KOLKATA: For book lovers in the city, the Kolkata International Book Fair is nothing short of a festival, almost like Durga Puja for the literary-minded. Every year, book lovers count down the days to dive into a treasure trove of books from around the globe. And on Thursday, the Publishers and Booksellers Guild announced the dates for the 49th edition of the Kolkata International Book Fair. The 2026 Kolkata book fair edition will run from January 22 to February 3 at Boimela Prangan in Salt Lake.
In 2025, the fair was held from January 28 to February 9. This time, the organisers have decided to shift it earlier to make the most of two public holidays, Netaji Jayanti on January 23 and Republic Day on January 26, along with two weekends. Also, board exams are mostly scheduled in February and hence the organisers decided to shift the dates.
“We’ve moved the dates up this year because we’re getting two holidays and two weekends in that stretch. It’s perfect for book lovers. The decision was taken after discussions with Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee,” said Sudhanshu Sekhar Dey of the Publishers and Booksellers Guild.
The organisers also informed that the 49th edition of the Kolkata book fair will see participation of more national and international publishers.