Sharjah International Book Fair runs 4 to 15 November, with Oman as guest of honour
The 45th edition at Expo Centre Sharjah has 2,673 publishers from 124 countries, about 1,500 events and new corners for poetry, cooking and children.
Expo Centre Sharjah
The Sharjah International Book Fair returns to Expo Centre Sharjah for its 45th edition from 4 to 15 November, with the Sultanate of Oman as guest of honour. This year's theme is "Made of Stories".
Organisers expect 2,673 publishers and exhibitors from 124 countries and about 1,500 cultural events, with 106 writers, artists and thinkers from 25 countries. Oman's programme includes 15 cultural sessions, six children's workshops and 20 performances. Guests include Nnedi Okorafor, John Vaillant and Liu Zhenyun, and the fifth Thriller Festival, from 7 to 10 November, brings crime writers including Clare Mackintosh and Vaseem Khan.
New this year: a Poets' Corner where visitors' own stories are turned into poems in Arabic or English, a Future Hands District where children try out different jobs, and a Cookery Corner with chefs including Romy Gill and Kausar Raja. Stage shows include the musical When Memories Sing from 7 November and Waterland on the outdoor stage on 14 and 15 November; these need booking in advance.
Visitors register through the fair's website, sibf.com, where the daily opening hours and ticket details are published. The fair is one of the region's biggest, so weekday visits are the easier option, especially with children.