International Book Fairs 2006

Our list of book fairs has been updated for the New Year, including a few more new ones. The information becomes sketchier towards the end of the year.  Some annual fairs seem to have been cancelled for this year, but we will revise this list as more information becomes available.

 A large number of international book fairs are held throughout the year. Most of these are primarily intended as trade fairs for the book trade, but many of them have extensive programmes of cultural events and opportunities to meet authors. Some set out to attract the general public, others have particular days when the public can get in.

The book fairs are worth researching, as you may find that there is one you can get to. The benefits are the vast array of new and forthcoming books on display, the seminars, conferences and author events which may be planned, and the chance to see the publishing world in action.

2006 Book Fairs

Cairo International Book Fair 17 - 29 January http://www.cibf.org/

New Delhi World Book Fair 27 January - 4 February

The Fair not only offers a glimpse of the multi-lingual publishing industry in India, which has developed substantially in recent years, but also meets the needs of the vast Indian book market. www.fiponweb.com/events3.htm

Havana International Book Fair 2 - 15 February  www.cubaliteraria.com

Taipei International Book Exhibition 7 - 12 February www.tibe.tw

Baltic Book Fair 23 - 26 February www.litexpo.lt To be held in Vilnius, in Lithuania.

London Book Fair 5 - 7 March  http://www.lbf-virtual.com/

Europe’s premier international spring book fair, increasingly seen as the key book fair for the first half of the year, balancing the Frankfurt Book Fair in the second half. British publishers are of course out in force, but this fair now attracts visitors from all over the world. This will be its first year at a new site in London's Docklands.  there will be more space and better facilities, but the jury is out on how well the new location will work.

Leipzig Book Fair  16 - 19 March  www.leipziger-buchmess.de

26th Salon du Livre 17 - 22 March http://salondulivreparis.com

The French book fair, an elegant meeting-point for the book trade with a large number of meetings and many events organised for the public.

Bologna Children’s Book Fair 27 - 30 March http://www.bookfair.bolognafiere.

Very well worth attending, this is the top international children’s book fair, attended by children’s publishers from all over the world. Many feel that this is the best book fair of them all, graced by a relaxed atmosphere, wonderful food and a great location in the lovely Italian city of Bologna.  www.bookfair.bolognafiere.it

Bangkok International Book Fair 29 March - 9 April www.bangkokibf.com

Surely one of the longest international book fairs, this is organised by the Thai Publishers and Booksellers Association.  Free admission to the public.

Milia  3 - 7 April  Bringing together content decision-makers from the worlds of digital entertainment, Internet, mobile and Interactive, this is the biggest international gathering of its kind. www.milia.com

Budapest International Book Festival 20 - 23 April www.mkke.hu/

Cultural events and conferences on issues affecting the book trade. 

Warsaw International Book Fair 18 - 21 May www.bookfair.pl

Nigeria International Book Fair 8 - 13 May  www.nibf.org

Designed to give existing and prospective publishers and booksellers the opportunity of exploring and exploiting the country's book market. 

BookExpo America  Washington DC 18 - 21 May

Primarily a trade fair which enables American publishers to show booksellers their fall lists, this big fair has been through many vicissitudes, but is currently seen as rather less of an international fair, although the fair authorities are trying to reverse this trend. It has 2000 exhibitors, 500 authors and 100 conference sessions. www.bookexpoamerica.com

Seoul International Book Fair 2 - 7 June http://www.sibf.co.kr/

Increasingly important internationally.

BookExpo Canada in Toronto 9 - 12 June www.reed-expo.ca/bookexpo/

Canada’s leading event for the book publishing industry

Cape Town Book Fair  17 - 20 June www.capetownfair.com

American Library Association Conference in New Orleans  22 - 28 June www.ala.org

Tokyo International Book Fair 6 - 9 July http://web.reedexpo.co.jp/tibf/english/

Big event for Asian book trade, giving access to the world's second biggest book market.

Beijing International Book Fair 30 August - 2  September  www.bibf.net

Important fair for publishers from all over the world who are interested in getting into the booming Chinese market, this has rapidly established itself as an essential stop on the international rights circuit.

Moscow International Book Fair 1- 6 September www.bookfair.ru

London Remainder and Promotional Book Fair 17 - 18 September   www.ciana.co.uk

Thousands of remainder and bargain books – not for the faint-hearted author! 

Goteborg International Book Fair  21- 24  September www.goteborg-bookfair.com

Biggest meeting-point for Scandinavian literature, attracting authors and the media as well as the trade. 

Frankfurt Book Fair 4 - 8 October http://www.frankfurt-book-fair.com

This is still the big one, the premier international book fair which is attended by publishers from all over the world and is also open to the German public for some of the time.  This huge fair is a meeting-place and rights marketplace for the global publishing industry, but it is a trade fair and there's not much for authors except in the German halls.

This year the Fair will has gone back to its usual date in early October.  Korea will be the Guest of Honour.

(See our Inside Publishing article on the Frankfurt Book Fair.)

Salon du Livre, Montreal  17 - 21 November www.salondulivredemontreal.com

Feria International del Libro de Guadalajar  Mexico 25 November - 3 December. This is supposed to be the largest Spanish book event in the world. www.fil.com.mx

Moscow International Book Fair  29 November - 3 December www.exp-centre.co.ae