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The Wigtown Book Festival is a ten-day literary festival held each autumn in Wigtown, Dumfries and Galloway, south-west Scotland. The festival was first held in 1999[1][2] and has grown to be the second biggest book festival in Scotland.[3]
In 2024, the festival is scheduled 27 September - 6 October.[4][5] The 2024 festival has over 250 planned events, with a focus on discussing the Galloway Coast and climate change.[5] Performers at the 2024 festival include actor Alan Cumming, poet Pam Ayres and writer Irvine Welsh.[6]
The first festival took place in 1999.[5]
In 2007, the Wigtown Festival Company became a registered charity.[7]
In 2013, there were 7500 visitors to the festival, more than half of which were from outside Dumfries and Galloway.[8] A report commissioned by the Wigtown Festival Company in 2013 estimated that the festival contributed £2 million to the regional economy each year. This was three times higher than that estimated by a similar study in 2008.[1]
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the festival was held entirely online.[9] It resumed as a physical festival in September 2021.[9] 2021 performers included the crime writer Val McDermid and the novelist Nadifa Mohamed.[9]
The 2022 festival involved over 200 events, with novelist and speakers including Karen Campbell and Hugh McMillan.[10]
The 2023 festival took place from the 22 September to 1 October.[11] Performers and readers included Nigel Planer, Kate Mosse and Jo Caulfield.[11]
Regular festival events include the annual James Mirrlees lecture, which marks the local Novel Prize economist.[6]
The Anne Brown Prize has been given since 2021 for the best essay.[6][9] It is named for Anne Brown, a former chairwoman and trustee of the festival and comes with a £1,500 financial prize.[12]
Poetry competition
The festival runs an annual international poetry competition and awards three separate prizes for compositions in English, Scottish Gaelic and Scots.[13] Prizes are given to winners.[6]
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