinburgh in 1983. At first, it was held every two years, but it started happening every year in 1997. The festival has grown big, with many people coming to enjoy it. Because of events like this, Edinburgh was named the first UNESCO City of Literature in 2004. In 2020, the festival was cancelled, but some events happened online instead.

Programme

In 2016, the Edinburgh International Book Festival had over 800 authors and guests from more than 55 countries. The festival lasted 17 days and had many fun activities. These included writing workshops, learning sessions, group talks, and performances by famous writers, poets, and other creative people. There were events for both grown-ups and children.

The Children's programme is a special part of the festival. It includes workshops, storytelling, group talks, meeting authors, and book signings. It is very popular with families and schools and is one of the biggest book events for kids in the world. Some authors who have joined in the past are Jacqueline Wilson, Joan Lingard, Charlie Higson, and Anne Fine.

• Margaret Atwood
• Gordon Brown
• Alan Bennet
• Douglas Coupland
• Sebastian Faulks
• Franz Ferdinand
• Al Gore
• Germaine Greer
• Alexander McCall Smith
• Val McDermid
• Candia McWilliam
• Yann Martell
• George Monbiot
• Toni Morrison
• Harold Pinter
• Ian Rankin
• J. K. Rowling
• Salman Rushdie
• Darren Shan
• Susan Sontag
• Zadie Smith
• Andrew O'Hagan

Venue

Until 2019, the Edinburgh International Book Festival mostly happened in tents in Charlotte Square Gardens in Edinburgh. This was at the west end of George Street. In 2017, some events also began on George Street. This helped with the many visitors and protected the private gardens.

In 2021, the festival moved to the Edinburgh College of Art and stayed there until 2023. In 2024, it found a new permanent home at the University of Edinburgh's Futures Institute. This is on the site of the old Royal Infirmary in Lauriston Place. Some events are also held in other nearby places.

Fringe events

Over the years, the Edinburgh International Book Festival has inspired smaller events. In 2004 and 2006, an event called Thirsty Lunch offered a relaxed and affordable experience.

In 2008, two new festivals happened with the main book festival. The Edinburgh Book Fringe took place at bookshops like Word Power (now Lighthouse) on Nicolson Street, and it still continues today. The other was the West Port Book Festival, held in second-hand bookshops in the West Port area, running from 2008 to 2012. Both festivals offered free events and felt more casual.

Sponsorship controversy

In 2023, more than 50 authors said they might not come to the 2024 festival because of its main sponsor, Baillie Gifford. This company invests in businesses that work with oil and gas.

Later, in May 2024, the festival ended its work with Baillie Gifford. In June 2025, famous writer Ian Rankin agreed to become a big sponsor for the festival instead.