Craft sessions for children ages 4-12. A free, fun, interactive activity for parents and children to work and get creative together. It's a great opportunity for children to enhance their imagination through arts and crafts, develop their fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination. Sessions held weekly.

Professor Tartan’s no just smart—he’s a total rocket (the clever kind, no the daft one), and he’ll have ye buzzin’ wi’ his patter about Scottish science. This isnae yer usual boring lecture—nah, this one-of-a-kind event blends learnin and laughs in the most bonnie way. Round up yer pals and yer wee ones, and come feel the magic o’ science, the Scottish way!

Join Emily Dodd for a reading of her book, Crime Squirrel Investigators: The Naughty Nut Thief. Emily's storytelling events are an interactive mixture of learning and fun, sure to engage children of all ages. She is the author of over 20 picture books and non-fiction science books, a screenwriter for CBeebies and a writer of songs and of BBC radio plays for children.

What do Edinburgh’s Poet Laureate and Belle & Sebastian’s frontman have in common? Well, they’ve both just published their truly stunning debut novels with the revered Faber & Faber (Muckle Flugga and Nobody’s Empire). Come and hear these two literary supremos explore the quirks and kooks of novel writing. Michael Pedersen is a prize-winning Scottish poet and author. His prose debut, Boy Friends, was a Sunday Times Critics' Choice and shortlisted for the Saltire Scottish Book Awards. He’s unfurled three collections of poetry, the most recent being The Cat Prince & Other Poems, which won the Books Are My Bag Readers Award for Best Poetry 2023. Stuart Murdoch is the lead singer and songwriter for the iconic Glasgow-based band Belle and Sebastian. In 2012 Murdoch scripted, composed, and directed the movie God Help the Girl. An outspoken advocate for sufferers of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis / Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Murdoch is also an Ambassador for the Open Medicine Foundation, working to promote awareness of ME/CFS. Chaired by Nicola Meighan.

The Byres Road Book Festival is back with a range of free event at Hillhead Library. The festival features adult author events, childrens events and Gaelic Language events. Now in its sixth year, it's fast becoming one of the leading events in Glasgow’s cultural calendar-and is totally free to attend. We have award-winning authors, poet laureates, illustrators, world-class chefs, film and TV makers all making an appearance.

Alan Windram is the award-winning author of the hugely popular One Button Benny series of picture books. One Button Benny was the winner of the Bookbug Picture Book Prize in 2019. Alan is on the road for much of the year,participating in book festivals, schools and library events. He loves meeting the children, telling stories, singing songs and doing some ‘robot dancing’. Alan is an accomplished singer-songwriter with four independent albums of original songs under his belt. He has toured extensively with some of Scotland’s top musical artists.

Gaelic event for children. When Ailig’s teacher arranges a Halloween party in school, Ailig knows that he wants to dress up as a Dalek. There’s only one problem, though - his teacher says that the children must dress up as characters who speak Gaelic. Shelagh Campbell is from Glasgow and writes fiction for children and adults in Scottish Gaelic. She was selected as the Scottish Book Trust’s Gaelic New Writer Awardee for 2022. She won Gaelic Literature Awards for Best Unpublished Manuscript for Children in 2020 and 2023 and for Best Fiction Book in 2024. Her first novel for adults, Far na Slighe, was published by Luath Press in 2024 and her first children's book, Ailig agus an Dalek Gàidhlig was published by Acair Ltd. in 2025. 'S ann àGlaschu a tha Shelagh Chaimbeul agus bidh i a’ sgrìobhadh leabhraichean ficsein do chloinn agus dodh’inbhich sa Ghàidhlig. Chaidh Duais Ghàidhlig mar phàirt de Duaisean nan Sgrìobhadairean Ùra Urras Leabhraichean na h-Alba a bhuileachadh oirre ann an 2022. Bhuannaich i Duaisean Litreachais airson làmh?sgrìobhainn neo-fhoillsichte as fheàrr do chloinn ann an 2020 is 2023, agus Duais Chomann Gàidhealach Lunnainn airson Leabhar Ficsein ann an 2024. Chaidh a’ chiad nobhail aice, Far na Slighe, fhoillseachadh le Luath Press ann an 2024 agus chaidh leabhar-cloinne, Ailig agus an Dalek Gàidhlig, fhoillseachadh le Acair ann an 2025.

Kirsty Logan is an author of novels, short stories, chapbooks and collaborative projects with musicians and illustrators. Her most recent books are the story collection No & Other Love Stories and the memoir The Unfamiliar. She lives in Glasgow, where she is working on film and TV projects. Chaired by Deborah Murray.

Chris McQueer is the acclaimed author of the short story collections Hings and HWFG. Stories from Hings were adapted for TV by Chris and shown on BBC Scotland, and he's presented the documentaries Noteworthy with Chris McQueer and Let's Talk About the English, and has also appeared on A View From the Terrace and Damian Barr's Big Scottish Book Club. He won the award for Outstanding Literature at the Herald Scottish Culture Awards 2019 and has had two plays staged. He currently teaches creative writing and English to prison inmates. He lives just outside Glasgow. Hermit is his first novel.

Graham Cooper was born in 1953. He grew up in Aberdeenshire. After retiring from his medical career, he began to learn Gaelic at the Aberdeen Gaelic Club. Between 2012 and 2016, he did courses at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. At the Royal National Mòd in 2017 he won the Donald John MacIver Prize with a short story, and in 2022, his novel, An Ròs a Leigheas, won the ‘The Best Book for Adults’. Graham has three other Gaelic books in print: Dà Shamhradh ann an Raineach (Luath Press, 2019), An Sionnach. The Fox (Bruadar Press, 2024) and Am Prionns Press (2024) and Am Prionnsa (Luath Press, 2025), a historical novel about the Jacobite Rising of 1745. Thogadh e ann an Siorrachd Obar Dheathain. Nuair a leig e dheth a dhreuchd mar lighiche, thòisich e air Gàidhlig ionnsachadh aig Club Gàighlig Obar Dheathain. Eadar 2012 and 2016, rinn e cùrsaichean aig Sabhal Mòr Ostaig. Aig a’ Mhòd Nàiseanta Rìoghail ann an 2017 choisinn e Duais Dhòmhnaill Iain MhicÌomhair le sgeulachd ghoirid, agus ann an 2022 choisinn an nobhail aige, An Ròs a Leigheas, an duais ‘An Leabhar as Fheàrr airson Inbheach’. Tha trì leabhraichean Gàidhlig eile aig Graham ann an clò: Dà Shamhradh ann an Raineach (Luath Press, 2019), An Sionnach. The Fox (Bruadar Press, 2024) agus Am Prionnsa (Luath Press, 2025), nobhail eachdraidheil mu Ar-a-mac nan Seumasach ann an 1745.

Peter Ross is an Orwell journalism fellow. His writing has appeared in national newspapers and magazines in the UK and US. He won the non-fiction prize at Scotland's National Book Awards with A Tomb With A View: The Stories & Glories of Graveyards, and his most recent book, Steeple Chasing, was a Sunday Times bestseller and was selected as Waterstones Non-Fiction Book of the Month. He is also the author of the collections Daunderlust and The Passion Of Harry Bingo. Peter lives in Glasgow.

What do you get when you combine Liverpool, untold histories and ants? Maisie Chan’s newest book, Nate Yu’s Blast from the Past, that’s what! When Nate gets hold of an artefact from the First World War, it sparks a friendship he doesn’t see coming - because his new friend is a ghost Come hear Maisie chat about different kinds of families, periods of history we don't often hear about and the real-life inspiration behind her writing as well as an ant fact or twelve! Maisie Chan is a multi-award-winning author. She won the Jhalak Prize and Branford Boase with her debut children's novel, Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths in 2022. She writes a young fiction series called Tiger Warrior and has written for the best selling anthology The Very Merry Murder Club. She lives in Glasgow with her family and dog.

Ferrier Richardson will be joined by Giovanna Eusebi, Aurelien Mourez, David Scott and Stuart Gilmore. Editor Ferrier Richardson and a selection of our finest contemporary local chefs join in conversation about the background and making of the third edition of Glasgow on a Plate. Ferrier Richardson is one of Scotland's finest and best-known chefs. He has travelled the world extensively, representing Scotland for multi-national companies and government departments. He was responsible for re-establishing the culinary reputation of The Rogano and The Buttery and was the opening Executive Chef for Glasgow's first five-star hotel. Ferrier has owned several multi-award-winning restaurants that have featured in all the major guidebooks. Currently, he owns the award-winning gastro pub, The East End Fox and the Auldhouse Arms. He works privately worldwide and has a client list that includes royalty, A-list celebrities and sports stars. This is his tenth book in the On A Plate Series.

Rosalie Menon, an architect and senior academic at the Mackintosh School of Architecture at the Glasgow School of Art, has devoted over 25 years to the integration of architectural practice, teaching, and research. Her appreciation for the urban landscape of her home city of Glasgow is evident in her previous publication, Fragments of Glasgow, and once again in her latest work, Glasgow From Above. While her professional focus remains on academic writing, she also pursues her passion for curating historical and architectural narratives, transforming them into stylish publications designed to engage a broad audience. Rosalie will be in discussion with Alistair Leith. Chaired by Kevin Murray

Screenwriter Andrea Gibb and director Aisling Walsh will be discussing the process of successfully taking the much-loved novel Miss Austen by Gill Hornby from page to screen. Andrea Gibb is a multi-award-winning Scottish film and TV screenwriter. Andrea adapted Andrew O’Hagan’s bestselling novel Mayflies in 2022 to rave reviews, winning Best Scripted Television Drama at the Scottish BAFTAs. Her adaptation of Emma Healey’s Elizabeth Is Missing in 2020 garnered her a RTS Scotland award and a BAFTA nomination, and won lead actor Glenda Jackson both an Emmy and a BAFTA. Andrea's other credits include Sanditon, Call the Midwife, and Swallows & Amazons. Dear Frankie and Afterlife won her Scottish Screen Filmmaker of the Year and brought her a BAFTA nomination for Best Outstanding Debut. Aisling Walsh is a multi-award-winning director and writer. Her 2003 film Song for A Raggy Boy won 30 international awards. She has won a BAFTA, Royal Television Society Awards, and an Emmy for her television films Room at the Top, A Poet in New York, and Elizabeth is Missing in which the legendary Glenda Jackson returned to the screen after a 27 year absence. Her 2018 film Maudie won 7 Canadian Screen Awards. Her next film, Lucia about the life of Lucia Joyce will go into production in early 2026.

In conversation with Rodge Glass and Ross Wilcock on grief, life lessons and memoir writing. Rodge Glass is the author of eight published books. These include the novels No Fireworks, Hope for Newborns and Bring Me the Head of Ryan Giggs, the collection Stories for the EasyJet Generation, a graphic novel, Dougie’s War: A Soldier’s Story, and Alasdair Gray: A Secretary’s Biography, which won a Somerset Maugham Award for Nonfiction. Rodge’s recent work includes Michel Faber: The Writer & his Work (2023) and Joshua in the Sky: A Blood Memoir (2024), a chapter of which, ‘On the Covenant’, won the Anne Brown Essay Prize for Scotland.