The Borders Book Festival programme has been announced and tickets go on sale, as the annual extravaganza – now a stalwart of the literary calendar - launches its 21st edition, featuring well-known names from fiction to politics, sport to current affairs, health and wellbeing to comedy, history to science and philosophy, and children’s literature favourites to new, emerging voices.
This year the book festival runs from Thursday 13th to Sunday 16th June, in its spiritual home of Melrose’s Harmony Garden, in the idyllic Scottish Borders.
The Baillie Gifford Children’s Programme takes place throughout the day on the Saturday and Sunday (15th & 16th June), packed with exciting author events, including: beloved author and former Children’s Laureate Michael Morpurgo OBE, now celebrating 50 years in print, with more than 35-million books sold; the wonderful Abi Elphinstone with Ember Spark and the Thunder of Dragons; festival favourites Vivian French and Alan Windram; Josh Silver and Sally Nicholls with their young adult novels Dead Happy and Yours From the Tower, respectively; Craig Graham and Mike Stirling – both former Beano editors -- with a very special Beano event; and debut author Fiona Carswell with her joyful story of friendship and acceptance, The Boy Who Loves to Lick the Wind, illustrated by acclaimed artist Yu Rong.
Festival Director, Alistair Moffat, said: "This year sees our programme again offer something for every taste: whether that’s literary fiction, comedy, sport, politics, health, current affairs, history or travel – all of life is here."
Councillor Scott Hamilton, SBC’s Executive Member for Community and Business Enhancement, said: “I’m delighted Scottish Borders Council is again supporting the Borders Book Festival, in its 21st year. The Scottish Borders has a great portfolio of successful home-grown strategic events, with the Borders Book Festival being one of the biggest. Its continued success has a positive economic impact in our region, as well as bringing people to the Borders helping to showcase what this area has to offer."
Tickets now available at www.bordersbookfestival.org or by calling 0131 290 2112.