Dublin Book Festival

The Dublin Book Festival is one of the most successful and popular literary festivals in Ireland. It is held annually since 2006. The festival takes place at several venues in Temple Bar, the district promoted as Dublin’s cultural center. It is one of many festivals hosted by Temple Bar.

In 2010, Dublin was awarded an honorary title of City of Literature by UNESCO. To be approved as a City of Literature, cities need to meet a number of criteria, and hosting literary festivals which promote national and foreign literature is one of them. So the Dublin Book Festival has definitely played its role in this.

The main goals of the festival are to showcase, support and develop Irish publishing as well as to introduce a wide audience to new books by Irish and international authors. The festival program features presentations of new books, Q&A panels with authors and publishers, discussions and other events in a friendly, festive, entertaining and accessible environment.

The Dublin Book Festival is quite an impressive event. For example, its 2015 edition was a four-day festival that included over 50 events and activities featuring about 50 authors, publishers, editors, illustrators and other professionals somehow related to book publishing. Most events take place in Smock Alley Theater located in the heart of Temple Bar. Some events are held in local libraries, bookshops, galleries and other venues.

The festival presents a wide range of literary forms and genres, from science fiction and crime novels to poetry and non-fiction. It is designed for book lovers of all ages, so any attendee has a chance to find an event they are interested in. There are also special events for industry professionals that allow to learn about the latest trends in book publishing, network and exchange experience and ideas.

Along with the main program, the festival has a children’s program and a school program for preschoolers and school students, respectively. At the festival, young book lovers can participate in readings and storytelling sessions, meet their favorite authors and illustrations, and even try their hand at writing their own stories.

Families with kids can attend the festival’s Winder Garden. It’s an indoor recreation zone perfect for curling up on a comfy beanbag with a book and a mug of hot chocolate.

In 2020, the event was held online due to the coronavirus pandemic.