THE BORDERS Book Festival has announced its guest lineup for 2024, featuring well-known names from fiction, politics, sport, comedy, and children’s literature.
This year’s iteration of the festival runs for four days from Thursday 13 to Sunday 16 June, in Melrose’s Harmony Garden in the Scottish Borders.
The 21st edition of the annual festival will include Labour Shadow Cabinet MP Wes Streeting with his autobiography and former MP Alan Johnson with his new novel.
Comedians Janey Godley and Jo Caulfield are also part of the lineup, and will discuss their acclaimed memoirs.
BBC presenters Clive Myrie and recently retired Rory Cellan-Jones are set to attend with their own memoirs too.
Former BBC Breakfast presenter Louise Minchin will also share female stories of courage and adventure.
Honouring the Olympics taking place in Paris this year, the festival will also host an event on the centenary of Scotsman Eric Liddell’s historic 400 metre win at the 1924 Paris Olympics.
Sally Magnusson, Liddell’s biographer, will be joined on stage by Scottish athlete Allan Wells, who dedicated his 1980 100 metre sprint win at the Moscow Olympics to Liddell.
Also part of the event are Eilidh Doyle, Olympic and Commonwealth medallist and an ambassador for the Eric Liddell 100 Programme, and Liddell’s niece Sue Caton.
Booker Prize winner Howard Jacobson is to talk about his new novel What Will Survive of Us, while writer Charlie Higson will attend with his latest James Bond novel.
Also attending are fashion designer Patrick Grant, comedian Fred MacAulay, and Rory Bremner.
The Borders Book Festival will see the announcement of the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction, with six shortlisted international literary talents in contention for the £25,000 prize.
The four-day Borders party will also play host to live music, the Orchard tented food village, and family activities.
Councillor Scott Hamilton said: “I’m delighted Scottish Borders Council is again supporting the Borders Book Festival, in its 21st year.
“The Scottish Borders has a great portfolio of successful home-grown strategic events, with the Borders Book Festival being one of the biggest.
“Its continued success has a positive economic impact in our region, as well as bringing people to the Borders helping to showcase what this area has to offer.
“I’m very much looking forward to another successful and packed Borders Book Festival in the beautiful Harmony Garden.”
Festival Director Alistair Moffat said: “It’s time to start making plans for those long, light, balmy days at the height of the Scottish summer.
“What better event to pop in the diary than our annual celebration in our very own Borders slice of heaven, Melrose’s Harmony Garden.
“We sincerely hope that you will all be here… as we revel in the joy of gathering in high summer to talk about the things we love with the people we love.
“So do come and join us for the biggest party in the Borders.”
