Book festivals play a key role in shaping reading culture by creating spaces where writers and readers meet beyond the page.
Image: Pexels/Ken Quach
A festival is more than a series of book launches. It is where readers meet the minds behind the pages, where debates move from social media to shared spaces and where new writers find direction.
South Africa’s 2026 literary calendar reflects this energy, with festivals spread across provinces and communities. From coastal towns to city centres, the year offers readers and writers multiple chances to connect.
The third edition of Indie Authors Rise Up takes place from August 15 to 23 across the Helderberg region, including Gordons Bay, Somerset West and the Strand.
The festival is designed for independent authors, self-publishing service providers and readers of fiction and non-fiction.
The programme includes workshops focused on laws that affect journalists, authors and content creators. There are also practical sessions on how to self-publish, covering the steps from manuscript to distribution.
By combining legal guidance with publishing insight, the festival responds to the realities facing writers who choose independent routes.
Scheduled for May 15 until 17, the Franschhoek Literary Festival brings together local and international authors, poets and public thinkers for three days of discussion and workshops.
Events are held across venues in the village, with the Town Hall serving as the central hub.
Most venues are within walking distance, making it possible for visitors to attend multiple sessions in a day. Conversations range from fiction and memoir to politics and history.
The layout of the village encourages informal exchanges between writers and readers outside formal panels. Accommodation fills up quickly during the festival weekend, so early booking is advised for those travelling in.
The Open Book Festival in Cape Town unfolds in three phases this year. The Youth Fest takes place in March and is geared towards readers from Grade R to Grade 10. It features storytime sessions, author question and answer sessions and interactive workshops.
Events are hosted at venues including The Book Lounge, the Cape Town Museum of Childhood, Bertha House and public libraries such as Langa, Central and Kuyasa.
Workshop Week runs from June 1 to 6 and focuses on professional development within the literary field. Held primarily at Bertha House in Mowbray, it provides space for skill sharing among writers, editors and publishers.
The Main Festival in September brings together South African and international authors and publishers for three days of conversation.
The 2026 Youth Fest line-up introduces voices such as Upile uThixo Bongco, Monique Fallows and Martinus van Tee, alongside returning creatives including Zizipho Bam, Siphokazi Jonas and Bianca Flanders.
The 29th edition of Time of the Writer runs from March 23 to 28. Hosted by the Centre for Creative Arts at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, the festival follows a hybrid format.
Live events take place at the KZNSA Gallery in Durban, with sessions also streamed online through Facebook and YouTube.
Under the theme “Ink-stitutions of Power”, the programme explores how literature interrogates and reshapes narratives that govern society. The festival opens with a celebration of Professor Njabulo Ndebele and Dr Antjie Krog.
A special session titled Artificial Intelligence and Shaping History Through Story features Arthur Goldstuck and Zakes Mda.
Around 80 writers are expected to participate, including Fred Khumalo, Zukiswa Wanner, Mike Nicol and Qaanitah Hunter, alongside international voices from Ukraine and Palestine.
Books on the Bay takes place from March 13 to 15 in Simon’s Town. The festival presents author readings, panel discussions and interactive sessions across several historic venues.
Events are hosted at the Naval Museum Dockyard Chapel, Simon’s Town Methodist Church, St Francis Church and the Town Hall.
The 2026 line-up includes Antjie Krog, Fred Khumalo, Karen Jennings, Pieter du Toit, Roger Lucey, Mandy Wiener, Justin Fox, Don Pinnock and Tony Leon.