Global Literary Calendar · May–November 2026
Upcoming Events
A curated calendar of high-profile literary festivals, book fairs, award ceremonies and author events around the world — with a focus on Caribbean, African, and Asian/Oceanic events.
Bocas Lit Fest 2026
National Library (NALIS) & Old Fire Station, Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago · The Anglophone Caribbean’s largest literary festival — theme “All Together Now.” Features Writers First workshops, poetry labs, readings, youth programme and OCM Bocas Prize ceremony.
bocaslitfest.com
Readers’ Favorite — 18th Annual Award Contest Deadline
Online entry · Award ceremony held later during Miami Book Fair week (November 2026) · Gold, Silver & Bronze medals presented on stage in Miami · 150+ genres · Open to all authors.
readersfavorite.com
OCM Bocas Prize for Caribbean Literature — Award Ceremony
Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago · The most coveted award for Caribbean authors — US$10,000 overall prize. 2026 genre winners: Canisia Lubrin (poetry), Justin Haynes (fiction), Tessa McWatt (nonfiction).
bocaslitfest.com/awards/ocm
Nigeria International Book Fair — 25th Edition
Lagos, Nigeria · A landmark 25th anniversary edition of one of West Africa’s most significant annual publishing and literary events, bringing together publishers, authors and readers.
internationalpublishers.org
Santa Fe International Literary Festival
Santa Fe, New Mexico, USA · A premier gathering of writers, poets and literary thinkers in the American Southwest.
santafeliteraryfestival.org
Margaret River Readers & Writers Festival
Margaret River, Western Australia · Workshops, panels, and author residencies in the iconic wine country of Western Australia — one of Australia’s most celebrated regional literary festivals.
artsmargaretriver.com
International Booker Prize 2026 — Award Ceremony
Tate Modern, London, United Kingdom · The world’s most influential prize for translated fiction. £50,000 prize split equally between author and translator. Ceremony livestreamed globally.
thebookerprizes.com
Hay Festival 2026
Dairy Meadows, Hay-on-Wye, Powys, Wales, UK · Elite global literary gathering — 600+ events over 11 days. Authors include Ocean Vuong, Maggie O’Farrell, Douglas Stuart, Elizabeth Strout and the International Booker Prize winner. Bill Clinton’s “Woodstock of the mind.”
hayfestival.com
African Literary Festival in Kenya
Nairobi, Kenya · A celebration of African literature bringing together writers, scholars and readers from across the continent and diaspora.
nairobi.theasianliteraryfestival.com
Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (KLIBF)
World Trade Centre KL, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia · 44th anniversary — one of the largest book fairs in Southeast Asia with over 1 million visitors, 1,000+ booths, book launches, seminars and cultural performances.
klibf.my
Caribbean Studies Association — 50th Annual Conference
Kingston, Jamaica · A landmark 50th anniversary conference gathering Caribbean scholars, writers and intellectuals. Panels, presentations and literary discussions on Caribbean culture, society and identity.
caribbeanstudiesassociation.org
Open Book Festival
Bertha House, Mowbray, Cape Town, South Africa · Cape Town’s premier literary festival — author talks, book launches, workshops and creative conversations in one of the continent’s most vibrant cultural cities.
openbookfestival.co.za
U.S. Book Show
New York City, USA · A major annual gathering of the American publishing industry — bringing together publishers, editors, agents and authors for conversations on the future of books and reading.
usbookshow.com
Seoul International Book Fair
Seoul, South Korea · One of Asia’s leading book fairs, showcasing Korean and international publishers, featuring rights trading, author events, and a vibrant public programme celebrating the written word.
sibf.or.kr
International Conference on Language and Literature (ICLL)
Oistins, Christ Church, Barbados · A scholarly conference on language and literature held in Barbados — featuring presentations and discussions at the intersection of Caribbean linguistic and literary study.
allconferencealert.com
Bradford Literature Festival 2026
Bradford City Centre, Bradford, UK · One of the UK’s most diverse and celebrated literary festivals — 10 days of readings, workshops, performances and debates celebrating the power of words and stories.
bradfordlitfest.co.uk
The Book Fairy Festival 2026
Kingston, Jamaica · A celebration of children’s literature and storytelling in the Caribbean — bringing young readers, authors and illustrators together for an inspiring and joyful literary weekend.
bffja.com
Umuofia Arts and Books Festival 2026
Enugwu, Nigeria · A celebration of Igbo literary heritage and contemporary African writing — honouring the legacy of Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart and amplifying new Nigerian voices.
@umuofiabookfestival
Caribbean Literature Day
Caribbean-wide (multiple locations) · An annual celebration of Caribbean literary heritage, spotlighting writers from across the region and diaspora — readings, discussions and community events.
Event details PDF
Lakefield Literary Festival
Ontario, Canada · A beloved annual celebration of Canadian literature set on the shores of Katchewanooka Lake — featuring readings, workshops and intimate conversations with leading authors.
lakefieldliteraryfestival.com
The Payson Book Festival
Payson, Arizona, USA · An annual literary celebration in Arizona’s Mogollon Rim country — author presentations, book signings, writing workshops and family activities.
paysonbookfestival.org
Black Authors Festival @ Sag Harbor
Sag Harbor, New York, USA · Recognised by USA Today as one of the Top Best New Festivals in the Nation. Theme for 2026: “The Right to Write.” Brings together aspiring and established Black authors to honour literary excellence.
blackauthorsfestival.com
Edinburgh International Book Festival
Edinburgh Futures Institute, 1 Lauriston Place, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK · The world’s largest public celebration of books and ideas — 600+ events over 16 days including author talks, creative workshops, the First Book Award for debut authors and children’s programmes.
edbookfest.co.uk
Kampala Writes LitFest 2026
Kampala, Uganda · East Africa’s rising literary festival celebrating Ugandan and pan-African writing with readings, workshops, panel discussions and performances by established and emerging voices.
@klawriteslitfest
Dunkeld Writers Festival
Dunkeld, Victoria, Australia · A boutique regional writers festival set against the stunning backdrop of the Grampians — intimate author sessions, workshops and literary conversations in a picturesque Australian country town.
dunkeldwritersfestival.com.au
Berlin International Literature Festival
Berlin, Germany · One of Europe’s most prestigious literary gatherings — bringing international authors together for readings, panel discussions and cross-cultural dialogue in the German capital.
literaturfestival.com
Open Book Festival
Cape Town, South Africa · Cape Town’s premier annual literary festival — author talks, book launches, workshops and conversations celebrating South African and global literature. (Note: some sources indicate this event may also span June — confirm dates on official site.)
openbookfestival.co.za
Festivaletteratura — 30th Edition
Mantua, Italy · A landmark 30th anniversary edition of one of Europe’s most beloved literary festivals — set in the historic streets of Mantua. Over 30,000 attendees, 400 writers and artists, with readings, panel discussions and concerts.
festivaletteratura.it
Gothenburg Book Fair
Gothenburg, Sweden · The second-largest book fair in Europe — around 100,000 visitors and 900 exhibitors. The 2026 Fair spotlights Popular Adult Education and the Nordic tradition of lifelong community-based learning.
Colombo International Book Fair
Colombo, Sri Lanka · One of South Asia’s major annual book events — a 10-day celebration of literature, publishing and reading culture attracting authors, publishers and book lovers from across the region.
colombobookfair.lk
Nairobi International Book Fair
Nairobi, Kenya · One of East Africa’s most significant annual publishing and literary events — featuring author readings, book launches, industry panels and a vibrant marketplace for African publishing.
nairobiinternationalbookfair.com
Decatur Book Festival
Downtown Decatur, Georgia, USA · The largest independent book festival in the United States — over 1,000 authors in its history and hundreds of thousands of attendees. A must-attend for authors and readers alike.
decaturbookfestival.com
National Book Awards — Finalists Announced
New York, USA · The National Book Foundation announces 25 Finalists across 5 categories: Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, Translated Literature and Young People’s Literature. Ceremony follows 18 November.
nationalbook.org
Frankfurt Book Fair
Frankfurt Trade Fair Grounds, Frankfurt, Germany · The world’s largest book fair — thousands of exhibitors from publishing, multimedia, film and technology worldwide negotiate international rights and licences. Five days, first three for trade professionals only.
buchmesse.de
Ubud Writers & Readers Festival
Ubud, Bali, Indonesia · Southeast Asia’s leading festival of words and ideas — founded in 2004 after the Bali bombings, attracting around 170 writers, artists and thinkers annually for cultural and literary events.
ubudwritersfestival.com
Ottawa International Writers Festival
Ontario, Canada · A celebrated annual gathering of Canadian and international writers — featuring readings, panel discussions and conversations with some of the world’s finest literary voices in Canada’s capital.
writersfestival.org
Krakow International Book Fair
Kraków, Poland · One of Central Europe’s leading book fairs — bringing together Polish and international publishers, authors and readers in the historic city of Kraków.
ksiazka.krakow.pl
Jamaica Book Festival 2026
Montego Bay, Jamaica · Jamaica’s flagship annual book festival — celebrating Jamaican and Caribbean literature with readings, panels, workshops, book launches and an acclaimed programme of literary events.
jamaicabookfest.com
Bay Area Kids’ Book Fair
Sunnyvale, California, USA · A beloved annual celebration of children’s books — bringing young readers together with authors and illustrators for a joyful weekend of storytelling, creativity and discovery.
kidfestconcord.com
Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF)
Sharjah Expo Centre, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates · One of the world’s largest book fairs — 420+ exhibiting companies from 40 countries, 350+ authors, rights meetings, cultural performances and a massive public programme over 12 days.
sibf.com
PBFA: Edinburgh Book Fair
Augustine Church Hall, Edinburgh, UK · The PBFA Edinburgh Book Fair brings together antiquarian and second-hand booksellers for a specialist fair — a treasure trove for collectors, researchers and book lovers.
pbfa.org
Lagos Arts and Book Festival 2026
Lagos, Nigeria · One of West Africa’s most celebrated literary and arts festivals — week-long programme of book launches, author readings, panel discussions, visual art exhibitions and cultural performances in Africa’s most dynamic city.
lagosbookandartsfestival.com
Readers’ Favorite — 18th Annual Awards Ceremony
Miami, Florida, USA (during Miami Book Fair week) · Gold, Silver & Bronze medal winners presented on stage. Includes author meet-and-greet, gala ceremony and networking. Award winners also receive film/TV evaluation, publisher consideration and agent review opportunities.
readersfavorite.com
Buch Wien Literary Festival
Vienna, Austria · One of Central Europe’s leading literary festivals — bringing international authors and readers together in the cultural heart of Vienna for readings, discussions and book market events.
buchwien.at
Hay Festival Winter Weekend 2026
Hay-on-Wye, Wales, UK · The intimate winter edition of the world-famous Hay Festival — a cosy, curated weekend of literary conversation, author talks and ideas events in the beloved “town of books.”
hayfestival.com/winter-weekend