Byres Road Book Festival

20/04/2026

WestFest 2026 is back with its “biggest and most diverse programme yet,” with around 300 events taking over 60+ venues across the West End this June.

Running from 1–28 June, the community-led festival is set to transform the city once again — from street celebrations and green space gatherings to theatre, music and more.

2025’s WestFest drew over 110,000 people to the area, with many events happening across and near to Byres Road & The Lanes.

Pick up a brochure from TOMORROW from businesses and venues across the West End, including Waitrose, Hillhead Library, Tinderbox, Òran Mór and many more.

Or check out http://westfest.co.uk

📸 Image credit: Gavin McCourt / WestFest

15/04/2026

📚 Did you miss Gray Day last month? Worry not— the talented will be reading her short story 'Waste Management' on Byres Road again!

Taking inspiration from Gray's Lanark, Rachelle will be joined by author and lecturer (and biographer of Gray), Rodge Glass. See them both at The ARC just off of Byres Road tonight at 6pm. Swipe for directions. Tickets are free but limited, and can be booked on gla.ac.uk/research/arc.

01/03/2026

Starts tomorrow on Byres Road

23/01/2026

🎨 WestFest will make its return in the summer of 2026. The festival is a linchpin of Glasgow's arts and culture scene, and this fourth rendition expects 200 events to take place across the West End.

This year's focus is on encouraging local residents and groups to feel heard and have their say in the Festival more than ever before. From now until 28th March, individuals and organisations can submit event proposals and ideas for participation on http://www.westfest.uk.

Keep an eye out for their full lineup reveal in mid-April.

📸 Gavin McCourt

14/11/2025

🎬 IS THIS FILM FESTIVAL GLASGOW'S BEST KEPT SECRET?

International Film Festival Glasgow kicked off last night and continues all weekend at the gorgeous
Grosvenor Picture Theatre right here in the heart of Glasgow's West End! 🍿

This fantastic independent film festival boasts a great program of screenings, events and an educational programme for cinema lovers and foodies alike!

The festival celebrates Scottish Punk with a special Skids documentary, takes a ride with Alexander Skasgård in a special preview of Pillion (Harry Lighton), and brings in hot first features F*cktoys (Annapurna Sriram), Our Wildest Days (Vasilis Kekatos) and The Therapy (Stanislav Hristov).

Catch Rose Byrne, winner of the Berlin Silver Bear for Best Lead for If I had legs, I’d kick you.

It's a great addition to Byres Road & The Lanes with some additional screenings down the road at The Alchemy Experiment.

Local talent fresh from the festival circuit ‘How to Shoot A Ghost’ starring Jessie Buckley and Drama fest award winner ‘Dust to Dust’.

Check out the programme here: https://iffg.co.uk/festival/iffg-2025/

Why not enjoy a bite to eat or Christmas shopping at our businesses while you're here?

03/11/2025

28/10/2025

Don't miss Bernard MacLaverty, author of 'Cal', 'Grace Notes' and 'Midwinter Break', delivering a guest talk at Oxfam's new and larger Bookshop this Thursday at midday.

17/10/2025

💭 Did you know the oldest English-language bookseller in the world once had a shop on Byres Road?

John Smith & Son operated on Byres Road from 1935 until their closure at the turn of the millennium [first image]. Last year, the memory of the shop briefly resurfaced when Starbucks’s 2024 refurb revealed John Smith’s ‘ghost sign’ underneath their own [second image].

The same bookseller now has a presence on University of Glasgow Campus, and our neighbourhood is proudly served by:
📍 Waterstones, 351 Byres Rd
📍 Oxfam Bookstore’s new and larger store, 174 Byres Road
📍 Herrigan Books, Ruthven Lane
📍 Books at the Botanics, twice monthly

Do you have any memories of shopping in John Smith & Son?

📸 : Scottish Herald | West End Community Glasgow

25/09/2025

📣Calling all Glasgow Parents.....

🏫School is out for September Weekend!

Join us on Byres Road this weekend for a host of FREE children's events. (Free tickets bookable on Eventbrite.)

We have an interactive event about a robot called Benny and an Orange called Kevin--with plenty of singing and dancing thrown in! Yes, the fabulous Alan Windram will be joining us at Hillhead Library.

We're also delighted to be hosting a new event at this year, the kids' book swap! Perfect for trading some of the kids' lesser-read books for brand-new reading material free of charge.

And if you'd like to know more about a Gaelic Dalek, author Sheila Campbell will be joining us for a reading of her latest children's book. Please note this event will be in Gaelic.

We'll also be hosting a range of adult events across the weekend.

Check out the link in our bio for the full line-up on Eventbrite.

https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/manage/collections/4490963/events

22/09/2025

📚 GIVEAWAY TIME! 📚

We’re so excited to offer you the chance to win books by some of this year's authors; Michael Pedersen, Maisie Chan, Chris McQueer, and Kirsty Logan!

To enter:

Like this post ❤️

Share it to your story (and tag us so we can see!)

Tag a friend in the comments who’d also love these books

Want bonus entries? Tag more friends! Every extra friend = another entry.

Prize:
Supplied by Waterstones Byres Road.

Authors in the giveaway:






Rules:

Open to UK residents.

1 book per winner.

Winners chosen at random and will be announced on Friday 3rd October 2025.

Make sure your account is public on the day of the draw so we can see your share/story.

Good luck — and may your next favourite read find you!