Events

We host a variety of events, both in-person and online. Discover our events programme below, and sign up to attend insightful, engaging discussions about books and to meet your favourite authors.

May 2026

Tuesday5th

Fiction Book Club – May 2026

The Memory Police by Yoko Ogawa

5th May 2026, 7:00pm, Book Club at The Portobello Bookshop

Fiction Book Club – May 2026 at The Portobello Bookshop

Wednesday6th

An Evening with Patrick Radden Keefe

London Falling: A Mysterious Death in a Gilded City and a Family’s Search for Truth

6th May 2026, 7:30pm, Author Event at Church Hill Theatre

An Evening with Patrick Radden Keefe at Church Hill Theatre

Thursday7th

Hannah Lavery - Everything Everyday: A Year of Empty Promises

7th May 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Tuesday12th

Polly Atkin - Swimming the Seasons

A Freshwater Almanac

12th May 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Polly Atkin - Swimming the Seasons at The Portobello Bookshop

Thursday14th

Will Maclean - Solace House

14th May 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at Online-only

Saturday16th

An Evening with Douglas Stuart

John of John

16th May 2026, 7:30pm, Author Event at Assembly Rooms

An Evening with Douglas Stuart at Assembly Rooms

Monday18th

Nature Writing Workshop with Rebecca Ferrier and Elspeth Wilson

18th May 2026, 6:30pm, Workshop at The Portobello Bookshop

Tuesday19th

Lauren Elkin - Vocal Break

On Women, Music & Power

19th May 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Lauren Elkin - Vocal Break at The Portobello Bookshop

Wednesday20th

Imani Thompson - Honey

20th May 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Friday22nd

Ella Risbridger - The Kitchen Book

22nd May 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Monday25th

An Evening with Matt Haig

The Midnight Train

25th May 2026, 7:30pm, Author Event at Freemasons' Hall

An Evening with Matt Haig at Freemasons' Hall

Tuesday26th

Ruth Ozeki - The Typing Lady and Other Fictions

26th May 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Thursday28th

Jem Calder - I Want You to Be Happy

28th May 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

June 2026

Wednesday3rd

Jackie Kay - Porty Pride Evening

3rd June 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Thursday4th

Shannon Chakraborty - The Tapestry of Fate

4th June 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Tuesday9th

Olivia Laing - The Silver Book

9th June 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Wednesday10th

Fiona Mozley - Awake Awake

10th June 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Tuesday16th

An Evening with Colin Morgan

The Ballad of Ronan McCoy

16th June 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at Nicolson Square Edinburgh

An Evening with Colin Morgan at Nicolson Square Edinburgh

Thursday18th

Freya Bromley - A Real Piece of Work

18th June 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Saturday20th

Nature Walk with Lucy Lapwing - Love Is A Toad

20th June 2026, 10:30am, Other Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Wednesday24th

Andrew Sean Greer - Villa Coco

24th June 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Thursday25th

Daisy Dixon - Depraved: The Story of Dangerous Art

25th June 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Friday26th

Brandon Taylor - Minor Black Figures

26th June 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

July 2026

Friday3rd

Dave Eggers - Contrapposto

3rd July 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Sunday5th

David Sedaris - Public Signing for The Land and Its People

5th July 2026, 12:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Thursday9th

Alice Oseman - Public Signing for Heartstopper Volume 6

9th July 2026, 4:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Friday10th

Alasdair Gill - Knives and Spoons

A Chef's Story of Kitchens, Addictions and Mayhem

10th July 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Alasdair Gill - Knives and Spoons at The Portobello Bookshop

September 2026

Thursday10th

An Evening with Sebastian Barry

'The Newer World' Publication Day Launch

10th September 2026, 7:30pm, Author Event at Nicolson Square Edinburgh

An Evening with Sebastian Barry at Nicolson Square Edinburgh

Wednesday30th

An Evening with Marina Hyde

What a Time to Be Alive!

30th September 2026, 7:30pm, Author Event at Assembly Rooms

An Evening with Marina Hyde at Assembly Rooms

October 2026

Tuesday27th

Hernan Diaz - Ply

27th October 2026, 7:00pm, Author Event at The Portobello Bookshop

Previous events:

April 2026

Tuesday28th

In conversation with Dominic Gregory & David Gange

Lifeboats, small boats, and the power of community

Saturday25th

Story Time with Morag Hood

Seahorse is Furious (and there is nothing you can do about it)

Wednesday22nd

David Farrier - Nature's Genius

Evolution's Lessons for a Changing Planet

Tuesday21st

Doug Johnstone - The Ossians

Sunday19th

An Evening with Evelyn Clarke

The Ending Writes Itself

Thursday16th

Lisa Tuttle & Brigid Lowe - My Death & The Bloody Branch

Wednesday15th

John Lanchester - Look What You Made Me Do

Tuesday14th

Polly Barton - What Am I, A Deer?

Thursday9th

Kapka Kassabova - Borrowed Land: A Highland Story

Wednesday8th

Davina Quinlivan - Possessions

A Memoir of Transformation in an Era of Precarity

Tuesday7th

Fiction Book Club – April 2026

There There by Tommy Orange

March 2026

Tuesday31st

Elle McNicoll - Unapologetic Love Story