Book Festival proves a box office hit with increased ticket sales

Published on Wednesday 24 June 2009 10:22

THE Edinburgh International Book Festival said it has seen a 40 per cent increase in ticket sales for the first 24 hours compared to last year.

Dozens of shows sold out within hours of tickets going on sale on Monday, with the fastest selling events including the launch of Margaret Atwood's new book, The Year of the Flood, in St John's Church, Princes Street, and an event celebrating the 40th anniversary of Eric Carle's The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

In total 112 events, including talks by Henning Menkell, Antony Beevor, Gerald Scarfe and David Simon, sold out in the first day

Roland Gulliver, Programme Manager, said: "Events across every genre have proved extremely popular, from the well known names to debut authors and new international writers."

The 2009 Book Festival runs from 15 to 31 August and will welcome 750 authors from 45 countries to Charlotte Square Gardens, in the heart of Edinburgh, the world's first UNESCO City of Literature.

The Box Office is now open Monday to Saturday from 10.00am to 5.00pm at The Hub on Castlehill until Thursday 13 August.