A literary festival, also known as a book festival or writers' festival, is a regular gathering of writers and readers, typically on an annual basis in a particular city. A literary festival usually features a variety of presentations and readings by authors, as well as other events, delivered over a period of several days, with the primary objectives of promoting the authors' books and fostering a love of literature and writing.
Writers' conferences are sometimes designed to provide an intellectual and academic focus for groups of writers without the involvement of the general public.
There are many literary festivals held around the world. A non-exhaustive list is set out below, including dates when a festival is usually held (where available).
Port Harcourt Book Festival, October 20 - 25
Asia-Pacific
Delhi Poetry Festival, January 19
Jashn-e-Rekhta, Urdu literary festival held annually in New Delhi
Adelaide Writers' Week, held during the Adelaide Festival of Arts
Brisbane Writers' Festival, September 29 - October 2
Emirates Airline Festival of Literature, held annually in Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Galle Literary Festival, January 27–30
George Town Literary Festival
Hay Festival Dhaka, November 15–18
Hong Kong International Literary Festival, annually in October/November (www.festival.org.hk)
Islamabad Literature Festival, April 24-26
Jaipur Literary Festival, January 21-25, 2015
Global Literary Festival Noida 2015 23rd to 25th September
Kalinga Literary Festival, Bhubaneswar (Annually in June)
Karachi Literature Festival, February 5 & 6, 2011.
Kuala Lumpur International Literary Festival, July 29–31
Koraput Literature Festival, March 18 & 19, 2017.
Lahore Literary Festival, February 20–23
Lit for Life, Chennai, Delhi (January 11-13, February 8) www.thehindulfl.com
Lucknow Literary Festival, Lucknow (Annually in February/ March)
Lucknow Literature Carnival, Lucknow (Annually in November)
Melbourne Writers Festival, Annually in August/ September
Mountain Echoes literary festival, Thimphu, Bhutan (26-28 August, 2016)
Nepal Literature Festival
New Zealand Festival, contains a Writers Week, based in Wellington, biannual in March in even years (nzfestival.co.nz)
Newcastle, New South Wales National Young Writers' Festival, September 28 - October 2
Perth Writers' Festival, February 23–1 March
Shillong C.A.L.M. Festival May
Shanghai International Literary Festival
Singapore Writers Festival, October 24 - November 1
Sydney Writers' Festival, May 23–29
Williamstown Literary Festival April 26 - May 1, 2011
Chandigarh Literati - Chandigarh Literature Festival, November 23-24
Asian Festival of Children's Content in Singapore - late May/early June
Pune International Literary Festival, Pune, India September 18 - 21
Ubud Writers & Readers Festival October 28 - 1 November (www.ubudwritersfestival.com)
Seoul International Forum for Literature May
Seoul International Writers' Festival, Annually in September/October (http://siwf.klti.or.kr/english/)
Middle East
Israel's Hebrew Book Week
Dubai's Literary Festival
Asia House Festival of Asian Literature, Asia House, London, in May
Berlin International Literature Festival, in September
The Bradford Literature Festival, held in May
Cheltenham Literature Festival, October 6–15
Chester Literature Festival, October
The Children's Bookshow, autumn
Conrad Festival, Krakow, Poland, October. The largest literary festival in Central Europe.
Cúirt International Festival of Literature, Galway, September
Edinburgh International Book Festival, August 13–29, coinciding with the annual Edinburgh Festival
FestivalandCo, Shakespeare-themed literary festival held in Paris, France at the Shakespeare and Company bookstore
Festivaletteratura, held in Mantua, Italy, at the beginning of September
Folkestone Literary Festival, September 20–25
Göteborg Book Fair, Gothenburg, Sweden, Sept
Harrogate International Festivals Theaksons Old Peculier Crime Writing Festival, home to the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, world's largest crime fiction Festival, in July
Harrogate Raworths Harrogate Literature Festival, in July Harrogate International Festivals
Harrogate History Festival, chaired in 2015 by Manda Scott, in October Harrogate International Festivals
The Hay Festival, May 27-June 5
The North London Literary Festival, held late March or early April
International Istanbul Poetry Festival, held in October
International Literature Festival Utrecht, the Netherlands, held in late April or early May
Istanbul Tanpınar Literature Festival, held in Istanbul, Turkey, at the beginning of May
Jewish Book Week, London, late February and early March
Norwegian Festival of Literature, Lillehammer, Norway, is the largest literature festival in the Scandinavian countries since 1996
Openair Literatur Festival Zürich, Zürich, held annually since 2013
Oxford Literary Festival, April
Peak Literary Festival, October 25 -Nov 5 /May 25 -June6
Prague Writers Festival, Prague, Czech Republic, June 3–10
Rencontres aubrac, Aveyron, France
WALTIC, Stockholm, Sweden
Banff Mountain Book Festival, October 31 – November 2, 2007
Blue Metropolis Montreal International Literary Festival, April 11-17, 2016
Boston Book Festival, annually in October
Brattleboro Literary Festival Brattleboro, VT, October 2-5, 2014
Burlington Book Festival, September 15–17, 2006
Children's Literature Festival at the University of Central Missouri, held annually in March since 1969
The Curwood Festival celebrates the life and writings of James Oliver Curwood the first weekend of June in Owosso, Michigan.
The Frye Festival, Moncton, New Brunswick, April 22–28, 2013. Honouring Northrop Frye. International cast.
Galiano Literary Festival February 17th-19th, 2017 held annually in February since 2009
Guadalajara International Book Fair, November 27 – December 5, 2010
Hollywood Book Festival, July 28, 2007
Litquake, since 2002, San Francisco, annually in October
Los Angeles Times Festival of Books, UCLA, Los Angeles, California, late April/early May
Miami Book Fair International, Downtown Miami, Florida, - November
National Book Festival, produced by the Library of Congress, September www.loc.gov
Ohioana Book Festival, Columbus, Ohio, produced by the Ohioana Library Association, held annually in April
Southwest Florida Reading Festival, Fort Myers, FL, third week in March since 2000
Tennessee Williams/ New Orleans Literary Festival, New Orleans, annually in March.
Texas Book Festival, Austin, Texas held annually in the fall since 1996
Tucson Festival of Books, Tucson, Arizona, held annually in March
Virginia Festival of the Book, annually in March
Winnipeg International Writers Festival, annually in September
Women Writers Conference, The, Lexington, Kentucky, September 11–13, 2008
Caribbean
Bocas Lit Fest, Trinidad and Tobago, annually, last weekend of April
Calabash International Literary Festival, Treasure Beach, Jamaica, biennially on even years in June
Festa Literária Internacional de Paraty Is held in Paraty, city located in Brazil.
International Poetry Festival of Medellín is held in Medellín, city located in Colombia.
International Poetry Festival of Rosario is held in Rosario, city located in Argentina.
Trujillo Book Festival, is held in Trujillo city located in Peru. In the year 2012 was on March from days 1 to 12.
Literary festival Wikipedia (Text) CC BY-SA