The Complete Calendar of International Book Fairs in 2018 [Infographic]

By Kotobee
on Nov 29, 2017
in Writing Tips

Last update: February 6th, 2024
at 5:16 pm

24 Shares

Note: Don’t forget to check out the 2024 book fairs list!

With the beginning of each new year, we all make promises to ourselves about the positive changes we’d like to make in our lives over the coming 12 months. The new year is the perfect excuse to get your teeth stuck into a fresh pile of books (and as many of the following book fairs also sell books at discounts, your wallet won’t suffer too much!)

In the following 12 months, there are plenty of opportunities to walk along shelves piled high with books, searching for the latest literary gems. The following book fairs infographic is just a taster of this year’s top options from around the world.

January book fairs

New Delhi World Book Fair

Location: New Delhi, India
Date: 6 – 14 January
Website: newdelhiworldbookfair.gov.in
Spice up your reading list at India’s oldest book fair. Many internationally recognized Indian authors have been translated into English, if you’re interested.

Cairo International Book Fair

Location: Cairo, Egypt
Date: 27 January – 10 February
Website: facebook.com/cairobookfair
The Middle East’s oldest (and largest) book fair is a world literary overview. Drop everything and enjoy the amazing books and cultural events.

International Kolkata Book Fair

Location: Kolkata, India
Date: 30 January – 11 February
Website: kolkatabookfair.net
This fair is about soaking in the atmosphere of picknickers and song-writers alongside the books. It’s also, apparently, the most attended book fair in the world!

February book fairs

Feria Internacional del Libro de La Habana

Location: Havana, Cuba
Date: 1 – 11 February
Website: filcuba.cult.cu
Held in old Spanish fortifications at the harbor, you can take in a cultural experience as much as literary in Havana.

Taipei International Book Exhibition

Location: Taipei, Taiwan
Date: 6 – 11 February
Website: tibe.org.tw
Featuring techno hubs as well as shelves and shelves of books, Taipei’s book fair is a great way to get in touch with what people are reading.

Casablanca Book Fair

Location: Casablanca, Morocco
Date: 8 – 18 February
Website: salonlivrecasa.ma
You don’t need to spend your time only in the old medina or at the beach. Tear yourself away, at least for a day, and you won’t regret it.

Muscat Book Fair

Location: Muscat, Oman
Date: 21 February – 3 March
Website: mctbookfair.gov.om
Located in one of the GCC’s quieter emirates, Muscat’s Book Fair is the perfect opportunity to explore this lesser known (but very beautiful gem) of the Gulf.

Brussels Book Fair

Location: Brussels, Belgium
Date: 22 – 25 February
Website: flb.be
What better way to enjoy books than in an international a city like Brussels . You can add to that this book fair, which also covers digital publishing.

Vilnius International Book Fair

Location: Vilnius, Lithuania
Date: 22 – 25 February
Website: vilniausknygumuge.lt
The most important of the Baltic book fairs, it is just the right ticket to learn more about the country.

March book fairs

Emirates Airline Festival of Literature

Location: Dubai, UAE
Date: 1 – 10 March
Website: emirateslitfest.com
What better way to swap this city’s hyperactivity with yet more literary hyperactivity? You can also enjoy writing competitions and free live performances.

Tempo di Libri

Location: Milan, Italy
Date: 8 – 12 March
Website: tempodilibri.it
Milan is already well known for its coolness, but it isn’t just fashion and good looks here. You’ll find a wealth of decent literature at the book fair.

Leipzig Book Fair

Location: Leipzig, Germany
Date: 15 – 18 March
Website: leipziger-buchmesse.de
As the second largest book fair in Germany, Leipzig still boasts a fantastic range of books. There are also over 1,800 other events associated with the book fair going on.

Paris Book Fair

Location: Paris, France
Date: 16 – 19 March
Website: livreparis.com
Who doesn’t like a good romance novel? This is the perfect opportunity to combine the city of love with your passion for books.

Alexandria International Book Fair

Location: Alexandria, Egypt
Date: 22 March – 4 April
Website: bibalex.org
Everyone in Alexandria feels that anything worthwhile happens in Cairo – not so with the book fair which still has the same decent range of literature as in Cairo.

Bologna Children’s Book Fair

Location: Bologna, Italy
Date: 26 – 29 March
Website: bookfair.bolognafiere.it
Italy isn’t just pizza – how about a detour to beautiful Bologna for a fair that will pique your child’s tastebuds for reading.

Bangkok International Book Fair

Location: Bangkok
Date: 28 March – 8 April
Website: pubat.or.th
Featuring over 900 booths from Thailand and abroad, each year a different country is featured to highlight its culture and traditions.

April book fairs

London Book Fair

Location: London, UK
Date: 10 – 12 April
Website: londonbookfair.co.uk
With over 25,000 participating publishers and bookstores, this is the perfect place to get lost and find just about every book you could ever wish for.

Quebec International Book Fair

Location: Quebec, Canada
Date: 11 – 15 April
Website: silq.ca
Set in beautiful Quebec City, how about picking up a few books to read whilst relaxing in the nearby Jacques-Cartier National Park?

Bogota International Book Fair

Location: Bogota, Colombia
Date: 17 April – 2 May
Website: feriadellibro.com
One of Colombia’s most important cultural events, it’ll provide you with more than just Gabriel Garcia Marquez –you’ll also get to enjoy well over 1,000 cultural events on the side.

Budapest International Book Festival

Location: Budapest, Hungary
Date: 19 – 22 April
Website: konyvfesztival.com
Surrounded by long history and swirling in culture, neither entirely European nor Asian, this is the perfect addition to your list of places to visit when you come to Hungary.

Eurasian International Book Fair

Location: Astana, Kazakhstan
Date: 25 – 28 April
Website: eurasbook.com
Claiming to be the largest cultural and education event in Eurasia, this makes a great literary meeting point aside from Kazakhstan’s awe inspiring natural landscape.

Abu Dhabi International Book Fair

Location: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Date: 25 April – 1 May
Website: adbookfair.com
Abu Dhabi is giving Dubai a run for its money culturally, and their book fair is a great way to see the emirate’s cultural aspects.

Geneva Book and Press Fair

Location: Geneva, Switzerland
Date: 26 – 29 April
Website: salondulivre.ch
Set against the natural beauty of lakes and mountains, this high-calibre event also features a range of discussions and workshops.

Buenos Aires Book Fair

Location: Buenos Aires, Argentina
Date: 26 – 14 May
Website: el-libro.org.ar
Authors such as Susan Sontag and Ray Bradbury have made appearances here. Why not follow in their footsteps too and pick out some gems for the bookshelves?

May book fairs

Thessaloniki Book Fair

Location: Thessaloniki, Greece
Date: 3 – 6 March
Website: thessalonikibookfair.gr
It isn’t just about Homer’s epics at this book fair, although you will be able to delve even deeper into this crossroads of culture and history.

Prague International Book Fair

Location: Prague, Czech Republic
Date: 10 – 13 May
Website: sk2018.svetknihy.cz
Prague isn’t just about its historic value and beautiful architecture – there’s also this enormous book fair featuring over 600 participants from around the world.

Turin International Book Fair

Location: Turin, Italy
Date: 10 – 14 May
Website: salonelibro.it
Although not too many details have been released yet, Turin’s spot as a major northern Italian city of industry and culture is well deserved.

Warsaw International Book Fair

Location: Warsaw, Poland
Date: 17 – 20 May
Website: targi-ksiazki.waw.pl
Featuring over 800 exhibitors, Warsaw adds to its cultural and historic heritage with this fantastic book fair. There are also over 1,500 events, including discussions and debates.

Madrid Book Fair

Location: Madrid, Spain
Date: 25 May – 10 June
Website: ferialibromadrid.com

BookExpo America

Location: New York, USA
Date: 30 May – 1 June
Website: bookexpoamerica.com
North America’s largest and most important book fair, you’ll also be able to meet the authors and rising stars. If you’re looking to self-publish, this fair is the ideal place to get the best advice.

Tehran International Book Fair

Location: Tehran, Iran
Date: TBC
Website: tibf.ir
The ideal break from Iran’s overdose of culture and history, you can also choose from English, French, Arabic and German literature in this over-sized haven of books.

Nigeria International Book Fair

Location: Lagos, Nigeria
Date: TBC
Website: nibf.org
With a stellar reputation for its literary output, showcased at this fair, it’s time to pay this up-and-coming country a visit.

June book fairs

Lisbon Book Fair

Location: Lisbon, Portugal
Date: 1 – 18 June
Website: feiradolivrodelisboa.pt
One of Lisbon’s oldest cultural events, and located in one of the city’s beautiful central parks, you can literally read your newly-bought books out in the park.

Seoul International Book Fair

Location: Seoul, South Korea
Date: 14 – 18 June
Website: sibf.or.kr
Seoul isn’t just high-tech. Time to drag yourself away from the gadgets and dive into a little more traditional of a past-time.

July book fairs

Hong Kong Book Fair

Location: Hong Kong, China
Date: 18 – 24 July
Website: hkbookfair.hktdc.com
Hong Kong’s already known as a global financial capital, but it’s book fair is also well worth a visit. More details will be released soon on what happens in 2018.

Comic-Con International

Location: San Diego, USA
Date: 19 – 22 July
Website: comic-con.org
More unusual in focus, this is the place you need to be for everything comic. Features everything from comic books to costumes.

International Book Fair of Lima

Location: Lima, Peru
Date: 21 July – 6 August
Website: fillima.com.pe
Join over 500,000 visitors to discover 15,000 square meters of pure literary bliss from all over the world.

August book fairs

Shanghai Book Fair

Location: Shanghai, China
Date: 16 – 22 August
Website: shbookfair.cn
Shanghai may be better known for its industry, but you can also take a literary break in 23,000 square meters of books too!

Beijing International Book Fair

Location: Beijing, China
Date: 22 – 26 August
Website: bibf.net
If you’re big on far-eastern literature, then this is just the place for you. It has also recently up-ed its game with an extensive children’s section.

Ghana International Book Fair

Location: Accra, Ghana
Date: 30 August – 2 September
Website: ghanabookfair.com
A celebration of culture and knowledge, you’ll also find out the latest in digital publishing trends with a distinctly African taste.

September book fairs

Library of Congress National Book Fair

Location: Washington, USA
Date: 1 September
Website: loc.gov
Set right in the heart of the city, you can enjoy yet another mouthwatering site to visit whilst in Washington.

Moscow International Book Fair

Location: Moscow, Russia
Date: 5 – 9 September
Website: mibf.info
Describing itself as the “traditional opening [for] the fall book fair season”, this is a great way to get ahead of the game and found out about the newest books on the scene.

South African Book Fair

Location: Johannesburg, South Africa
Date: 7 – 9 September
Website: southafricanbookfair.co.za
One of the fastest growing book fairs in southern Africa, take time off from visiting the city’s many museums for your dose of books.

Indonesia International Book Fair

Location: Jakarta, Indonesia
Date: 12 – 16 September
Website: indonesia-bookfair.com

Indonesia (2018) – Most people visit Indonesia for its natural beauty, but there’s also a fantastic book fair to visit too, featuring discussions and shelves and shelves of books.

Lviv International Book and Literature Festival

Location: Lviv, Ukraine
Date: 13 – 17 September
Website: bookforum.ua
Ukraine’s rich literary history is brought together in this book fair, which also features discussions and debates.

Amman Book Fair

Location: Amman, Jordan
Date: 26 September – 6 October
Website: ammanbookfair.com
It’s not just Roman ruins you can check out in the quiet buzz of Amman, step away from history, just for a little while, and into the literary world.

Goteborg Book Fair

Location: Gothenburg, Sweden
Date: 27 – 30 September
Website: goteborg-bookfair.com
As the largest cultural event in Scandinavia, it certainly attracts the participants and the crowds – and features excellent discussions.

Colombo International Book Fair

Location: Colombo, Sri Lanka
Date: TBC
Website: savi.lk
Sri Lanka is the land of authors such as Michael Ondaatje and Ananda Coomaraswamy, which makes Colombo’s book fair a must see for avid readers.

Baku International Book Fair

Location: Baku, Azerbaijan
Date: TBC
Website: bakubookfair.com
Azerbaijan’s book fair may not be top of the list, but it is certainly expanding, with more than 100 particpants at the 2017 event.

Nairobi International Book Fair

Location: Nairobi, Kenya
Date: TBC
Website: kenyapublishers.org
There’s no need to leave town for a safari. This is a great day out in the bustling city (and less visited by tourists), and it’s the perfect setting to find out more about Kenyan literature.

October book fairs

Frankfurt Book Fair

Location: Frankfurt, Germany
Date: 10-14 October
Website: buchmesse.de
The world’s largest book fair, it’s the perfect opportunity to take a break from business to browse the stalls of over 7,000 exhibitors.

Helsinki Book Fair

Location: Helsinki, Finland
Date: 25 – 28 October
Website: kirjamessut.messukeskus.com
Helsinki’s book fair features a wide array of literature, from your standard book to comics. There’s such a wide variety, you’re spoiled for choice.

Doha International Book Fair

Location: Doha, Qatar
Date: TBC
Website: dohabookfair.qa
Qatar’s trying to make its mark on the international scene, and when it comes to literature it has a more than worthy local literary scene. Its book fair is also quite good too.

Antwerp Book Fair

Location: Antwerp, Belgium
Date: TBC
Website: http://www.boekenbeurs.be/
Antwerp’s book fair is unique in that it focuses primarily on specific languages, notably Flemish and Dutch. However, it does have several international participants too.

Santiago Book Fair

Location: Santiago, Chile
Date: TBC
Website: camaradellibro.cl
One of Chile’s most famous daughters is novelist Isabel Allende – and her magic realist novels are a must grab from her native country’s book fair.

BookExpo Australia

Location: Sydney, Australia
Date: TBC
Website: bookexpo.com.au
Focused on showcasing Australasian authors, there are also many international publishers selling their literary gems here.

International Belgrade Book Fair

Location: Belgrade, Serbia
Date: TBC
Website: sajamknjiga.rs
One of the oldest and most notable book fairs in the Balkans, Belgrade’s book fair also features a variety of debates and discussions.

November book fairs

Sharjah International Book Fair

Location: Sharjah, UAE
Date: TBC
Website: sibf.com
Despite being one of the quieter emirates, Sharjah’s book fair is still worth a visit – and includes a cultural cafe and children’s events.

Venezuela International Book Fair

Location: Multiple cities, Venezuela
Date: TBC
Website: cenal.gob.ve
Held in cities all over the country, this fair is a great way to be introduced to South American literature, through almost 300 publishers.

Vienna International Book Fair

Location: Vienna, Austria
Date: TBC
Website: buchwien.at
Although a relative newcomer on the book fair scene, it has still established itself as a notable literary event in Austria.

Guadalajara International Book Fair

Location: Guadalajara, Mexico
Date: TBC
Website: fil.com.mx
One of the most important book fairs in South America, you don’t need to be on Mexico’s famous beaches to have a good time. Get down to this must-see fair for a real cultural fiesta.

Malta Book Festival

Location: Valletta, Malta
Date: TBC
Website: ktieb.org.mt
Malta’s already established itself as a tourism destination – it also has a family-friendly book festival, attracting over 30,000 visitors annually.

Dublin Book Festival

Location: Dublin, Ireland
Date: TBC
Website: dublinbookfestival.com
Ireland’s aural literature is well known, as is its written literature. Dublin’s book festival is the perfect showcase for this.

Istanbul Book Fair

Location: Istanbul, Turkey
Date: TBC
Website: istanbulkitapfuari.com

Turkey (TBC) – Taking a break from beautiful Istanbul at the city’s book fair is a great way to expand on your knowledge of local literature.

International Children and Young Adults Book Fair (FILIJ)

Location: Mexico City, Mexico
Date: TBC
Website: filij.cultura.gob.mx
If literature for a younger audience is your thing, then this is the perfect place to come and pick up all the latest releases.

Salon de Livre de Montreal

Location: Montreal, Canada
Date: TBC
Website: salondulivredemontreal.com
Montreal’s buzzing cultural nature means you can check out the books during the day, amongst other events, whilst soaking up its nightlife later on.

Slovenian Book Fair

Location: Ljubljana, Slovenia
Date: TBC
Website: knjiznisejem.si
Slovenia’s book fair is a great way to delve deeper into this beautiful little country’s literary history (which isn’t just about Slavok Zizek).

Reykjavik Book Fair

Location: Reykjavik, Iceland
Date: TBC
Website: visitreykjavik.is
Iceland’s literary reputation is based on the sagas of old, but you’ll still find a terrific variety of reads (books are the most popular gifts at Christmas time in Iceland).