Open until 7pm on the final day
The 31st Budapest International Book Festival closes on 4 October 2026 at Hungexpo’s C Congress Centre. Organised by the Hungarian Publishers’ and Booksellers’ Association, the four-day event is open from 10am to 7pm on Sunday and all programmes are free.
The official announcement lists 130 exhibitors, nearly 200 programmes and 400 signing sessions.
Colm Tóibín and three German-speaking guest countries
Irish author Colm Tóibín is the festival’s guest of honour and received the Budapest Grand Prize. Irish literature has a special place in the programme on the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Ireland and Hungary. Germany, Austria and Switzerland appear jointly as guest countries with the Goethe-Institut, the German Foreign Office, the Austrian Cultural Forum, the Swiss Embassy and Frankfurt Book Fair.
This structure matters commercially as well as culturally: translation rights, publishing relationships, screen adaptations and cultural-institute partnerships meet in one public-facing event.
Inclusive children’s space and a comics zone
A new feature is the Special Children’s World workshop and performance space. It is designed as a safe and welcoming environment for children with additional needs, with crafts, slide-film screenings and workshops. Talks for parents cover neurodiversity, autism, ADHD, sensory processing and mental health.
A dedicated Comics Zone brings together American, European, Japanese and Hungarian titles, creator meetings and illustrated signings. It broadens the traditional book-fair model into an experience-led audience relationship.
Business lesson
The festival shows how a free event can support multiple revenue and partnership channels. Exhibitor presence, publisher sales, cultural-institute programmes, themed zones, rights trading and hospitality can reinforce one another. The inclusive family programme has particular value because it combines social impact, a new audience segment and responsibly matched sponsors.
Summary
The 31st Budapest International Book Festival closes at 7pm on 4 October 2026 at Hungexpo’s C Congress Centre. Entry is free, with 130 exhibitors, nearly 200 programmes and 400 signings.
Frequently asked questions
- When does the 31st Budapest International Book Festival close?
- At 7pm on 4 October 2026 at Hungexpo’s C Congress Centre in Budapest.
- Is a ticket required?
- No. The organiser states that entry and all programmes are free.
- Who is the guest of honour?
- Irish author Colm Tóibín, recipient of the Budapest Grand Prize.