The Espoo Book Festival

The theme for the Espoo Book Festival in 2026 is literacy. The cost-free family event gathers friends of literature and theatre under the same roof. The wide-ranging programme includes a panel discussion, interviews with authors, a dream workshop for youngsters, children’s theatre, and a fairy tale corner for children. The day rounds off with the Book Festival’s own open mic poetry event. The theme of the panel discussion is literacy, and the participants include the Literacy Ambassador Aleksis Salusjärvi, Literary Professional Anna-Riikka Carlson, and Emmi Jäkkö, Manager of the Finnish Reading Center. Among the authors who are to be interviewed are Niko Hallikainen, Tarita Ikonen, J.S. Meresmaa, Sanna Pelliccioni, Niko Rantsi, Kirsi Siren and Randa al-Dawoudi. Theatre performances are offered by the Espoo Circus and Theatre School ESKO and the Hyökyvuori theatre group. An actor from the Hevosenkenkä theatre group will be reading stories to children. In the heart of the Espoo Book Festival are the exhibitors. The event focusing on small publishers and self-published work highlights small as well as somewhat larger publishers, and a group of authors and their work. A café will be open all day. This year the café is run by the Kauklahti scouts Kauka-Kuutit. Find gifts for the holiday season and enjoy the art of reading and the warmth of the culture! Further information: [email protected] and [email protected] The event’s website: espoonkirjailijat.fi ↗ The Espoo Book Festival is organised in collaboration with The Espoo Authors’ Association and the Espoo City Theatre Advocacy Society with the partners Lippulaiva Library and the Espoonlahti cultural initiative. The Espoo Book Festival has been granted funding by the Espoo Culture Committee.