Join us for the 2025 Boswell Book Festival!

9-11 May 2025

Boswell Book Festival is thrilled to announce that amongst the typically eclectic line-up yet to be released, national treasure Pam Ayres will be taking the stage over the festival weekend to talk about her legendary life in poems. Former newscaster, Classic FM host, and world Beethoven expert John Suchet will also join us to share his journey – literally and symbolically – with the man behind the music. Local historians Rob Close & Gillian Hope will bring us stories of Ayrshire residents thrust into the unimaginable tumult of the First World War.

If you want to get ahead of the crowd with priority booking for these talks and others, there’s still time to join our Friends membership. For a small cost you can be one of the first to access our unique programme, leaving you free to purchase tickets to the events you want on Monday 17 March before public sale on March 20.

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About the Boswell Book Festival

The world’s only festival of biography and memoir, normally set in the spectacular grounds of Dumfries House, draws an enthusiastic audience attracted by its unique theme.

Inspired by the great Ayrshire biographer James Boswell of Auchinleck, at the heart of the Festival is a programme of stories taken from the inspirational lives of people past and present - told through talks, drama, art and music.

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Children's Festival

Why is it so important to children to tell our stories?

Stories connect the past and present to the future and learning these stories is what can awaken future generations to their potential.

Through the Festival, the Boswell Trust engages with primary and secondary schools across Ayrshire and beyond.

Find out more and view highlights

If you wish to support the festival going forwards, please use the donate button.

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We are indebted to all who have supported the Boswell Book Festival over the past ten years in so many different ways. It is only with the help of so many loyal supporters that the Festival has achieved recognition as a cultural event of national importance.