Hello Welcome to this month's newsletter, which comes to you  from a very windy Wigtown.  The programme for this year's Wigtown Book Festival  is now online and we're expecting our main delivery  of the printed programmes this week. We have some fantastic authors to tell you about this  month and you'll also find some information about  The Autumn Kist and The Stove's Trading  Journeys.  It's here! With more than 180 events and activities, the 2014 festival is set to be the largest yet. With a packed programme throughout the ten days of the festival, there's sure to be something for everyone. As well as author talks there are a number of events focusing on this year's themes: Living Lowlands, in praise of stories from Lowland Scotland; Bookends, celebrating bookshops and readers; the South West Picture Show, a regionwide film festival; and our Visual Arts Programme, including our Spring Fling x Wigtown Book Festival artist-in- residence,Anupa Gardner. Browse the full programme >> Festival Highlights Here is just a selection of highlights from this  year's programme. With a full programme of events for children, as well as Wigtown:  The Festival, run and programmed by and  for young people, the whole family will find  something to enjoy.  Details of events and how to buy tickets can be found on our website. The Autumn Kist “Kist” is an old word for treasure chest and  The Autumn Kist Marquee is somewhere you  will find lots of treasures. Situated outside the  County Buildings and open from 10am-5pm  for the duration of the festival (6.30pm  weekends), you’ll be assured of a warm  welcome. The Kist will be full of some of the  best arts, crafts and food & drink from across  the region and beyond.  Some of our regular exhibitors will be joining  us again this year, all with fantastic new additions  to their ranges and we are delighted to have  some newcomers too.  Stalls are subject to  change each day, so please feel free to pop i n and have a wander or a quick cuppa between  events. Further details will be added to The Kist  Facebook page in the run-up to the festival. Take part in the Festival  flotilla Dumfries-based artists’ collective The Stove  presents a new commission for the 2014  Wigtown Book Festival, supported by Homecoming  2014. With its harbour and location at the lowest fording  point of the River Bladnoch, Wigtown was at one  time part of a major network of land and sea routes,  including a pilgrim’s way to Whithorn. Taking this  history as a starting point, this commission responds  to these trading routes. Trading Journeys will take  place on 27 September. At 11.30am a flotilla of small boats will launch from  Creetown Harbour. The boats are expected at high  tide at Wigtown Harbour (2pm) before sailors  disembark and make their way to the old showfield  just outside the centre of the town. If you are interested in taking part, please contact  Mark Zygadlo on 01387 740 285 / 07759 636 534  or markzygadlo@btinternet.com