Storytelling, heroes, and a literary punch-up will take centre stage at this year’s Paisley Book Festival.
Running from May 15 to 17, the programme features a packed line-up of talks, performances, and special events, celebrating the theme Everyday Heroes, Everlasting Icons.
Jess Orr, Paisley Book Festival programmer, said: "The theme of the festival aims to bring positivity to some dark times.
"We wanted to create a space where people can come together, reflect and feel inspired by others through the power of brilliant storytelling."
The festival has grown into a major fixture in Scotland’s literary calendar and this year features appearances from some of the country’s most celebrated writers.
Christopher Brookmyre, Doug Johnstone, Val McDermid, Jenni Fagan, Graeme Armstrong, and Sally Magnusson are all set to appear, alongside former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who will discuss her memoir Frankly on the final day.
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This year’s programme features an event called Flyte Nyte, a bold and playful reimagining of the historic Scottish tradition of Flyting.
Presented by Gubsmacked, Scotland’s funniest poetry night, the event will see poets Leyla Josephine, Iona Lee, and Colin Bramwell host a poetry punchup, as six of Scotland’s poetic voices compete in a fast-paced battle of "wit, words and humour".
Despite the impressive line-up, organisers say the festival is ultimately about connection.
Jess said: "It makes us think about why we love book festivals and what makes them such a special experience – ultimately, it is to socialise and meet with like-minded people who love books.
"That sense of shared experience is at the heart of everything we do."
The festival will also spotlight emerging and under-represented voices through events like the Neurodiversity Writers’ Salon and a Paisley edition of The Book Club Scotland.
Organisers say their core aim is to celebrate and honour the craft of storytelling.
Jess said: "It is important for us to pay tribute to authors who put in a huge amount of time and research into developing their ideas and engaging deeply with themes to craft something really special.
"It is so inspiring, and we wanted to celebrate that."
In addition to the main events, the festival will offer a schools programme and a free family fun day on Saturday, May 16 to ensure it remains accessible to everyone.
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The Paisley Book Festival is organised by OneRen with support from Creative Scotland, and organisers have prioritised accessibility through ‘pay what you can’ ticketing for many events.
This year’s events will be hosted at Paisley Town Hall and Paisley Central Library.
Tickets are available now, and initial ticket sales have been healthy, organisers said.
Full programme details and booking information are available at www.paisleybookfestival.com.
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