THE popular Boswell Book Festival has announced another jam-packed programme of events for 2026.
Now in its 16th year, a superb schedule of speakers will travel from near and far to create a fascinating weekend.
The festival, named in honour of Ayrshire writer, James Boswell, the inventor of modern biography, is held at the magnificent Dumfries House.
On the opening night, Penny Lancaster will make her first appearance at a Scottish book festival to talk about her remarkable life peopled by royalty, rock legends and renegades.
Other headline acts over the weekend include Sir Michael Morpurgo, Amanda Barrie, Gordon Buchanan and Peter MacQueen.
Special guests over the weekend include star of Succession and Killing Eve, Dame Harriet Walter, Jan Ravens and former First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon.
Looking ahead to this year's event, festival director Caroline Knox said: “It’s safe to say that James Boswell, pioneer of life-writing, would be thrilled by this year’s bumper festival programme.
"We love bringing together people with amazing stories to tell, and there are certainly plenty in 2026.
“Stand by for unforgettable stories, for laughter, for tears, for song and all the other thrills that Boswell himself would have enjoyed.
"And that’s not to mention our hugely popular children’s festival at the Dumfries House education centre."
Current affairs will also be discussed, with international best-seller, Jung Chang talking about love and survival under Chinese communism, while Ukrainian chef and charity campaigner, Olia Hercules, explores 100 years of loss, survival and exile.
Tickets for this year's event go on sale on Thursday, March 19, with a full programme available to view on the Boswell Book Festival website.
For a fun family day out the Boswell Children’s Festival will also host many great events, with a hands-on, interactive element both indoors and outdoors.
While making the most of the festival's setting the outdoor programme includes forest bathing sessions and woodland walks.
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