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 took place between 27 September - 6 October. [4] [5] The 2024 festival had over 250 planned events, with a focus on discussing the Galloway Coast and climate change. [5] Performers at the 2024 festival included 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 Nobel 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]
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]