Now in its third year, the London St Andrew’s Book Festival returns to London on 16-22 November 2026, with an expanded programme featuring the best of Scottish literature and culture, as well as the first ever Gaelic event with words and music. The festival is brought to life by Scots in London, an organisation founded in 2017 to promote Scottish heritage, culture and the arts in the London area. Scots in London brings together groups including two Church of Scotland churches, the Caledonian Club, London Scottish Rugby, the ScotsCare charity and the Burns Club of London.
Featuring some of the most respected names in the Scottish literary scene, as well as exciting new debut authors, this year’s London St Andrew’s Book Festival will spread across Scotland House London, the Caledonian Club and St Columba’s Church of Scotland. The week-long programme brings the best of Scotland’s literary and cultural legacy to the English capital, with a feast of genres and illuminating discussions to choose from.
Events Director Susan Pym said: “On behalf of the London St Andrew’s Book Festival team, we are thrilled to be returning to London for the festival’s third year. We firmly believe that the rich literary talent and cultural offerings of Scotland deserve recognition beyond the Border. With this festival, we aim to share the best-of-the best of Scottish talent, including exciting debut authors, with new and far away audiences who may not have otherwise discovered them. We are so excited to be able to share this year’s stellar line-up and look forward to another year of celebrating with Scots in London.”
Over the course of a week, the festival will delve into discussions around a plethora of topics and genres, spanning history, crime, sports, celebrity, art, memoirs, music, and more. Highlights include former BBC Breakfast weather presenter Carol Kirkwood’s ‘Literary Lunch’, where she will provide fascinating tales from her life, unpacking her broadcasting career and writing life; actor and national treasure Bill Paterson’s account of his childhood in a discussion of Tales from the Back Green, his memoir detailing a changing Glasgow from the 1950s to the present; and the Maclean brothers Ewan, Jamie and Lachlan Maclean’s discussion of their extraordinary memoir Three Brothers in a Boat, recounting their recently completed record-breaking 9,750-mile row across the Pacific Ocean to raise over £1 million for clean water projects.
Fiction fans will have their pick of genres, with talks and panel events from well-loved novelists, including: acclaimed crime writer Val McDermid who will join Geographer Royal for Scotland Jo Sharp to discuss This Door of Seas, their contribution to the acclaimed ‘Darkland Tales’ series; former sports writer Gordon Simpson, who will chat to Clark McGinn about his gripping new golf thriller Four Deadly Swings; award-winning Scottish novelist Jenni Fagan on her darkly imaginative new novel The Delusions; Traitors star and bestselling author Harriet Tyce, whose new thriller Witch Trial explores a sensational Edinburgh murder case; and award-winning crime writer Louise Welsh, discussing The Cut Up, to name a few.
History buffs will enjoy leading historians Murray Pittock (The Shortest History of Scotland) and Brian Groom’s (These Isles) presentation of ‘A Very Short History of Scotland’, in which the Scotland experts delve into battles, kingdoms, identity and nationhood to explore the forces that have shaped Scotland over centuries. Royal family historian Andrew Lownie will also be a speaker at this year’s festival, discussing the ever-evolving story behind Entitled, his explosive investigation into Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson. Historian and broadcaster Gareth Russell will discuss Queen James, his acclaimed new biography of James VI and I, exploring the king’s turbulent reign, political intrigue, and six great loves. Art historian Alice Strang brings the bold, brilliant history The Scottish Colourists: Art & Life to life in her event on the groundbreaking group that transformed Scottish art in the early 20th century.
In addition to the extensive prose programming, the festival will be bringing together three of Scotland’s most distinctive poetic voices for a vibrant celebration of spoken word, storytelling and performance. Former Makar Jackie Kay (May Day), award-winning poet and social media sensation Len Pennie (Poyums Annaw), and acclaimed poet, playwright and performer Hannah Lavery (Everything Everyday) will be sharing powerful, moving and often joyful works that explore identity, language, place and the stories that connect us all.
The festival is passionate about promoting not only established authors, but also providing a space to platform skilled newcomers to the writing scene. This year, they will be welcoming four talented debut authors for an exciting event showcasing first-time authors Mhairi Collie, a consultant surgeon who has authored the medical drama The Bright Fabric of Life; Avril Millar, engineer, teacher, CEO and author of Feral; Christina Riley, underwater artist in residence at the Argyll Coast Hope Spot, whose work inspired her collection of essays Looking Down at the Stars; and Kirsty Lockwood, former political journalist, a ‘Young Women Scotland 30 Inspirational Women Under 30’ award-winner, and author of the tense psychological thriller, We Know What You Did.
For its first ever Gaelic event, poet and songwriter Marcas Mac an Tuairneir will join the festival for a unique evening of poetry, conversation, and live music from The London Gaelic Choir. Exploring Gaelic language, Scottish and LGBTQ+ identity, resilience and belonging, Marcas discusses his journey as an English-born Gaelic learner using musical settings of his poetry.
All of this and more – including whisky tastings and Scotland-themed quizzes complete with prizes – will see London transformed into a hub of Scottish excellence this Autumn. The public box office opens on 25th September, following a launch event at Scotland House London on the 23rd. Special guest speaker and featured author Gavin Esler will give a speech to kick off this celebration of all things Scottish. Advance booking for Festival Friends and Members begins from 23rd September. To view the full programme and book your tickets head over to www.standrewsbookfestival.org.
