Sharjah Book Fair returns in November with stories from around the world

Books, live performances and hands-on activities will fill Expo Centre Sharjah from 4 to 15 November 2026. The Sharjah International Book Fair offers UAE residents a chance to explore different cultures in one place, with Oman as this year’s guest of honour.

The dates and venue are confirmed on the fair’s official visitor page. Expo Centre is in Al Khan, on Al Taawun Street near Arab Mall.

More than a book-shopping trip

The 45th fair has the theme “Made of Stories”. Its programme brings together authors, poetry, food and family activities. Oman’s guest programme includes talks, children’s workshops and traditional music, according to the programme announcement published by Emirates News Agency on 13 October.

Visitors can look out for the Cookery Corner and a Poets’ Corner, where poets working in Arabic and English turn visitors’ stories into poems. A Thriller Festival is scheduled for 7 to 10 November. These are different ways to enjoy the fair, even for people who do not have a book-buying list.

Check the booking rules for each activity

The official activities list gives dates, times, age groups and booking details. Some activities need a booking, while others do not.

For example, the opening-day listing for “Mr Muffin & Madame Cherry” says no booking is needed for its 5pm to 5.30pm session in the halls and lobbies on 4 November. Future Hands District sessions on the same day use an external booking website.

Other listed workshops include building a traditional mandoos chest model on 6 November for people aged 15 and above, and an ube drink workshop on 7 November for ages 11 to 17. Check the individual listing before choosing an activity, especially if you are going with children of different ages.

Plan before you travel

Choose your sessions first, then check the organiser’s visitor guidance before setting off. Confirm the current admission details and daily opening hours with the organiser. A session’s time should not be treated as the opening time for the whole fair.

The organiser lists 800 BOOKS (26657) and info@sibf.com for enquiries. Use the official site to check the latest visiting and booking details rather than relying on information from a previous year’s fair.

Archive photo: Children at the Sharjah International Book Fair in 2017. ActuaLitté / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cropped from the original.