Welcome to a celebration of books and storytelling in our beautiful Stirlingshire village. From author events and creative writing workshops, to family storytelling sessions, we’re excited to bring you a fun-filled programme for readers of all ages.
Balfron
Book Festival
3-6th September 2026
IMPORTANT NOTICE
We have become aware that an email address very similar to ours is being used to invite authors to have a festival speaking session for a fee. We would NEVER ask for payment for this - please report the email as Phishing via your email account.
What's On
Click on the image to view and download the full programme.
TIMETABLE CHANGES
***Meet the Author: Julie Wilson Nimmo and Greg Hemphill cancelled by authors due to unforeseen circumstances. New event from renowned wild swimmer and free climber, Gilly McArthur, now open for booking***
***Meet the Author: Lin Anderson cancelled by author due to unforeseen circumstances***
***Comic Drawing Workshops now relocated to Balfron High School***
Limited tickets are also available in-person at Balfron Library.
Highlights
%20(c)%20Freddie%20Claire%20(1)_edit.jpg)
Join award-winning wildlife filmmaker and presenter Gordon Buchanan as he shares stories from his remarkable career and discusses his autobiographical book, In the Hide.
Friday
19:00
Dive into the wild world of cold-water swimming, climbing and adventure with author Gilly McArthur. Hear the remarkable stories behind The Beauty of Cold and discover how wild places, challenge and connection can transform the way we see the world.
Sunday
16:30
Alex Gray is the Sunday Times bestselling author of the Detective William Lorimer series and co-founder of the Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival.
Sat
13:00
Come join us for a night of fun, laughter and fierce competition as we bring back our infamous literary themed quiz night. But this time with a twist...
Sat
19:00
Join two award winning gothic novelists as they discuss their most recent publications and share some secrets of their craft.
Sun
14:30
Marion is the author of the popular DI Clare Mackay crime series set in St Andrews and is looking forward to chatting about her most recent novel, Watch Them Fall.
Sat
14:30
Mhairi Collie, a consultant surgeon and humanitarian, shares how her decades of experience helped her to write her acclaimed debut novel The Bright Fabric of Life.
Sat
10:00
From bestselling crime fiction to award-winning poetry, Doug and Michael bring together gripping storytelling and a uniquely Scottish literary voice.
Sun
13:00
Join songwriter James as he discusses his new novel Callum, Reine, Sylvie and Sparrow - nine interwoven tales of adventure across Scotland and Ireland.
Sat
13:00
Tom shares his story of Argaty Red Kites and his pioneering work in rewilding Scotland, from red kite recovery to the historic return of beavers.
Sun
11:30
Work with Liam , a creative wrting lecturer, to devleop your writing skills on the theme of 'warmth' .
Sat
15:00
Elaine is a Stirling-based writer of historical fiction and non-fiction who explores the lesser known aspects of women’s social history.
Sun
10:00
Meet local legend and author of 100 Days of Balfron. The bar will be open so stay on for some drinks and chat!
Fri
20:30
Join Chiara to hear about her debut fantasy novel ‘The Inn at the Foot of Mount Vengeance‘,
Sat
14:00
The regular Lunch Club will be joined by some young talent from Balfron Primary for an afternoon of entertainment. Book directly through the club team.
Thur
12:00
Step into the world of your favourite book and explore visual storytelling through paint in this artist-led workshop.
Sun
14:00
For the WOLF CUBs...
Join Neil Slorance as he shares his top tips and tricks for drawing your very own pirate and making your own comic!
Sat
10:00
Neil will take you through how to draw and create your own character and make your very own comic.
Sat
11:30
Join children’s author Mike for a fun-filled interactive session themed around his book My Granny went to Scotland.
Sun
10:00
Join children’s author Mike for a fun-filled celebration of mysteries, mayhem and imaginative adventures packed with clues, twists and plenty of fun.
Sun
11:00
Join us after school at the Church Rooms. Parents and children are invited to bring along a snack and their favourite book to enjoy a relaxing afternoon of stories, reading and fun!
Fri
15:15
Come along and learn some story-telling techniques and see where your creativity and imagination take you.
Fri
15:45
Pop on your PJs, bring your favourite teddy and cosy blanket and get comfy for a night of stories at the library. There might even be a 'midnight' snack!
Thurs
17:30
Introducing our Official Bookseller
Daydreams Bookshop is an award-winning, female-owned, independent bookshop based in Milngavie, at the start of the famous West Highland Way walking route. It opened in September 2024 and in January 2025, won Best Newcomer from National Book Tokens, a UK-wide accolade! Small but perfectly formed, Daydreams aim to delight adults and children alike with their beautiful range of books and book-related items sourced mainly from local suppliers.
Daydreams Bookshop is honoured to be the official bookseller at Balfron Book Festival. Elaine and team cannot wait to meet you at their pop-up bookshops located at all key venues over the weekend.
Beautiful Balfron
Nestled in the heart of the Stirlingshire countryside, Balfron lies at the foot of the Campsie Hills. Despite its rural charm and proximity to the Loch Lomond & The Trossachs National Park, Balfron is only 30 minutes from Stirling and 45 minutes from Glasgow.
Balfron Book Festival will take place across the village in a range of venues from the Bowling Club to the community hall. Please check the individual event for full venue information.
Meet the
Wolf Pack
"Wouldn't it be great to have a book festival in the village?"
Once upon a time, a bunch of bookworms were talking about how nice it would be to celebrate stories in Balfron. After some umming and ahhing, those bookworms decided to give it a go. Cue many (many) meetings, countless ideas (some incredible, some… interesting), several crises of confidence, an unholy volume of tea and cake, and here we are!
Over the past year our small but mighty team has been working to create a programme that upholds our mission to be a fun and friendly festival that brings together communities and nurtures passion for reading and creativity.
We are delighted to be returning for our second year and look forward to welcoming you back!
The BBF Team
x
Support Balfron
Book Festival
Balfron Book Festival is a non-profit event run solely by volunteers and we could not do this without the support of our generous funders and local community. Thank you!
Balfron Community
Crowdfunding
Help us to grow! Every donation makes a huge difference and supports costs such as venue hire, marketing materials and web hosting. We couldn't do this without you.
Fancy showing your support for our festival and looking stylish to boot?
Inspired by the legend of the Balfron wolf, we have designed some lovely lupine merch! From hoodies to bookmarks, kit yourself out with some branded goodies and support Balfron Book Festival.
A Wolf in Sheep's Clothing
SUBSCRIBE
STAY IN THE LOOP
