Paisley Book Festival 2026

Now in its seventh year, Paisley Book Festival 2026 is a significant event in the national and regional literary calendar, drawing people to the town from across Scotland

Centred around the theme Everyday Heroes, Everlasting Icons, this year’s three day Paisley Book Festival 2026 – from Friday 15 to Sunday 17 May, will welcome some of Scotland’s most iconic writers, thinkers and creatives to explore who their role models are and what makes a hero.

Christopher Brookmyre, Jenni Fagan, Val McDermid, Nicola Sturgeon, Graeme Armstrong and Sally Magnusson are amongst the headline names who will be taking to the stage as part of the festival’s exciting 2026 lineup.

Exhibitions: Light Between the Lines & Renfrewshire Young Carers – 15th – 17th May, drop in

A drop-in exhibition which can be found in Paisley Town Hall foyer featuring creative work from STAR Project’s ‘Light Between the Lines’ project, as well as work developed at Renfrewshire Young Carers as part of a creative writing programme led by local poet and performer Lorna Callery-Sithole.

Writing Nature’s Heroes – 15th May, 10.30-12.30pm

Writer Saskia McCracken hosts a creative environmental workshop that explores the animals we save and the nature that saves us, whilst exploring questions of heroism and nature.

Devi Sridhar and Gavin Francis: Saving Our Health – 15th May, 10.45-11.45am

Two of Scotland’s most experienced and insightful health professionals share new books which debunk common myths surrounding how health is viewed in today’s society. The event is chaired by The Times Health Correspondent, Helen Puttick.

Caro Giles: Unschooled – 15th May, 12-1pm

Glasgow-based author and mother of four, Caro Giles will discuss the escalating crisis unfolding in British schools, as explored in her memoir, Unschooled. With the number of home-schooled children in the UK more than doubling in the past five years, this session asks why so many children are unable to access mainstream education.

Val McDermid: Silent Bones – 15th May, 1.15-2.15pm

Bestselling author and Queen of Crime Val McDermid returns to Paisley to share the latest in her thrilling Karen Pirie series, Silent Bones.  With this series recently made into an ITV drama, Val shares how her protagonist Pirie has evolved throughout the years and explores what turns a character into a lasting icon.

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• Munro’s Restaurant dinner review by Suzanne Oswald
• Kustom Kruizers: Renfrew’s extraordinary bike shop
• MrdB: The Sound of Renfrewshire

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The Beautiful Game with the Hampden Collection Makars – 15th May, 1.15-2.15pm

Julie McNeill, Gaffer of The Hampden Collection and Poet in Residence at St Mirren FC; Donna Matthew, Makar for the Scottish Women’s National Team Poetry Society; and Hugh McMillan, Makar for the Scottish Men’s National Team Collection will host an event to  celebrate the lost heroes of Scottish football. A joyous look at the icons who shaped the beautiful game.

Concrete Poetry Workshop inspired by Edwin Morgan- 15th May, 2-4pm

A guided workshop hosted by  art and poetry critic Greg Thomas which introduces participants to the strange and wonderful world of Edwin Morgan’s concrete poetry, in anticipation of his and Julie Johnstone’s new edited volume, A Home in Space: Selected Concrete, Visual, and Sound Poetry.

Kapka Kassabova with Dominic Hinde: Borrowed Land – 15th May, 2.30- 3.30pm

Award-winning Scottish Bulgarian author Kapka Kassabova introduces her latest non-fiction book, Borrowed Land, which paints an extraordinary portrait of the Scottish Highlands past and present.

Damian Barr: The Two Roberts – 15th May, 3.45-4.45pm 

Acclaimed author Damien Barr will present his latest novel, The Two Roberts –  a passionate evocation of the lives of Bobby MacBryde and Robert Colquhoun, whose great ambition and rapid rise to fame was marred by the ongoing secrecy surrounding their relationship.

Christopher Brookmyre & Doug Johnstone: Celebrating 50 Years of Fiction – 15th May,  5-6pm

Two writing legends celebrate their collective half-century of publishing in a special joint anniversary event hosted by fellow author and Fun-Lovin’ Crime Writers bandmate, Val McDermid. A joyous hour of conversation guaranteed.

David Keenan: Boyhood – 15th May, 6.15-7.15pm

Following a triumphant debut at the festival last year, David Keenan returns to share his new Boyhood, which follows the plight of a brother searching for answers amidst his grief.

Jenni Fagan: The Delusions- 15th May, 7.30-8.30pm

Award-winning author Jenni Fagan shares her latest novel, The Delusions. Following on from best-selling books including The Panopticon, Luckenbooth and Ootlin, The Delusions transports readers to an imagined afterlife and soul-processing centre, as a mass extinction event threatens to unfurl.

Building (Super) Heroic Worlds – 16th May, 10:30-12:30pm

Comic book creator, filmmaker, and inventor of Scotland’s first ever black superhero, Etienne Kubwabo, hosts a creative workshop about building worlds that superheroes might exist in.

Sara Sheridan & Emma Cowing: Hair-Raising Adventures – 16th May, 12-1pm

Part of the ‘Reclaiming History’s Heroines’ series, two Scottish writers introduce fearless female characters who are out for an adventure inspired by real-life women.

Everyday Heroes: Writing the People who Made Us- 6th May, 1:15-2:15 

Three Scotland-based poets Nzaret Ranea, Gabrielle Tse and Roshni Gallagher share their work that celebrates the people who make them who they are.

Poetry as Punk Workshop – 16th May, 2-4pm 

An interactive poetry workshop led by writer and musician Spencer Mason which celebrates voice, identity, and fearless self-expression through the lens of punk and DIY music culture..

Sally Magnusson: The Shapeshifter’s Daughter –  16th May, 2.30-3.30pm

Author, journalist and broadcaster Sally Magnusson will share her latest novel, The Shapeshifter’s Daughter. Sally will speak about intertwining past and present and the enduring draw of myth in her work with chairperson Ellie Updale.

Light Between the Lines: A STAR Project Event – 16th May, 3-5pm

Hear new work from Light Between the Lines, a collection of poetry, prose, and visual art that results from a year-long artist residency at STAR Project in Paisley, and an experimental exploration of life within an often-overlooked and underserved community.

Recycled Words – A Blackout Poetry Workshop – 16th May, 3.45-5pm

STAR Project Artist in Residence Britta Benson, alongside contributors from Light Between the Lines, will host a welcoming introduction to blackout poetry.

Neurodiversity Writers’ Salon – 16th May, 3.45-5.45pm

Author of These Mortal Bodies, Elspeth Wilson, and Waterstones Book of the Year winner for Only Here, Only Now, Tom Newlands, will host an open and welcoming conversation about neurodiversity in relation to writing and publishing. There will be an open mic for anyone who identifies as neurodivergent to share work in a supportive space.

Graeme Armstrong: Raveheart – 16th May, 5-6pm

Best-selling author of The Young Team, Graeme Armstrong introduces his new novel inspired by Scotland’s infamous rave scene. Featuring an unlikely hero in a Coatbridge DJ past his prime, Raveheart charts the antics of a disparate band of rave rebels whose liberties are gradually stolen away from them by an increasingly autocratic system.

Graeme Macrae Burnet & Chris Barkley: Hebridean Antiheroes – 16th May, 6.15-7.15pm

This event will hear from two authors who have written spine-tingling stories of suspicious happenings, both based in the Outer Hebrides. Both authors will chat to Director of Push the Boat Our Festival Emma Collins about their shared fascination with the antihero.

Gubsmacked Takeover: A Paisley Flyting – 16th May, 6:30-8pm

Scotland’s funniest poetry night, Gubsmacked, comes to Paisley Book Festival for a special one-off event. Presented by three iconic Scottish poets – Leyla Josephine, Iona Lee and Colin Bramwell – Flyte Nyte is a no holds barred poetry punch-up, reimagining the courtly medieval Scottish tradition of Flyting: a poetry rap battle in all but name.

The Book Club Scotland: Paisley Edition – 16th May, 7.30-9.30pm

This special festival edition of the popular ‘The Book Club Scotland’ sell out events brings their midweek energy into a one-off evening of fun, conversation, laughter and books. The event will feature a quiz with prizes plus a book swap.

The Medieval Women Tarot: Everyday Heroines of History – 17th May, 10.30-3pm

Drop in to the Paisley Town Hall for a pop-up tarot reading with Ebba Strutzenbladh and find out what medieval woman you might be, using a bespoke deck of cards developed as part of Ebba’s research into medieval Scottish history.

Mollie Hughes & Cal Flyn: Into the Wild – 17th May, 10.45-11.45am

World record breaking mountaineer, Mollie Hughes, and non-fiction author and journalist, Cal Flyn, will take attendees on an intrepid adventure as they explore what it takes to venture into the world’s wildest places.

Breathing Life into Scotland’s Forgotten Women: A Historical Fiction Workshop – 17th May, 11-1pm

Authors Lucy Ribchester and Mairi Kidd host a workshop exploring the role of historical fiction in bringing Scotland’s forgotten women into the light.

Katalina Watt & Angie Spoto: Adventures at Sea – 17th May, 11.30-12.30pm

Two of Scotland’s most exciting fantasy and gothic writers introduce unlikely heroes facing the perils of coastal life. Join both authors to talk about their tales in conversation with Cailean Steed.

Hannah Lavery & Jim Carruth: Cycles of Life – 17th May, 1.15-2.15pm

Former Edinburgh and current Glasgow Makars come together to share their latest books, both powerful meditations on how landscapes, cycles of time, and traditions interact with the shifting dynamics of self and relationships. Chaired by Glasgow-based poet, Sam Tongue.

Rich Things with the Alasdair Gray Archive- 17th May, 2-3pm

Inspired by the work of one of Scotland’s most iconic authors, Alasdair Gray, Rich Things is a layered creative commission and collaborative response to The Alasdair Gray Archive’s collection and the AGA’s first publication.

Loud Poets Paisley Poetry Slam – 17th May, 2.30-5pm

The prestigious Loud Poets Slam Series returns for its fourth year. Paisley’s top poets compete in one of 10 heats taking place across Scotland and England for the biggest prize in UK slam poetry.

Hear My Words: A Vernacular Revival – 17th May, 3-5pm

Award-winning Scots poet Keeks Mc and Creative Arts Practitioner Emma Kames facilitate a workshop that explores the use of the vernacular in writing. Celebrating iconic writers who have helped to revive the use of local dialects, participants are invited to use their own memories, culture, and personal experiences as inspiration, writing in whichever language they choose.

Glidin’ Through Time: Celebrating the Bard of Lochwinnoch – 17th May, 3.45-4.45pm

This event will celebrate the life and work of Lochwinnoch-based poet, Betty McKellar, who turned 96 in December 2025. Her poetry weaves evocative pictures depicting people and places, nature and the environment, history and myth.

Anna Caig & Steven Veerapen: The Witch-Hunting King – 17th May, 4.30-5.30pm

A thought-provoking discussion with the two authors about the legacy of King James VI and his influence on the mass expansion of witch trials in Scotland more than 400 years ago.

Kristie De Garis: Drystone -17th May, 5-6pm

Writer and photographer Kristie De Garis shares how she turned to the land, and the traditional craft of drystone walling, to rebuild her life in her starkly honest memoir, Drystone. Speaking in conversation with Roxani Kystalli, Kristie explores the healing impact of learning a traditional craft and how the land gave her a quiet place to call her own.

Len Pennie & Michael Mullen: Scots Poetry Hour – 17th May, 6.15-7.15pm

Celebrate Scots poetry in an event hosted by the National Library of Scotland Scots Scriever and award-winning performer, Taylor Dyson.

Nicola Sturgeon: Frankly – 17th May, 6.30-7.30pm

The former First Minister of Scotland, avid reader and now author, Nicola Sturgeon, will share stories from her memoir, Frankly. Joined in conversation by award-winning author and Professor at the University of Glasgow, Louise Welsh, she will share the highs and lows of her time in public office, and what life in the aftermath of such a formidable leadership looks like.

Paisley Book Festival 2026 ticket information is available at https://paisleybookfestival.com/