The 20thannual Wigtown Book Festival was the biggest and most successful yet – with audiences of around 29,000.
The provisional figures show a 20% increase compared to 2017 and will play a major role in raising awareness of Scotland’s National Book Town.
The south west Scottish town may soon become even better known after a Hollywood film company bought the rights to books by locally based authors with the idea of combining the two stories to create a movie.
Shaun Bythell’s Diary of a Bookseller, which has just entered The Timespaperback bestsellers list at number six, is about life running Scotland’s largest second-hand bookstore. Three Things You Need To Know About Rocketsis a comic memoir by Jessica Fox about leaving her job with NASA in LA and ending up working, and finding romance, in Shaun’s bookshop.
Together they paint a picture of life and love in a small town in one of Scotland’s most beautiful and rural regions.
Adrian Turpin, Artistic Director of The Wigtown Book Festival, said:“We’ve been overwhelmed – this year’s festival has been a huge success, the biggest yet. The level of support, enthusiasm and enjoyment has been just incredible.
“At one point on Saturday afternoon there were 735 people attending festival events – in a town with a total population of under 1,000.
“We hope that this points to a great future for Scotland’s Book Town, the festival and most importantly of all, for people’s love of books and reading.
“The festival seems to be attracting a growing number of international visitors. This year we’ve had people from the USA, South Africa and all over Europe – I even made an 80-year-old Isreali lady who had read about it and decided to pop over for a holiday.
“And with Hollywood buying options on two books by locally based authors which put a major focus on the town, its bookshops and all the people who live here or visit, we could even be looking forward to Wigtown the Movie.”
Three Things You Need To Know About Rockets was published in 2012 but demand has been so high that it has just been reissued. Diary of a Booksellerwas launched at the festival a year ago and has now been translated into 18 languages.
Shaun Bythell said:“I was astonished that people were interested enough in the life of a second-hand bookseller from Wigtown to buy my book – so you can imagine my surprise when I was approached by a Hollywood film company.”
The festival is supported by Dumfries and Galloway Council, EventScotland part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, Creative Scotland and The Holywood Trust.
Councillor Adam Wilson, Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Events Champion said:“Wigtown’s picturesque townscape has again played host to a wonderful book festival and encouraged thousands of people to visit this beautiful and unspoiled part of Galloway.
“The book festival is a balm, it lifts the spirits and encourages curiosity, and it brings people together from all walks of life.
“The Council’s investment in the Wigtown Book Festival through our Major Festivals and Events Strategy 2018-2021 and previous events strategies has aided its growth and celebrated its cultural significance to Dumfries and Galloway and I’m thrilled it has had its best ever year on its 20th anniversary.”
Paul Bush OBE, VisitScotland’s Director of Events, said: “Scotland is the perfect stage for cultural events, and I’d like to congratulate the team at Wigtown Book Festival in delivering an outstanding programme befitting of the festival’s 20th anniversary celebrations.
“It’s fantastic to see the popularity of this unique literary festival continue to grow, with the 2018 event bringing a record audience to Wigtown and the local area.”
For full details of Wigtown Book Festival go to wigtownbookfestival.com.
- Festival goers will also be warmly invited to attend another colourful regional event – The Kirkcudbright Festival of Light, which will be taking place in Scotland’s Artists’ Town from 5 to 14 October – see kirkcudbrightlight.com.
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For further information and interview requests contact Matthew Shelley on 07786 704299 or [email protected]
Picture by Colin Httersley
About EventScotland
EventScotland is working to make Scotland the perfect stage for events. By developing an exciting portfolio of sporting and cultural events EventScotland is helping to raise Scotland’s international profile and boost the economy by attracting more visitors. For further information about EventScotland, its funding programmes and latest event news visit www.EventScotland.org. Follow EventScotland on Twitter @EventScotNews.
EventScotland is a team within VisitScotland’s Events Directorate, the national tourism organisation which markets Scotland as a tourism destination across the world, gives support to the tourism industry and brings sustainable tourism growth to Scotland. For more information about VisitScotland see www.visitscotland.orgor for consumer information on Scotland as a visitor destination see www.visitscotland.com.
About Year of Young People 2018
- A global first, YoYP 2018 is a part of the Scottish Government’s themed-year programme which focuses on celebrating Scotland’s greatest assets.
- A year-long programme of events and festivals are taking place across the whole of the country for all ages to enjoy, led by EventScotland part of VisitScotland’s Events Directorate. More information at www.visitscotland.com/yoyp2018
- Local authorities, schools, youth groups and organisations are running their own YoYP 2018 activity. Search #YOYP2018 on Twitter for the latest news.
- Young people co-designed the Year. A group of young leaders, Communic18, lead on all key decision making.
- The Year is delivered in partnership between the Scottish Government, VisitScotland and EventScotland – part of the VisitScotland Events Directorate, Young Scot, Scottish Youth Parliament, Children in Scotland, YouthLink Scotland and Creative Scotland.
- More information can be found at yoyp2018.scot, searching @YOYP2018 #YOYP2018 on Twitter or by emailing [email protected]
Wigtown Festival Company Ltd, 11 North Main Street, Wigtown, Dumfries & Galloway, Scotland, UK, DG8 9HN © 1999 – 2018. Wigtown Festival Company Ltd is a company limited by guarantee with charitable status. Scottish Charity No. SCO37984