Exciting International Book Fairs Happening in 2021
Note: Be sure to check out the 2024 book fair list!
There’s no question that the year 2020 has been an unprecedented one in terms of a global pandemic altering millions of plans and even entire lives. It left the world in a state of anxious confusion, but sometimes, you can’t help but wish for the best. Maybe, just maybe, things will go well, and we can finally go back to doing the things we used to enjoy. Things such as attending international book fairs from all around the globe.
The haze of uncertainty from last year has driven a lot of the fairs to have a
contingency plan in case things go bad. Some of our beloved fairs have postponed their events to a later time. Others have been cancelled or even discontinued. Then there are many that decided to proceed with caution, whether by implementing new rules or limited attendances. Or by hosting most of their events online. No matter what, it’s a good thing for us bibliophiles to know that there’s still a way for us to enjoy our favorite time of year!
Amid the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, the Getman’s Quickie 12 Hour Book Fair built a virtual book fair for you to peruse book dealers, collectors, and institutions. In their virtual fairs, you will be transported to a simpler time when paper was the medium to satisfy your thirst for intellectual and creative stimulation.
The F.R.E.S.H. Book Festival is an engaging weekend of entertainment in the forms of film, books, author presentations, focus groups, and good music. Writers visit F.R.E.S.H to network with fellow authors, meet with readers and fans, and sell books. There’s something for every reader’s indulgence.
The Black Ink Book Festival will feature The New York Times bestselling author Kwame Mbalia in 2021. It will also highlight up to 60 black authors, panels, workshops, and programs with the help of 10 sponsors and Black Ink supporters. The event entrance is free for visitors.
The annual Hexham Book Festival presents bestselling writers, thinkers, politicians, journalists, broadcasters, and up-and-coming writers and writers from the North-East region. The festival is supported by numerous local businesses and private sponsors with outreach projects benefiting from Trusts and Foundations’ support.sponsors.
Visitors and readers will have an opportunity to virtually walk through the Exhibit Hall before the full conference kicks off. Participate in the day’s offerings, including a morning “Coffee Talk” with authors; exhibitor educational sessions; presentations from notable authors; and a Happy Hour at the end of the day, perfect for networking and catching up with friends.
The 4th Krithi International Book Fair in India presents writers, authors, and literature enthusiasts. In 2020, 150 publications from international, national, and local publishers took place intending to promote reading to the younger generations.
The Salone della Cultura unites all operators in the world of books and promotes openness to all artistic expressions, whether represented in writing or other forms of books. There will be a collection of artist books, photography, sculptures with books, pop-up books, old books, illuminated books, bestsellers, specialized publishers, second-hand booksellers, and antique dealers with their unique copies. They will all be uniting the various book communities, readers, and collectors.
TIBE is a great chance for visitors to meet international publishing industry professionals. This year if will be featuring Korea as the guest of honor.
There will be around 20 dealers exhibiting in this rather short book fair. As always, local books will be well represented, but a wide variety of subjects are covered by the dealers attending. Entry is free.
The Sunshine Book Festival is home to hundreds of writers, novelists, playwrights, and poets. Festival visitors will be able to virtually “stroll” aisles of authors’ booths and “meet” the author via a video supplied by the author. Interested readers can browse books in a booth by clicking on a cover image, then using Amazon’s “Look inside” feature, they can see the back cover blurb and read a few pages. Afterward, visitors will be exactly positioned to click the “Buy Now” button.
Havana’s 10-day International Book Fair is a fair typically taking place at the old Spanish fortification San Carlos de La Cabana. It features book vendors, poetry readings, children’s activities, art exhibitions, and concerts in the evenings.
The African American Children’s Book Fair is one of the oldest single-day events for African-American children’s books in the country, with an average yearly attendance of more than 3,500. The event features nationally known bestselling authors/illustrators. Many of them have won some of the most prestigious American Library Association awards, including the Coretta Scott King Award. The event is packed with activities that promote the power and joy of reading. There will be presentations and book signings by authors and illustrators. The Literary Row will distribute book-related promotional materials free of charge. Our Educator’s Book Giveaway will also distribute brand new books to teachers for use in their classrooms and school libraries. Besides, there will be a wide selection of affordable literature available to purchase.
The Coastal Magic is full of virtual events featuring interesting discussions, fun “meet & greets”, and connect and interact with book-lovers and storytellers.
The Paisley Book Festival is a platform for the celebration of books, reading, and writing over the course of 10 days. It is a festival with creativity and innovation at the heart of its programming. It seeks to showcase some of the best and most diverse voices published today in Scotland and the broader UK context. In 2021, the festival will continue to focus on grassroots rebellion, revolution, and activism, taking into account how the world has changed radically in the last 12 months.
After 42 years, this gem of New York is going virtual! Over 150 dealers from all over the world will be present in Rare and Vintage Books, Ephemera, Posters, Art Books, Prints, Children’s Books, Manuscripts, Collections, First Editions, Vernacular Photos.
The 6th edition of Mersin CNR Book Fair will host more than 500 signature days for nine days, as well as panels and interviews. The fair, which is expected to be visited by over 150 thousand book lovers, will be the most important cultural event in the region.
Black Writers On Tour is a great opportunity for authors and young writers to gain exposure, attract new readers, and sell books. Tech business owners with products or services are also welcome to join and gain exposure, acquire new customers, make sales, and expand their profits.
The Brussels Book Fair is a nonprofit event promoting books and reading to all audiences since 2016. Each year it presents 255 exhibitors and 500 publishing houses, and 1,200 authors in meetings and dedications. The event is visited by 72 thousand visitors every year.
The Printed Matter Art Book Fair began in 2005 to foster the distribution, understanding, and celebration of artists’ books and art-related publishing. The fair will host exhibitors from around the world, featuring various works—from zines and artists’ books to rare and out of print publications and contemporary art editions. You’ll find a full schedule of the live programs that have made the event special in the past — discussions, and workshops, interactive book launches, musical performances, and much more.
The Latvian Book Fair is a mix of Latvian and foreign publishing houses. It will include versatile exhibitions of books, news from publishers, book opening events, authors’ readings, books at affordable prices, events for young readers, developmental and educational games, creative arts-and-crafts ideas, and materials for readers, publishers, writers, and translators.
The AWP Conference & Book Fair is an annual destination for writers, teachers, students, editors, and publishers. Each year thousands of visitors join our community for four days of dialogue, networking, and unrivaled access to the organizations and opinion-makers that matter most in contemporary literature. The conference features thousands of presenters as well as hundreds of readings, panels, and craft lectures. The book fair hosts hundreds of presses, journals, and literary organizations from around the world.
The Ennis Book Club Festival focuses mainly on readers and book lovers. It attracts a host of national and international writers and speakers. The festival includes author readings and discussions. It also offers a diversity of events each year, including debates on topical affairs, workshops, poetry readings, theatre, music, bookclub quizzes, and walking tours through Ennis’ historic streets.
For the first time, the Tucson Festival of Books presents a free and entirely online festival. We will host a full virtual festival with live author sessions for adults and children from all genres, featuring favorite sponsor venues. Most content will be provided live or with live Q&A with select sessions on-demand. All with the quality you’ve come to expect from the Tucson Festival of Books.
The Southwest Reading Festival encourages adults, teens and children to visit and meet popular authors in literature in multiple venues. They promote lifelong learning, public libraries, and school reading readiness by raising awareness of the library’s services and its role in the community’s quality of life.
Year after year, we celebrate the festival of literature and art in Poznań. For three days, you will find a whole range of publishers in one place—both the largest and well-known, as well as niche publishing by authors from Poland and abroad. And when you find your favorite new book, we invite you to a series of meetings with writers. The Poznań Book Fair also includes illustration exhibitions, the Comics Zone, the Scrabble Zone, workshops for children and adults, a vinyl exchange, and the Book Marketing conference.
The 2021 Virginia Festival of the Book takes place in more than 70 venues across Charlottesville and Albemarle County, Virginia. The majority of our programs are free to attend. The festival will highlight hundreds of speakers and their new books and feature more than 100 programs—from panel discussions to children’s story times—for all ages, reading levels, and interests.
The New Orleans Book Festival held annually will feature both fiction and non-fiction and convene readings, panel discussions, symposia, and keynote speeches. It will also provide an opportunity for outlets, authors, and readers to interact with each other in one of the most vibrant and culturally diverse cities in the world.
The Palm Beach Book Festival features New York best-selling authors in a nonprofit event for Southern Florida children and adults.
If you missed SleuthFest 2019 and want to get a peek into what writers experienced, check out the 50 great recordings at VWTapes. Start with our SleuthFest Editor in Residence Neil S. Nyren, our Agent & Editor panels, and then move to the outstanding workshops from last year’s guest faculty: Alexia Gordon, Tom Straw and Elaine Viets.
A Yorkshire bibliophiles and book collectors’ favorite, the Annual PBFA Book Fair in Harrogate has been running for over 40 years. Dealers are attending from all parts of the United Kingdom, traveling from as far afield as Scotland, East Anglia, London, the Midlands, and right across the Northern Counties. A powerful mix of subjects will be on display, fiction and non-fiction, offered by specialist dealers with knowledge and expertise!
One of the most important cultural events in Istanbul, the last CNR Book Fair brought readers and writers together for autograph days and interviews, seminars, panels, and exhibitions. Next year, more than 600 writers from all genres and writings will be attending.
The North Texas Teen Book Festival is a one-day event celebrating teen literature from both Middle Grade and YA authors for free. In the 2021 NTTBF, 85 authors will come together for a full day of conversation, book signings, and jubilation. Authors sign books, meet their readers, and discuss their books in over 50 small breakout panels, all at the new, state-of-the-art Irving Convention Center. Books will be sold for each author at the event.
The Zagreb Book Fair is the largest literary event in Croatia featuring prominent Croatian publishers displaying a varied selection of fiction literature, school and education literature, religion/theology literature, science, arts, children’s and young adults books, picture books, comics, monographs, maps, travel guides and charts and more.
The Tennessee Festival is a five-day literary arts festival held every spring, right around March 26, our patron saint and inspiration’s birthday, playwright Tennessee Williams. It is perfect for readers, writers, theater lovers, and anyone who loves New Orleans’ magical culture.
The Moscow based Book Fair hosts visitors and professionals from 25 countries with over 35 thousand publishers, distributors, authors, literary critics, agents, translators, and general readers, who appreciate good writing. The fair includes key features in the book industry, seminars and panel discussions, meetings with famous authors, presentations of the latest books and unique editions.
The Edinburgh Book Fair is a festival dedicated to rare, collectible, and important books and the history of books. Edinburgh’s finest bookish institutions have arranged talks, exhibitions, and workshops for collectors, bibliophiles, and booklovers. The majority of them are free to all.
Some talks include introductions suitable for budding book lovers and those merely curious about the history of books, along with scholars delving into their latest research.
Some talks include introductions suitable for budding book lovers and those merely curious about the history of books, along with scholars delving into their latest research.
The Southern Kentucky Book Fest is one of the state’s largest literary events! We encourage literacy and the love of books for readers of all ages in our community and beyond. Book Fest is presented by Barnes & Noble Booksellers, Warren County Public Library, and WKU Libraries. Thousands visit SOKY Book Fest from across the U.S. who come to meet their favorite authors, purchase signed copies of their books, and learn from them in exciting panels, presentations, and workshops.
The DSM Book Festival celebrates authors, writers, readers, and everything in between. With headlining authors, hands-on workshops, children’s activities, live music, local food and drink, and much more.
The Augusta Literary Festival invites selected authors from several genres to include the traditionally published best-selling author to the best-selling indie author with a story to tell. The event is open to book lovers, aspiring authors, the community of the Arts, and everyone else.
A wide range of books, maps, and ephemera are on offer at the Bury St. Edmund center, the hall is a stone’s throw from the much-photographed Abbey Gate; the award-winning Abbey Gardens, and the Cathedral. A memorable full-day outdoors.
The Little Grassy Festival at the University of Illinois features poems, stories, essays, and more. You’ll also find panels, book sales and signings, readings, and many more activities.
The Quebec International Book Fair offers publishers, illustrators, cartoonists, and authors opportunities for book signings, poetry readings, and round-tables. There will be a display of products like comics, chitrakatha, novels, graphics, merchandise, toys, games, films, animation, etc.
We will be using an online platform called Accelevents to run the festival. It will allow us to offer book clubs, groups of friends, and classes the opportunity to chat privately among themselves during an event. There will also be a “networking” capability to mimic the in-person festival, where attendees can meet one another and talk about which events they’re attending and enjoying. Some of the festival’s events will be in-person, which will be announced later.
The largest book fair in the Peak District of Derbyshire will be the Bakewll Book Fair. It will have around 30 dealers in attendance.
The Bologna Children’s Book Fair has been THE event in the children’s publishing industry for 57 years. Over 1,400 exhibitors and 30,000 professional visitors flock to the event each spring to experience the world of children’s books, illustration, and multimedia content. There will be publishers, illustrators, graphic designers, literary agents, authors, translators, developers, licensors and licensees, packagers, printers, distributors, audio-book professionals, booksellers, brands, librarians, and contributing teachers. The book fair and the event make for a great meeting point for all professionals in the children’s book creation industry.
The Los Angeles Times Festival of Books has become a world-renowned event gathering writers, poets, artists, filmmakers, musicians, and emerging storytellers like no other. Today over 150,000 people attend, making it the largest festival of its kind in the United States. Join the festival and enjoy books, stories and ideas with 26 individual virtual events.
The National Hispanic Cultural Center (NHCC) Children’s Bilingual Book Festival is the only one of its kind in the U.S. that features children’s books in Spanish and English and Native languages and English. The festival features author readings, student storytelling, a book fair, workshops for parents and teachers, and creative and book-related activities for young readers (K-6) and their families. We want to encourage children to see themselves in contemporary children’s literature as well as introduce a bilingual body of work to a wider audience.
The Eurasian International Book Fair is the largest cultural and educational book fair event organized by the Ministry of Culture and Sports in the Eurasian space. Its aim is to unite professionals of publishing and related businesses from Europe and Asia in one place.
International Book Festival Budapest is a major event in the international book world and a professional and cultural forum in the region. You’ll find readings, literary evenings, featuring outstanding representatives of world literature and domestic intellectual life (nearly 100 renowned artists from 25 countries, 400 Hungarian and foreign Hungarian writers, scholars, artists), book premieres, art book presentations, round-tables, concerts, theatre performances, exhibitions, film screenings and more.
Unbound Book Festival in Columbia, Missouri, celebrates literature of all kinds. Nationally recognized and bestselling authors across many genres will come to mid-Missouri to discuss their work and participate in various stimulating events and environments.
Book World Prague features the guest of honor in 2021: France. We will examine issues of identity, language, and diversity in the Czech Republic and France. There will also be programs for children and young readers, sci-fi and fantasy fans, and professional visitors. Also, lovers of contemporary Czech fiction and non-fiction will find something to their liking. They expect a large number of foreign guests and a whole host of Czech writers. The program will acquire specific outlines gradually.
The Newburyport Literary Association, Inc. was founded in 2005. With a rich literary heritage, the greater Newburyport area has a lot to be excited about. Writers as diverse as John Greenleaf Whittier, John P. Marquand, Edna St. Vincent Millay, and Andre Dubus II have called Newburyport home.
The Yallwest Santa Monica Book Festival features panels, book signings, food trucks, bad jokes, killer photo ops, and more. It celebrates over 113 authors, including New York Times Bestsellers acclaimed young adult and middle-grade writers, plus notable Hollywood directors and creators.
The Ohioana Book Festival is held each spring to celebrate Ohio writers and their books. In 2020 over 140 authors participated in book signings, panel discussions, children’s readings, and more during the festival, held in a virtual format due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The festival features books by authors, illustrators, publicists, or other publishing professionals from the following genres: fiction, non-fiction, literature (young adult and children’s literature), graphic novels, academic press titles, and more.
BookFest is a wonderful, fun-filled day for children and adults alike. Renowned authors and illustrators come from across Canada to present their work, tell stories about their creations and lives, and inspire youth through literature and art.
The Sydney Writer’s Festival is for readers, writers, and thinkers to share ideas, tell stories, and celebrate literature for a week of 400 fun and enlightening events.
The Geneva Book Fair is the only publisher fair in Switzerland. It brings together nearly 350 exhibitors from all over the French-speaking world. For five days, readers, writers, publishers, and booksellers will get the opportunity to meet up in exchange for knowledge, contacts, and experiences in a friendly event.
The Sidney LitFest presents authors who will engage book lovers with readings from their works, panel discussions, conversations, and writing workshops. There will also be music and drinks.
The Bay Area Book Festival takes place every year over two days with 250-300 authors on 15 stages featuring the boldest and most brilliant literary voices in conversations about issues that matter, focusing on justice and diversity. The event is accessible with a one $15 pass, and the outdoor fair, a wonderland of literary vendors, kids’ activities, and family fun, is totally free.
The RVA Booklovers’ Festival brings to you the best of Virginia’s bookish crowd: authors, crafters, local cuisine, and more! Celebrate fall literary-style with the best of East Coast authors, bookish vendors, RVA food trucks, and more! Booklovers will have a blast sharing ideas and celebrating their love of the written word. Visit the Main Stage, the Poet-tree, and Stephanie’s Kindness Corner kids’ stage for book talks, readings, and activities. The RVA Booklovers’ Festival has everything you need to get lit!
The Hudson Children’s Book Festival hosts over 75 authors and illustrators each year since 2009. It aims to create, sustain, and nurture a literacy culture in partnership with our community and schools. Families will meet and greet world-class creators of books for children of all ages.
The Festival of Literary Diversity is Canada’s first festival for under-represented authors and storytellers from around the world. Festival events include panel discussions, workshops, and networking events for aspiring, emerging, and established writers, which will be featured for free online. The FOLD provides one-of-a-kind events for kids and adults that engage readers, inspire writers, and empower educators by highlighting important and diverse voices.
The Singapore Art Book Fair (SGABF) celebrates contemporary art books and zines. It is one of the leading art book fairs in Asia. Each edition showcases the innovative approaches of exhibitors from Singapore and around the world, including artists, designers, distributors, small presses, institutions, galleries, zinemakers, and printmakers. Free and open to the public, the fair draws thousands of visitors each year, with over 7,000 over one weekend in the most recent 2019 edition.
The book fair is considered the biggest in the Baltic countries and a popular cultural event in Lithuania. Next year’s Vilnius Book Fair will offer publishers, authors, and readers an opportunity to exchange and share texts and images. The images will be in the context of image as text through art exhibitions, live conversation, and discussions, presentations of the best books and authors of the year.
The BuchPassion fair is the first independent book signing event in Germany. Authors and publishers present a selection of fantasy, detective stories, and romance genres and connect with their readers in person. The event ends with an exclusive dinner that is almost exclusively reserved for authors and networking activities.
Help your child discover new books, favorite characters, complete series, and more!
The Nigeria Book Fair brings together exhibitors, publishers, authors, illustrators, booksellers, readers, and other industry professionals to display and sell books in a chance to connect and meet up. This year’s theme is ‘Enhancing Reading Culture for A Better Societal Development; The Role Of ICT & Stakeholders’. A well-packaged event where all literary materials are made accessible and affordable to information seekers and book lovers.
Greater St. Louis Book Fair sells many rare and collectible books, movies, music, comics, and ephemera. Their inventory includes first editions, limited editions, out-of-print editions, signed copies, and other treasures. You’ll find hardback, paperback, records, CDs, DVDs, comics, and ephemera.
The annual May Greensboro Bound Literary Festival is visited every year by book lovers, readers, writers, publishers, academics, scholars, adults, and children. The festival creates a space for readers and writers to come together and share stories and experiences. It also provide a platform for dialogue and discussion. The authors and topics presented at Greensboro Bound span a broad swath of interests and subject matter, including speculative fiction, immigrant narratives, social justice, memoir, and romance… just to name a few. The author panels and discussions are complimented by puppet shows, a children’s opera, character parades, artists, and musical presentations.
Greater Rochester Teen Book Festival (TBF) is a dedicated event solely for teens. It’s to encourage reading some of the best titles aimed at young adults and offer a place where readers can interact with award-winning authors. The TBF Event is free and open to everyone. The day’s focus will be on teens (grades 6-12), and they will receive priority in all sessions not specified as being for adults.
The Gaithersburg Book Festival is a celebration of the written word and its power to enrich the human experience. Since its inception in 2010, the fair’s mission was to foster an interest in reading, writing, and literary conversation. The Gaithersburg Book Festival always attracts hundreds of award-winning and best-selling authors, poets, and songwriters from across the country to its beautiful park setting.
Pen America World Voices Festival hosts more than 150 writers and artists with very diverse nationalities in New York and Los Angeles. There are over 60 events consisting of talks, panels, conversations, and performances held. It’s a gathering of non-fiction and fiction writers, thinkers, translators, and poets to engage with contested histories and memory, to celebrate the beauty and power of storytelling.
Go On Girl! Book Club recognizes authors and publishers who made significant contributions to the writing and publication of quality books for and about African descent people.
Abu Dhabi International Book Fair is the marketplace for the publishing industry in the Middle East and North Africa. Over the years, exhibitors have benefitted from venues such as the eZone, which showcases the latest in electronic media and digital content. The Illustrators’ Corner has offered local and international talent a platform to display their work and learn from market specialists.
Every year The International Book Arsenal Festival hosts more than 150 Ukrainian publishers to present their publications at the book exhibition-fair. The fair pays special attention to the visual component—from exhibition projects on the art of book publishing, illustration, design, art books and art objects, and installations to the latest design trends in zines and self-published books.
The Leipzig Book Fair will be held together with the reading festival “Leipzig liest”, the Manga Comic-Con and the Antiquarian Book Fair in May 2021 at the fairgrounds of the Leipziger Messe. The book fair will be held for readers, authors, and publishers is financially supported by the Federal Cultural Minister Monika Grütters with one million euros from the economic stimulus program. It presents the spring’s new releases, current themes, and trends. Also, it exhibits novelties from Central and Eastern Europe in addition to new German-language literature.
Created in 1981 by the French Publishers Association, the Paris Book Fair features thirty-four thousand professionals and thousands of visitors. The fair has become a rich and culturally diverse event with an extended, high level and challenging 360° program featuring 1,200 exhibitors.
The Madrid Book Fair presents fiction and non-fiction writers, booksellers, publishers, and distributors from different parts of the country in 2021. The fair features many activities for everyone, authors meet-ups, conferences, workshops, round tables, and book signings.
The Derby Book Festival brings you over 100 book events with some of our most celebrated authors, including a series of one-off live events, as well as online activities. Stay tuned for more information.
The ITEF Istanbul International Literature Festival reinforces its feature of being a meeting point for writers, publishers, agencies, translators, journalists, literary fund managers, literary festival coordinators and everyone in the publishing industry.
The Reader & Author Get Together welcomes readers, authors, publishers, and industry professionals. Think of the event as a giant tea party with many book lovers and storytellers and events, workshops, presentations, fun activities, book signings, author Q&A and more. A portion of the events’ profits will go to many local causes.
The Mainzer Minipressen is an event for nearly 360 small publisher exhibitors from 15 countries and 10 thousand European visitors. It is a hub for the latest ideas and trends for printing and publishing literature and art.
The Pula Festival’s program is based on intercultural affirmation of internal and European regionalism, upholding and promoting the specifics of literary culture.
The Printers Row Lit Fest is visited every year by 100 thousand guests over a two-day festival. It is a community-based celebration for book lovers featuring over 100 booksellers and everything from the tattered to the rare to ‘hot off the press,’ newly published works.
The Copenhagen Comics festival offers a wealth of stands, exhibitions explicitly arranged for the festival, debates and workshops, and of course the opportunity to greet and get signatures of your favorite artist or author. There is room for everything from world-famous Disney series to narrow, debuting stripes. Copenhagen Comics is for everyone who loves comics.
The Bournville BookFest is where authors, performers, and artists come together for a fun interactive storytelling event at Birmingham’s only dedicated children’s book festival.
The Belfast Book Festival has a unique, diverse and highly creative mix of events that cater to a wide range of interests and explores many topical themes. Featuring well-known authors, comedians and journalists, there is something for all tastes and interests at the Belfast Book Festival! The festival has grown over the last 10 years, each year delivering a jam-packed and diverse programme of events.
The Bronx Book Festival promotes literacy and the love for reading. It covers a wide range of topics relevant to the Bronx community through panels, workshops, and more with award-winning and bestselling authors, illustrators, and creators. This literacy program seeks to create an interest for reading among young people. All while also promoting reading and writing skills through engaging author visits, reading group guides from publishers, and new books for children.
The “Books By the Beach” brings you the bestselling authors to Scarborough from all diverse genres for everyone to enjoy. Stay tuned for more details on the 2021 festival.
The Borders Book Festival is a free entry with more than 100 events for all ages. The festival has grown over the years to be more than just books. Discover health and wellbeing classes and drop-in sessions, film, opera, comedy, workshops, youth theatre and fine food and drink from the Borders and Scotland in the Orchard.
Wild Deadwood Reads is a multi-author, multi-genre Book Fair that is just one of the exciting events happening next June. We’ve got Wild Bill’s Days going on right in town, a basket raffle to support a local nonprofit organization, Breakfast With the Authors, a fun evening enjoying libations while listening to authors reading their favorite scenes from their books, and much more.
The Bogotá International Book Fair is a gathering point for authors, editors, proofreaders, translators, distributors, agents and booksellers. For 33 years, all those related to the book publishing industry have gathered together with readers in these growing spaces for training and promoting books and reading.
The ALA Annual Conference & Exhibition is the premier global library event. It brings together over 20,000 librarians and library staff, educators, hundreds of top authors, publishers, friends of libraries, trustees, special guests, and 900 exhibitors. With up to 2,500 scheduled events, over 500 are programs, sessions, and in-depth facilitated and informative conversations, attendees are engaged in a wide range of library and professional development related topics.
The London Book Fair features a wide range of activities like conferences, awards, and more. They are carefully curated to showcase informative and inspiring content across all its forms in the publishing industry. They also present awards to highlight the exemplary work of organizations from within the industry.
Essex Book Festival is an independent charity based at the University of Essex in Colchester. The festival’s aim is to celebrate the book and storytelling in all its forms with writers and authors, including theatre, visual art, spoken word, politics, science, film, and getting our teeth into some tough conversations.
The Greenwich Book Festival was established in 2015 to celebrate books, authors, illustrators, and all things literary on the banks of the River Thames. Most of our festival takes place on the stunning World Heritage site of the Old Royal Naval College at the University of Greenwich. The festival is proud to be part of the Royal Festivals Greenwich and sponsored by the Royal Borough of Greenwich, along with the University of Greenwich.
The Cairo International Book Fair is one of the biggest book fairs out there, drawing hundreds of book sellers from around the world and about 2 million visitors each year. It is the largest book fair in the Arab world, as well as the oldest. This year’s edition will take place under the theme “Egypt’s Identity: Culture and the Question of the Future”. The Fair will honour Egyptian writer Yehia Haqqi at the 52nd edition. The event will also celebrate the 100th birth anniversary of Tharwat Okasha, the Egyptian writer, translator, and former Minister of Culture during the Presidency of Gamal Abdel Nasser.
Newark Book Festival is a weekend-long celebration of authors through an exciting and engaging program of events, including; panel talks, crime fiction, contemporary writing, and literary fiction, to a whole host of free family fun. There is something for everyone to enjoy.
In addition to inviting the public to visit and buy books, the Hong Kong Book Fair is also committed to organizing diversified cultural activities during the book fair to improve the content quality of the book fair.
The Payson Book Festival is brought to you by the Rim Country Chapter of Arizona Professional Writers (APW) and Majestic Rim Retirement Living. It features appearances by authors from Rim Country and around Arizona. The book festival also features book signings and booksellers, projects for the kids, presentations, live music, and food available in the hotel and casino premises.
Metrocon is an anime convention featuring celebrity guests and exhibitors. It offers a full experience of anime, artist alley, autograph sessions, contests, panels, Cosplay, video games, comic books, sci-fi, fantasy, film, and more at the Tampa Convention Center every summer, with a focus on our roots—anime and video games.
The Martha Vineyard Book Festival features authors in panel discussions speaking about their newly published books. It focuses on an array of timely issues of the day, including cultural turmoil and creativity, imagination, equality, and attracts a diverse group of residents and visitors, drawn by various literary artists, public figures, and subject matter.
The Edinburgh International Book Festival features hundreds of events for children and young adults featuring the finest writers and illustrators of children’s books and young adult novels from all over the world. With emerging writers to Nobel Prize-winners, the Edinburgh International Book Festival is full of great ideas and captivating discussions.
The largest book fair in the Peak District of Derbyshire will be the Bakewll Book Fair. It will have around 30 dealers in attendance.
The Mississippi Book Festival is a nonprofit booklover’s event with hundreds of self-published visiting authors — national, regional and local — panel discussions, book signings, booksellers, Capitol tours, food trucks, and family-friendly activities.
The Bouchercon New Orleans Book Fair brings you the world’s premier annual crime fiction event. Join the mystery community — from authors, fans, and publishers to reviewers, booksellers, and editors — for five days of panels, parties, and pure mystery fun.
The Ghana International Book Fair, established in the mid-90s, is a platform where both local and international book industry players come together to trade books and negotiate deals. The public has access to a variety of excellent books and to buy them at highly discounted prices.
The Sonoma Valley Authors Festival brings people together to explore various literary genres, discover the advances being made in science, technology, and medicine, and foster genuine connections with others. Simply stated, to “Stimulate the Minds and Nurture the Souls of Readers.”
The Bienal do Livro Rio is the biggest literary event in Brazil. It is an opportunity for readers to meet their idols. For ten days, the festival will feature topics on culture, literature, and education. There will be debates, interviews, in addition to cultural activities that promote reading. Attractive, varied, and dynamic, the Rio Book Biennial is fun for the whole family!
The Melbourne Writers Festival brings writers and readers together to be inspired, challenged and thrilled by an intelligent, rousing and diverse program of books and ideas. Since 1986, the organisation has entertained hundreds of thousands of readers as Australia’s boldest literary festival. It provides the inspiration and framework for vital, timely conversations.
Since 1979 the Finnish Comics Association has been organizing the Helsinki Comics Festival. This year’s event offers public interviews, panel discussions, performances, workshops, and sales outlets for invited publishers to larger publishers and small magazine authors. In 40 years, the number of visitors has grown from about a thousand to 11,000–20,000 per year.
The BuchPassion fair is the first independent book signing event in Germany. Authors and publishers present a selection of fantasy, detective stories, and romance genres and connect with their readers in person. The event ends with an exclusive dinner that is almost exclusively reserved for authors and networking activities.
Moscow International Book Fair 2021 will focus on visual narratives in children’s non-fiction and knowledge books. You’ll be able to meet publishers, authors, scientists, philosophers, writers, illustrators, designers, game, software, and media specialists waiting to share their knowledge.
The York Fair, which began in 1974, features over 220 of this country’s leading booksellers. The fair offers a breathtaking diversity of books, as well as posters, ephemera, manuscripts, maps, and prints, ranging in price from just a few pounds up to tens of thousands of pounds. This year we also welcome several dealers from overseas. You will find books over 500 years old, to review copies of recently published works, and everything in between.
The Appledore Book Festival presents acclaimed authors, newcomer, and local authors, presenters, actors, gardeners, historians, broadcasters, experts, and comedians over five days. In the 2020 Fest, each event had a ten minute Q&A before the audience showed its appreciation by flashing their headlights and tooting their horns. Upon exiting each event, signed books were available to purchase by contactless payment from the drive-through Waterstones book stall.
Bloody Scotland established itself as the leading Scottish International Crime Writing Festival. It’s a place for crime writers new and established. During the event, readers can hang out with their favourite crime writers, enjoy entertaining as well as informative events during a weekend in September, covering a range of criminal subjects from fictional forensics, psychological thrillers, tartan noir, cosy crime and many more.
The Richmond Walking & Book Festival is filled with opportunities to meet celebrated authors and discover new ones—engage in a full programme of evening and weekend book events.
The Goteborg Book Fair will be transformed into a hybrid event with studio talks at the Swedish Fair, which will be broadcast live at the Play Fair. The bustling exhibition floor will be converted into large airy TV studios with space for seated audiences. The exhibition will return in 2022.
The Bucks County Book Festival connects readers and authors, celebrates literacy, sparks imagination, and inspires people of all ages by connecting authors and readers.
The Harbor Springs Festival of the Book is a three-day celebration of readers, writers, books, and the literary craft. It features nationally published authors and illustrators across eight genres. Most of the festival sessions are held in venues in downtown Harbor Springs and are free to the public. In 2021, the keynote speaker will be Malcolm Gladwell.
In the Stamford Book Fair there will be 20 dealers of books and ephemera exhibiting a selection to delight all book lovers and collectors!
The AJC Decatur Book Festival is held annually over Labor Day weekend, creating a festive atmosphere that celebrates reading, writing, and creativity. We host over 200 exhibitors that range from small to large publishers, writers, and poets displaying their latest works, writing clubs, and a variety of all things literary—book signings, author readings, poetry slams, writing workshops, and more.
The Heartland Book Festival is a business and community partnership in Hardin County, Kentucky to conduct an outstanding book fair for schools, the general public, and authors, promoting reading, writing, and literacy.
The Sacramento Black Book Fair is a 2-day book fair and celebration. It will include a panel discussion among the featured authors, book signings, talks by each of the featured writers, book signings, talks by each of the featured writers, cultural & food vendors, book discussions with each of the featured writers, children’s activities, poetry readings, art displays, and much more.
The Kansas Book Festival for children and adults will celebrate its ten-year anniversary in 2021, presenting memoir writers, novelists, poets, and biography writers. Join authors and readers alike for book sales, book signings, music, food, and much more. Stay tuned for more details on the 2021 Festival.
The South Texas Book Festival links readers of all ages with authors, performers, and publishers to fulfill the mission of the McAllen Public Library as a place where people and ideas meet and connect. This is the only festival expressly for children and teens and their families in the region. Combining literacy promotion, regional and national authors, and children’s entertainment in a festive atmosphere, McAllen Public Library promotes a lifelong habit of reading for pleasure and fun.
The Black Authors & Readers Rock is a two-day literary conference where readers can meet and mingle with new, emerging, and nationally recognized African American authors from all writing genres. It offers authors the opportunity to greet old friends, meet new readers, and sell their works.
The Turku International Book Fair brings together people interested in literature. All the main publishing houses and the leading organizations and representatives in the field are present. Writers, librarians, translators, interpreters, teachers, bloggers, journalists, and industry figures will be present at the fair. You’ll be able to exchange contacts and knowledge and meet those interested in the industry.
On the first evening of the festival, there will be a ticketed Keynote Event held at the Mayo Performing Arts Center. Attendees will enjoy a presentation by a Keynote Speaker, followed by a short Q&A session. On the second day, the main festival takes place from around 10 am – 5 pm. Authors will speak and hold Q&A sessions in five festival venues (see listing above). These author talks are free. No tickets required. Following their talks, each author will proceed to the Vail Mansion lawn to sign books under the Book Tent. Books will be for sale throughout the day at the Book Tent on the lawn.
Every year the Durham Book Festival invites a range of thinkers, writers, and performers to appear. Events at previous festivals have included appearances from Philip Pullman, Bill Bryson, Pat Barker, Jung Chang, PD James, and Simon Armitage. Alongside more traditional author events, Durham Book Festival commissions new writing each year across all forms. Previous festival commissions have included a dance-theatre retelling of Rapunzel from Poet Laureate, and journalism examining the legacy of the Miners’ Strike, from writers including Richard Benson and Anne McElvoy.
The Dublin Book fair displays products like antiquarian books, children’s books, sports books, publications and journals, magazines, old books, international books, art books, science fiction and fantasy, and much more. Full disabled facilities available.
LIBER is one of the largest international gatherings for books in Spanish, providing plenty of business opportunities for publishing firms. It is the main hub for business and professional exchanges in this industry. LIBER is open to all book-related sectors, with a special focus on digital content, new publishers, self-publishing, and copyrights. The 2021 edition, which will bring together all the agents of the sector at IFEMA, will also incorporate the advantages that the digital format makes available to professionals anywhere in the world.
The International Book Fair in Krakow features workshops and panels dedicated to the publishing and book industry, meetings with authors at publishers’ stands and in seminar rooms, and publishing offer of Polish and foreign publishers, and more.
The Bay Area Kids’ Book Fair is a family-friendly book fair to meet authors, illustrators, publishers, booksellers, and educational programs, all in one location. Superstars from literature come to life meeting and greeting attendees. Storytellers entertain the audience, reading from their books and children’s classics all day.
A wide range of books, maps, and ephemera are on offer at the Bury St. Edmunds center. The hall is a stone’s throw from the much-photographed Abbey Gate; the award-winning Abbey Gardens, and the Cathedral. A memorable full-day outdoors.
Every year The Buchmesse Frankfurt holds the Frankfurt Book Fair where writers, publishers, agents, as well as movie production houses meet up with partners from the technology and creative industries to exchange ideas, be inspired, try out new technologies and cultivate contacts. It’s also where fans of renowned authors can meet and enjoy close encounters with their idols.
The National Black Book Festival (NBBF) brings author and publisher exhibits for children and adults. It features free workshops and seminars, book club meet and greet, author enhancement sessions, featured author discussions and signings, food, and much more.
The 2021 West Virginia Book Festival will feature presentations from national, local, and regional authors, as well as writing workshops, family activities, a literary marketplace, and the annual used book sale. All events and programs are free and open to the public.
Each year, the International Belgrade Book Fair attracts an increasing number of publishers from former Yugoslavia and the world. Belgrade became the place where Eastern and Western cultures meet. There are extensive side events held at the fair, from conferences, to round table conferences, meetings with authors, public discussion panels and workshops. For the visitors, the book fair is an opportunity to find and buy books at special prices, as well as meet their favorite authors and discover new ones, attending as many of the programs available as possible.
The Helsinki Book Fair helps publishers, booksellers, antiquarian bookshops, magazines, comics, museums, and many more industry professionals gather together in a notable cultural event. It’s a place where the major issues and phenomena of our time are discussed within the context of literature. The event is organised by Messukeskus Helsinki and commissioned by the Finnish Book Publishers Association and the Booksellers’ Association of Finland.
The Saratoga Book Festival encourages the love of reading and celebrates the power of books to inform, challenge, inspire, and delight. The festival features book talks, author readings, panel discussions, family fun, and performances, all designed to encourage and celebrate a love of reading.
The Slovene Book Fair has a variety of activities that include school presentations, exhibitions, a training programme, debates, presentations of new books and shows for children. It is the largest fair of its kind in Slovenia, each year attracting around 100 publishing houses and thousands of visitors.
Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) is an 11-day international book fair which creates and delivers unique, high quality professional development and educational experience each year in Sharjah, UAE, serving librarians in the Gulf region and beyond. As one of the largest and most prominent book fairs in the world, the Sharjah International Book Fair is a natural host partner for this professional development conference.
In the 29th edition of the Chelsea Rare Book Fair more than 80 exhibitors specialising in rare books, first editions, maps, prints, manuscripts, and ephemera will be present from all over the world. There’s something for every interest—poetry, children’s classics, modern fiction, gardening, cookery, sport, military, crime, art, architecture, travel.
The Kentucky Book Festival offers authors the chance to network, meet fans, and sign books for the thousands of guests at the event. The festival recognizes a need to build civic engagement as well as literacy, and aims to involve all ages and all places from Pine Knot to Princeton.
The Rochester Children’s Book Festival brings dozens of authors and illustrators together with hundreds of Rochester city school students for free presentations with an opportunity to meet and speak with their favorite authors. Authors will talk to children, tweens, and teens about how ideas become stories. Illustrators will demonstrate how characters are brought to life, and kids will leave clutching self-made crafts and books signed especially for them.
As an international book fair and a prominent local event in the publishing industry, the Vienna Book Fair is a place of encounter and exchange with many exhibiting publishers. In addition to thousands of new publications, it also offers hundreds of events, stage discussions, panel discussions, readings, and lectures by German-speaking and international authors, as well as the brightest minds from science, politics, and business.
The International Book Fair Biblioteka inherently completes the atmosphere of November in Bratislava. Find a book that will match your taste, meet your favorite authors, take part in ceremonial book launches, listen to interesting lectures and discussions about literature production and relax in the Autumn Reading Room.
The Northern Illustrated, Children’s & Detective Fiction Book Fair provides an opportunity for serious collectors as well as general collectors of all three areas. A great day out for all the family. Right before Christmas, a great opportunity to find that gift.
The China Shanghai International Children’s Book Fair (CCBF) has quickly become an important event for the global publishing industry. It is the only fair fully dedicated to books and specific contents for children aged up to 16 years old in Asia Pacific.
The UK Fine Press Book Fair by The Fine Press Book Association (FPBA) has a worldwide membership of those interested in the fine book and contemporary fine printing. The Fair runs over a Saturday and Sunday with around 100 stands for collectors, printers, artists, illustrators, museums, libraries, and dealers.
The Annual Savannah Book Festival celebrates 40 of the biggest nationally recognized and local authors for their contributions to literacy, ideas, and imagination.
The Guadalajara International Book Fair (Feria Internacional del Libro de Guadalajara or FIL) is the largest book fair in the Americas and the most important publishing event in the Spanish-speaking world. It offers authors, publishers, booksellers, distributors, rights agents, and other book industry professionals the chance to connect with their Latin American readers and advance their businesses.
The BuchPassion fair is the first independent book signing event in Germany. Authors and publishers present a selection of fantasy, detective stories, and romance genres and connect with their readers in person. The event ends with an exclusive dinner that is almost exclusively reserved for authors and networking activities.
Più libri più liberi brings small and medium-sized national publishers. Every year 550 publishers exhibit their work over 650 events in 5 days, including author meet-ups, discussions on current trends and industry issues, readings, musical performances, and more.
The Louisiana Book Festival allows book lovers to meet exceptional writers while enjoying book-related activities and presentations and a diverse set of genres and categories for all ages. Stay tuned for updates on the 2021 Festival.
The Warsaw Book Fair is one of the oldest fairs in Europe. The 7th Warsaw Book Fair and the accompanying 10th Science and Academic Book Fair ACADEMIA gathered 815 exhibitors from 25 countries, as well as 1017 authors and over 70,000 visitors. The four-day event also featured nearly 1500 events: meetings, discussions, debates, presentations of new releases and bestsellers, competitions, literary and artistic attractions, and exhibitions.
The Istanbul Book Fair by Tüyap Fair Convention and Congress Center is the largest and only privately owned exhibition center in Turkey. The book fair has been the most significant meeting for the publishing sector within Turkey. It hosts leading local publishers, librarians, editors, booksellers, translators, and more from 15 countries where experiences are shared and recent sector developments explored between 800 exhibitors and 605 thousand visitors.
The Queen City Book Fair hosts over 20 local authors. We invite all local literary, avid readers, and anyone interested in stimulating literary appetites to join in the latest contribution to literacy! Their local and out-of-town authors are the best around, and they are excited to meet you and discuss their individual works.
The Oxford Conference for the Book is an annual three-day gathering that takes place in Oxford and on the University of Mississippi campus to celebrate books, reading, and writing. The conference, which explores topics such as literacy, freedom of expression, and the book trade itself, was founded in 1993 by the UM Center for the Study of Southern Culture and Square Books, Oxford’s award-winning independent bookstore. It brings together fiction and non-fiction writers, journalists, poets, publishers, teachers, and students for three days of readings, lectures, panels, workshops, and social events that celebrate the written word.
The Annapolis Book Festival is a premier community event with more than 3,000 people attending this free community event annually. The festival celebrates the beauty, power, passion, and excitement of the written word. In its eighteenth year, we present nationally renowned authors to discuss their books and the craft of writing in the Key School in Annapolis, MD. It also features children’s activities, live music, refreshments, and new and used book sales.
The Tampa Bay Black Authors Expo grew from a desire to showcase the diverse literary talent that is alive and well in the greater Tampa Bay area. By creating the only expo dedicated to authors of color here in the Bay area, we’ve created a platform for some of this area’s most creative minds to gather, network, and share their stories with their community.
The Books in Bloom Literary Festival provides an opportunity for the public to meet accomplished authors and join their discussion panels. Aspiring writers learn about various aspects of writing and publishing, and avid readers are introduced to authors working in a wide variety of genres. Stay tuned for updates on the 2021 Festival details.
The Great American Book Festival invites authors from around the world, artists, vendors, performing artists, and food purveyors. The conference events will feature storytellers, author booths and readings, book signings, arts & crafts, kid-Friendly Games & Activities, and more.
The Nantucket Book Festival features award-winning authors from around the world representing genres of fiction, poetry, history, journalism, politics, and memoir. Stay tuned for updates on the 2021 festival details.
The South Florida Book Festival features authors, speakers, renowned chefs, and presenters in discussions, free workshops, cooking demonstrations, and more. Stay tuned for updates on the 2021 festival details.
Venice Book Fair and Writers Festival is a small event featuring writing and publishing workshops, local and national authors selling and signing books, and meeting their readers. Stay tuned for updates on the 2021 festival details.
The Oxford Indie Book Fair features around 50 professionals of the independent sector, encompassing authors, publishers, e-publishers, agencies, printers, poets, illustrators, designers, and writers’ groups. Inside, you can find short stories, poetry, articles, the latest book launches, and more, including performances, talks, Q&A questions and discussion, and other fun activities.
Vancouver Art Book Fair (VABF) is a nonprofit organization committed to the advancement, appreciation, and circulation of work by artists, curators, collectives, and institutions. Featured exhibitors produce everything from books, magazines, zines, and printed ephemera to digital, performative, or other experimental forms of publication.
The WooStock BookFest celebrates and features the brightest writers, teachers, and readers once every year. Join us in 2021 for the story slam, one day intensives, mini-intensives, panels, parties and keynotes. Stay tuned for updates on the 2021 festival.
The Baltimore Book Festival features hundreds of authors, book signings, more than 100 exhibitors and booksellers, nonstop readings on multiple stages, cooking demos by top chefs, poetry readings, workshops, panel discussions, storytellers and hands-on projects for kids, live music, and a thoughtfully curated food, craft beer, and wine program.
The Seattle Children Book Festival features award-winning children’s book authors and illustrators from all over the United States. You’ll meet your favorite authors and illustrators, purchase signed copies of their books (book sales courtesy of a cooperative of local bookstores), participate in hands-on literacy activities, and hear several of our authors/illustrators present throughout the day.
The Howard Zinn Book Fair is an annual celebration of authors, zinesters, bloggers, and publishers for a day of readings, panel discussions, and workshops in the spirit of the late historian Howard Zinn.
The Williamsburg Book Festival presents 40+ nationally & regionally renowned authors presenting children’s books, sports, romance, self-help, poetry, history, contemporary novels, and more. Workshops, panels, and presentations take place throughout the day in Stryker Center Room 127. The workshops and presentations focused on both readers and writers, illuminate library resources for book clubs, the craft of writing, the music of poetry, and the book industry’s mechanics. Stay tuned for updates on the 2021 festival.
The Lisbon Book Fair is one of the oldest cultural festivals held in the capital of Portugal. One hundred twenty-five exhibitors present literature, rare and antiquarian books among other unique works by Portuguese authors and other nationalities every year and engage with over 500 thousand visitors over colloquiums, autograph sessions, book sales and over 800 activities for adults and children.
The Melbourne Rare Book Fair brings a rich and diverse array of books by local Australian authors and international authors for all who genuinely love print on paper and share a passion for books. Subjects include early printed books, maps, historical accounts of travel and exploration, prints, literature, art, militaria, children’s books, and ephemera for sale.
The Orange County Children’s Book Festival, in association with Orange Coast College, features popular authors, illustrators, storytellers, entertainers, and exhibitors that support reading and education along with fun activities for families. The Festival has been bringing the love of books and the joy of reading to life for 17 years.
Conclusion
This year is full of unknown elements, but there’s no harm in hoping for the best and being optimistic. While we don’t exactly believe it’s safe for everyone to leave the house unless it’s necessary, COVID-19 cases differ from one country to another. So take your precautions before venturing out to any of the places mentioned here. Please adhere to governmental regulations, stay safe and enjoy the experience whether virtually or in real life.
Read more here.
Amazing Writing Retreats to Attend in 2024
The 2024 International Book Fairs Calendar
