The Edinburgh Literary Salon held their most recent event on Tuesday the 29th of September. This monthly meeting took place at The Outhouse, a charmingly cozy venue whose doors opened at 6:30pm, with the main presentations kicking off at 7pm. The host for the night welcomed everyone warmly, ensuring the hybrid event was inclusive of those attending via zoom livestream, and outlining the talks ahead while introducing guest speakers. 

The evening was a success with a mix of attendees, people within the publishing industry, writers and booksellers, as well as an influx of students from the Edinburgh Napier University’s publishing course. The theme of this month’s Salon sparked conversation between guests, as students mingled with other members of the literary world, discussing upcoming festivals and their impact. Building connections with the wider community within Edinburgh is essential, and the role of booksellers in creating these fairs in conjunction with writers and publishers cannot be undersold. 

If you live in Edinburgh, no doubt you will have heard of the Edinburgh International Book Festival, one of many organisations which take over the city during the month of August; however, there are many more literary festivals which take place throughout the year, which go underrepresented. Annie Rutherford spoke with us about an upcoming poetry festival, Push the Boat Out. Tickets are now on sale for their November 12-15th events, but those of us at the Salon got a sneak peek at their unreleased programme. Their website has published a more extensive article, detailing their theme which “explores the liminal and transitional spaces between people, places, ideas and experiences – the moments where things shift, meet and transform.” Check out their events here: Push the Boat Out 2026 – Full programme announced – 2026 Push The Boat Out Festival.

Additionally, Mairi Oliver gave an intriguing introduction to the Radical Book Fair, a festival which will take place November 5-8th at Lighthouse Bookshop, showcasing untraditional and progressive approaches to publishing. If you are interested in keeping up to date with current industry issues, attending panels and screenings, or participating in workshops, then this is the fair for you. Visit their website at: https://lighthousebookshop.com/events/edinburghs-radical-book-fair-2026-save-the-date.

Festivals are such an important factor in fostering the connections between the publishing industry and readers, as one LitHub article puts it: “if book fairs are the engine room of publishing, festivals are its public square.” Arranging these events is crucial to sparking the conversations which allow for continuous growth across the literary landscape, and these spaces are always seeking new voices. Consider adding your voice to the conversation.

I truly encourage everyone to attend the next free event held by the Edinburgh Literary Salon, on the last Tuesday of every calendar month, the organisation runs entirely on donations and excels due to the work volunteers put into ensuring a space for like-minded people to share ideas, discuss industry news and socialise. If you are looking to find more community events, or if you yourself are part of organising an event, the Salon is a great place to discuss the details of what is going on in Edinburgh, the attendees are guaranteed to greet you enthusiastically.