THE Borders Book Festival kicks off this afternoon at its spiritual home at Harmony Garden in Melrose.

And there are a host of great shows to see.

Tickets are still available for many of the events which can be bought on the day or online.

Today’s shows are as follows.

2pm Dr Simon Elliott in the Trimontium Marquee – Tickets £8 | £6

4pm Dr Fraser Hunter: Scotland’s Early Silver in the Trimontium Marquee Tickets £8 | £6

4.30pm Sir Jackie Stewart, OBE in the Baillie Gifford Marquee Tickets £15 | £13

4.30pm Anna Keay: The Restless Republic in the BSW Group Big Top – Tickets £11 | £9

4.30pm Borders Writers’ Forum in the Davidson Chalmers Stewart Storytelling Tent – Tickets £6

4.45pm Fintan O’Toole in the Cullen Kilshaw Marquee – Tickets £13 | £11

4.45pm Andrew Douglas-Home in the CSY Architects Marquee - £8 | £6

6pm Gavin Esler in the Baillie Gifford Marquee – Tickets £15 | £13

6pm Annabel Abbs: Windswept in the BSW Group Big Top – Tickets £11 | £9

6:15pm Tracy Borman in the Cullen Kilshaw Marquee – Tickets £13 | £11

6.15pm Cecil Cameron in the CSY Architects Marquee – Tickets £8 | £6

7.30pm Mick Herron & Jack Lowden: Slow Horses in the Baillie Gifford Marquee – Tickets £15 | £13

7.30pm Gavin Francis in the BSW Group Big Top – Tickets £11 | £9

7.45pm FT DEBATE The Age of the Strongman in the Cullen Kilshaw Marquee – Tickets £13 | £11

7.45pm Shaping Scotland’s Stories in the CSY Architects Marquee – Tickets £8 | £6

9pm James Naughtie: Biden’s World in the Baillie Gifford Marquee – Tickets £15 | £13

9pm Abir Mukherjee in the BSW Group Big Top – Tickets £11 | £9

9.15pm Jonathan Freedland in the Cullen Kilshaw Marquee - £13 | £11

Tickets now available at www.bordersbookfestival.org  or by calling 0131 290 2112.