General Features

From small beginnings the Wigtown Book Festival has grown into 'one of the best Autumn Festivals in the World' bringing Wigtown to the attention of the international arts scene as well as regenerating the town's economy.

Festival fireworks and a 10th anniversary party marked the start of the festival on 26th September. Various events took place over the duration of the festival.  Highlights included...

Audience at the book festival

Authors talks, readings and debates  

International, Scottish and local authors appeared at the festival reading and discussing subjects from ranging from Casanova to the credit crunch . There was a chance to enjoy a glass of wine and a light lunch at 'Meet the Authors'  lunches on 1st and 3rd October. Authors appearing at the festival included James Kelman, Louis de Bernieres, AL Kennedy and Craig Murray amongst 150 others ...

Poetry

Poetry events included Siobhan Campbell on turning life into art; Tom Pow on 'Narratives of Madness';  Wigtown poetry competition launch;  Poetry for Breakfast; poet Alastair Reid giving the Magnusson memorial lecture and performing as part of the poetry triple with Dennis O'Driscoll and Siobhan Campbell;  Poetry in the wilds writing workshop and walk with Jackie Galley;  Burns birthplace museum curator, David Hopes, on the bard's inspirations;  Kinetic poetry film; Scottish poet Kathleen Jamie and, possibly the highlight of the festival, music and verse from Louis de Bernieres and Ilone Antonius Jones.

A quiet moment

The Kids Festival

From toddlers to teenagers there was an event suitable at the kids festival. Highlights included Rhymetimes sessions for the under 4's, a book making masterclass and a concert by Linkum Doddie recreating playground songs and games from days gone by.
Readings and performances were given at the kids festival appealing to various age ranges. Authors included Keith Gray, Debi Gliori, Ian Whybrow, Anne Fine, Michael Morpurgo, Julie Hegarty, MikeNicholson, Bel Mooney, Lari Don and Gill Arbuthnott.
Some of the more unusual events on offer at the kids festival included creative writing inspiration from birds in 'Poultry and Prose', Nicola Morgan on the workings of the teenage brain and, ending the kids festival, Stripey Dog with an African drumming workshop.

Film events

The festival ran an Irish film season as well as showing archives of 'Wigtownshire on Film'; A documentary on the work of artist Andy Goldsworthy and short modern and silent films. The silent movie bus, a 1920s mobile cinema, showed  silent movies over the course of the festival.