The Edinburgh International Book Festival (EIBF) is a large-scale book celebration with more than 700 events and close to a quarter million visitors. Held always the last three weeks in August, this year it starts on Saturday, August 15 and ends on Monday, August 31. The festival attracts writers, poets, thinkers, musicians and readers of all ages and from all over the globe. Previous participants have included J.K. Rowling, Toni Morrison, Salman Rushdie, Al Gore and Susan Sontag.
Edinburgh International Book Festival 2009 Events
EIBF coincides with the Edinburgh International Festival of performing arts and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the world’s largest art fair, referred to as the Edinburgh Festival, a series of arts and cultural events held in August. Here are highlights from the official Edinburgh International Book Festival program, just released on June 11:
- world-class authors like Margaret Atwood, Douglas Coupland, Michael Mansfield, Tracy Chevalier, Alexander McCall Smith will present their new books;
- international authors from more than 45 countries will participate;
- among them contemporary Swedish writers, including the well-known crime writer Henning Mankell and
- African authors from Malawi, Sudan, Eritrea, Nigeria and Zimbabwe;
- popular children's writer Cornelia Funke will talk about her Inkworld series;
- many workshops, education events, panel discussions, performances, author events and book signings for children and adults.
EIBF Booking Information
The festival will be held at Charlotte Square Gardens in the center of Edinburgh. Tickets will go on sale from Monday, June 22 at 8:30 am onward and can be booked through different channels:
- online through the official festival website;
- by phone (+44-845-373-5888);
- via mail by sending the official booking form at the back of the festival brochure to Box Office, Edinburgh International Book Festival, PO BOX 23835, Edinburgh EH2 4WS, Scotland;
- in person at the Edinburgh International Conference Center only on June 22; from June 23 at the Hub in Castlehill or, once the festival is open, at the Entrance Tent.
Edinburgh Book Festival Ticket Prices
Ticket prices are the same regardless if booked in advance or on the day of the event. However, popular events may sell out fast, so booking in advance might be required. Ticket prices are:
- Adults: £5-£12 ($8-$19.50) per event
- Children: £2.50-£4 ($4-$6.50) per event
- Reduced: £4-£10 ($6.50-$16) per event
Reduced rates apply to visitors over 60 or under 16 year of age, students, the disabled, the unemployed and Young Scot cardholders. Valid identification is required. Some adult and children’s events are free.
Edinburgh's Book Festival History
The Book Festival started out as a small, biannual event in 1983 that took part in one tent with 30 author events. From 1997, it became an annual event and has been growing ever since, making it one of the largest international events of its kind. Today, the festival boasts more than 700 events ranging from discussions, debates and author meets to children’s events. In 2004, Edinburgh was named the first UNESCO City of Literature, popularizing the event even further.
Author Ian Rankin says about his festival experience: “The Edinburgh International Book Festival has always managed to pull off the difficult trick of marrying high culture to high entertainment. It has never in its life been po-faced, yet has managed to attract more than its fair share of literary heavy weights from all four corners of the globe.”
For anyone in or near Scotland in August, a visit to the Edinburgh International Book Festival means many events around books paired with a festival atmosphere and good food and drink, making it the perfect outing for the whole family.
Readers interested in this article may also want to know about the upcoming World eBook Fair (July 4-August 4) or the Bookseller/Diagram Prize for Oddest Title of the Year.
Simone Preuss - Simone is a freelance writer, editor and translator who decided to go solo after a successful career in publishing. That was more than ...
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