Langtoun Fest: Val McDermid and Nicola Sturgeon first names unveiled for Kirkcaldy’s new festival

Best selling author Val McDermid and former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon come to Langtoun Fest for an evening of conversation at St Bryce Kirk on Friday, June 27.

It follows on from their appearance to discuss their shared love of books at Edinburgh’s Assembly Rooms as part of the capital’s festive programme last December.

Their visit is also the summer headline event in Waterstones programme which brings a host of authors to the High Street shop.

Waterstones are one of the growing number of local businesses and organisations getting involved in Langtoun Fest - a month-long festival run by the town to showcase the range of events happening on our doorstep across Kirkcaldy.

The steering group behind it wants to work with groups staging their own events in the hope that many can come under its umbrella branding, and dispel the myth perpetuated on social media that nothing ever happens here.

The book store’s June programme brings some well-known authors to town for events in store which are free to attend - tickets for the McDermid/Sturgeon event are £5 from the store and, shortly, online.

It launches with an evening with best-selling Scottish crime author, Heather Critchlow on Tuesday, June 3 followed by Kate Foster on the 10th, while Fife-based acclaimed author Jenny Colgan will be in conversation with renowned playwright David Greig in a chat about her career and her new book 'Meet Me at the Seaside Cottages'.

Crime fans can also look forward to hearing from Chris Brookmyre and Marisa Haetzman under their joint pen name of Ambrose Parry as they talk about their latest novel, 'The Death of Shame' on Tuesday, June 24.

Alice Watson, store manager, said: “We’re delighted to be part of Langtoun Fest. We were looking at how we fitted into the programme. We always try to do something with Val and when we got in touch about the festival, she was more than happy to do it, and it was her idea to bring Nicola Sturgeon.”

Waterstones’ 2025 season of author events gets underway in March 11 with Jess Smith, author of 'Tears for a Tinker' and 'Sookin Berries', as she discusses her experiences as a traveller and her connections to the Lang Toun.

Up-and-coming author Hester Musson will be in store to chat about about her gothic thriller The Beholders on March 18, Allan Gaw is in town on March 25, and Scottish fantasy author R.M. Brown discusses her debut novel inspired by Scottish politics, culture and folklore on April 1. Full listings at https://www.waterstones.com/events/search/shop/kirkcaldy

The Langtoun Fest has an open invite to all local groups and businesses to chip in with their events happening scheduled for June. The month also marks Kirkcaldy Galleries’ centenary, Adam Smith Global Foundation’s Festival Of Ideas, and concludes with Fife Pride on July 5. If you would like to participate, the primary contact is [email protected]