Europe’s vast range of literary events includes some of the oldest and most venerated in the world. Use the search menu below to find events across the continent.
The annual five-day poetry festival is held in the beginning of July. Founded in 1976, the festival focuses on poetry, recitation and theater. The program can be relied on to be surprising, entertaining, and up-to-date, with performances of various forms of art, as well as meet-and-greets and discussions with artists. Poetry and music performances are held in the Kaukametsä Culture and Congress Centre, markets and theaters, parks and clubs.
The Helsinki Book Fair gathers writers, politicians, journalists, artists, and experts every year to discuss important events of our time. Freedom of speech, tolerance and respect for human rights are some of the key values underpinning the fair. During four days in autumn, the fair celebrates Finnish literature and up-and-coming talent with literary guests from all over the world in multiple venues with a variety of programs. The Wine and Food Dait is held in Messukeskus at the same time.
The Helsinki Lit International Festival is held annually in May and gathers famous voices of the literary scene, especially the Nordics, to spark dialogue and progressive exchange. Guests from abroad will meet on stage with Finnish authors and cultural influencers. The festival program traditionally begins with the awarding of the Jarl Hellemanns Translation Prize.
The Reading Week is a national literacy theme week that aims to provide information and content on current issues related to literacy and reading. It is an annual national event held in April focused on conveying literature to all generations. The Reading Week is organized by the Reading Centre together with representatives of the book industry.
The Turku Fair Center hosts a wide range of fairs and events in autumn. The Turku Book Fair is attended by numerous publishers as well as leading industry organizations and businesses. The fair offers dozens of interesting discussions on current themes and unique encounters with authors. Held in the City of Turku, this Book Fair is a cozy meeting place for the book industry.
