Books with soul: Discover the magic of literature at festivals, museums and libraries
The year 2026 brings many opportunities to immerse yourself in the fascinating world of books, literature and stories that accompany us every step of our lives. Books are not mere objects – they carry emotions, traditions and memories. We have prepared an overview of literary events, festivals and interesting places where you can discover the beauty of books this year, whether you prefer classics, modern prose or poetry.
In spring: Ostrava Book Festival, Book World
Book Spa
From 6 to 7 March, the Book Spa will take place in Brno. This festival of small publishers will be held at Kums Brno, where you can enjoy a weekend full of amazing books, author readings, discussions about reading and book culture, wonderful encounters, creative workshops and a programme for children.
Ostrava Book Festival
Don’t miss Ostrava, where the Book Festival will take place from 20 to 21 February. As part of the rich accompanying programme, you can look forward to thematic discussions and lectures on three stages; author readings, autograph sessions, new book launches and meetings with leading Czech authors; workshops, creative workshops and a gaming zone.
The festival also has a programme for schools. You can look forward to discussions and autograph sessions with writers and journalists. During both days of the festival, you can take part in a guided walk through Ostrava, which will take you to the Leaning Church. The Book Festival will feature book stalls where you can purchase books from exhibiting publishers at discounted prices.
The Book World Festival is being held for the 31st time
The largest book festival in the Czech Republic will begin on Thursday, 17 May and will last until Sunday, 17 May. The 31st edition of the Book World festival will take place at the Prague Exhibition Grounds. Everything will take place in the newly renovated Křižík pavilions and in the pavilion on Bruselská cesta.
During this Book World, the Czech public will have a unique opportunity to get to know authors, translators and publishers better. In 2026, the festival will focus on two main themes: Europe and History. The theme of Europe will focus not only on significant works and renowned writers, but also on new voices from the European continent. The theme of History, inspired by Milan Kundera’s words, “The struggle of man against power is the struggle of memory against forgetting,” will focus on how literature captures, interprets and preserves historical events and how it shapes collective memory.
Children’s Reading Festival in Liberec
The Children’s Reading Festival, formerly known as the Children’s Book Fair, will take place in Liberec from 3 to 5 June. This three-day festival is full of books, workshops and book signings, where you will have the opportunity to meet children’s book authors and illustrators in person.
Knihex
At the beginning of June, the Museum of Literature in Prague will host the traditional Knihex, a book fair focused on small publishers. This event also includes discussions and an antique bookshop.
In summer: festivals in Mariánské Lázně and Ostrava
Book Spa Festival in Mariánské Lázně
From 18 to 21 June, you can visit Mariánské Lázně, where the sixth annual Knižní lázně festival will take place. The main colonnade will host a book market and most of the programme, such as author readings and discussions, as well as concerts. The main themes of Knižní lázně are mental health, book culture and the world of reading.
Inversion
The Ostrava Literary Festival is being held for the eighth time, this year from 26 to 29 August at the Provaz cultural centre. The aim of this festival is to connect different genres and styles, and you can look forward to author readings, discussions, lectures and concerts.
Tabook
From 3 to 6 September, you can head to Tábor for the Tabook festival, a gathering of small publishers, authors, translators, editors, illustrators, graphic designers, students and professionals from the book industry.
In autumn: festivals in Prague, Brno, Plzeň and Havlíčkův Brod
Art Book Fair
The sixth annual Art Book Fair will take place at the Troja Castle on 19 and 20 September. This fair is intended for galleries, art schools, internet portals, magazines, publishers, collectors and, above all, book lovers.
Literature Night
The popular literary evening Night of Literature will take place for the twentieth time on Wednesday, 16 September. Contemporary authors, unusual venues and well-known personalities – all this will be part of a series of public readings. The events usually take place from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.
Book Addicts Festival
The fourth annual Book Addicts Festival will take place in Pilsen on 26 September. You can look forward to a rich programme that will include lectures, discussions and unforgettable literary encounters. The organisers have not forgotten about book and merchandise stands, a photo corner, a book swap and autograph sessions.
Humbookfest
You can look forward to celebrating the 11th annual Humbookfest festival on 10 October at the O2 Universum in Prague. This festival, aimed at readers of young adult literature, has a unique position in Central Europe and has grown significantly. You can look forward to outstanding Czech authors, plenty of themed discussions, workshops, and interesting foreign guests. The festival will also feature a cosplay show and a wide range of other entertaining activities.
Another invitation from the book calendar invites you to the Václav Havel Library on Thursday, 15 October, where new releases will be presented as part of Velký knižní čtvrtek (Big Book Thursday). You can look forward to twelve new books by leading Czech and foreign authors. The debate with selected authors begins at 5 pm.
Havlíčkův Brod Book Fair
Around 150 publishers will gather from 16 to 17 October in Havlíčkův Brod, where the 36th annual book fair will take place. This fair is accompanied by a rich programme intended for both professionals and the general reading public.
Book Brno, Books in Brno
The autumn edition of the Kniha Brno festival once again attracts visitors to the Brno Exhibition Centre. Here you will be able to buy books at fair prices and meet your favourite authors.
From 27 to 28 November, the Books in Brno fair will take place, presenting an Advent book market and a literary festival organised by Masaryk University for the fourth time.
Knihex 15½
The last event on this year’s calendar is Knihex, which will take place at the UMPRUM Technology Centre (Mikulandská 134/5, 110 00 Prague 1) during Advent.
In the autumn of 2026, Czechia will be the guest of honour at the Frankfurt Book Fair. This presentation is a unique opportunity not only to showcase Czech literature and culture, but also to strengthen Czech-German cultural ties and gain new experiences and contacts. The theme chosen by the organisers for this event is “Czechia – a country on the coast” and is based on Shakespeare’s play The Winter’s Tale. This dramatic story is partly set in Bohemia, and the English playwright placed the Czech Kingdom on the sea coast. This romanticised misconception, as British-Canadian researcher Derek Sayer correctly calls it in his 1998 book The Coasts of Bohemia: A Czech History, inspired Czech literature and culture to begin reflecting on what the “Czech sea” could symbolise.
