NEXT YEAR'S DATES, 14 – 17 JUNE, 2012

What are we going to do for the next 51 weeks of the year? The 2011 Borders Book Festival was a smash-hit with 12,000 people coming through the gates of Harmony Garden to see some sparkling sessions. We had 19 sell-outs, sold 3,000 books and had a record 1,500 schoolchildren at Schools Gala Day. But the stats don't tell it. It was a magical weekend, like a never-ending sequence of fun, good and serious talk, even a little music from Barbara Dickson. And then suddenly, shockingly, it stopped. The adrenalin drained away and the dreary business of clearing up began. But a consolation is that we have begun to think about next year. We have fixed the dates at 14th to 17th June and already we have authors in mind. To help with the crazy timetable of interviews and introductions done by Jim Naughtie, Cliff Sharp and myself, lovely Kirsty Wark and Sally Magnusson have both offered to help out. Great start!

The 2012 Borders Book Festival will be different, it will fizz with excitement and innovation but there is one thing that will not change. It will not expand beyond the long weekend and it will stay in beautiful Harmony Garden. And we will all have a terrific time. Thanks to everyone for coming, for supporting us in all we do and for adding to all that fun and fascination. It was grand.

Alistair Moffat
Director