Genre Book publishing | Country United States | |
Location(s) varies (Los Angeles in 2008, New York City 2009-2015. Scheduled for Chicago in 2016) | ||
BookExpo America (commonly referred to within the book publishing industry as BEA) is the largest annual book trade fair in the United States. BEA is almost always held in a major city over four days in late May and/or early June. Nearly all significant book publishers in the United States, and many from abroad, have booths and exhibits at BEA, and use the fair as an opportunity to showcase upcoming titles, sell current books, socialize with colleagues from other publishing houses, and sell and buy subsidiary rights and international rights (although not on the scale of the rights negotiation that occurs at the Frankfurt Book Fair in October). Authors, librarians, and buyers for book retailers also attend the event.
The book fair was held in Washington, D.C. as the American Booksellers Association Convention and Trade Show from 1947 until 1971. In the 1990s and early 2000s, BEA was often held in Chicago. BEA was held in Washington, D.C. in 2006, in New York City in 2007, and in Los Angeles in 2008. BEA was held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center in New York City from 2009 through 2015. BEA returned to Chicago in 2016.
The 2015 book fair featured Chinese publishers for the first time.
DigiCon from the International Digital Publishing Forum runs concurrently with BEA.