The Malta Book Festival

Information about the Event

The Malta Book Festival will be held for the second year running at the Malta Fairs and Convention Centre (MFCC), Ta’ Qali, opening its doors to the public over five days from Wednesday, November 23, till Sunday, November 27. Here you will find all the information you need to make the best of these five days celebrating the world of books, publishing, and reading.

The events programme features more than 100 activities aimed at children, families, publishing professionals and the general public which include numerous book launches and presentations, meetings with authors, book-signing sessions, seminars, thematic discussions and film screenings. The festival’s events are being organised by the National Book Council in collaboration with participating publishers, authors, booksellers, student associations, NGOs and government agencies.

At the core of the festival will be a record number of 50 exhibitors, who are all linked to the book industry and many of whom are organising numerous events populating the festival programme. A wide range of books, including the winners of the National Book Prize 2022, will be available to the public.

Book launches and presentations remain a staple part of the festival. Among others, Kotba Calleja will launch Ryan Falzon’s debut-novel Sajf, SKS will present Ġużè Orlando’s republication of L-Ibleh, and the University organisation Għaqda tal-Malti will launch the 41st edition of Leħen il-Malti. A seminar on book production will be held by Gutenberg Press.

A special programme for children and their families

The morning hours of Wednesday 23, Thursday 24 and Friday 25 will be specially dedicated to registered students from schools in Malta and Gozo. All registered children will be handed a €5 voucher, enabling them to browse through the various exhibitors’ stands and decide for themselves which book they are to take home with them. Thanks to the collaboration with the Żigużajg Festival, schoolchildren will also be treated to two daily shows aimed at different age cohorts. During the first two days, the shows will be adapted from winning children’s books of Premju Terramaxka 2022, while Friday will be dedicated to Striped Pyjamas: Meet John Boyne, a performance with special guests John Boyne and illustrator Gattaldo.

Children’s activities continue in the afternoons and the weekend. On Saturday, children aged seven to 12 can enroll in an exclusive workshop with the Gattaldo, the author of the children’s book Fearless for a one-off illustration workshop. A further two shows by Żigużajg will also be organised for the whole family during the weekend, as part of the festival’s calendar.

In the spirit of inclusion, and thanks to the collaboration with Inspire Foundation, a Sensory-Friendly Room will be set up inside the Rainbow Hall, offering an autism-friendly space for children on the spectrum to have access to storytelling activities in a safe and inclusive environment.