The Sharjah International Book Fair 2026 runs from 4 to 15 November at Expo Centre Sharjah. Entry is free, and general visitors need no prior registration, the fair’s own FAQ says. Daily hours are not listed. The site says only that they vary by day, so check before you go.
On 3 November 2026 we read the fair’s FAQ and visit pages, along with Khaleej Times, Gulf Today and a Gulf News programme report. We also read a 20 October r/Sharjah thread on the roads. Every gap we found is listed at the end.
| Question | Answer | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dates | 4 to 15 November 2026, 45th edition | sibf.com, Khaleej Times |
| Venue | Expo Centre Sharjah, Al Khan, Al Taawun Street, near Arab Mall | sibf.com |
| Entry | Free, unless announced for special events or sessions | sibf.com FAQ |
| Registration | Not needed for general visitors, may be needed for workshops and special talks | sibf.com FAQ |
| Opening hours | “Vary by day”, not listed on the pages we read | sibf.com FAQ |
| Theme and guest of honour | Made of Stories, Oman | Gulf News |
Entry, tickets and registration
Entry to the fair is free for all visitors unless organisers announce otherwise for special events or sessions. General visitors do not need prior registration, the FAQ says, though workshops, professional sessions and special talks may ask for it.
Three stage productions need advance booking, Gulf News reports. They are the musical When Memories Sing on 7 November, the science show Impossible or Science on 8 November and the outdoor show Waterland on 14 and 15 November. We found no ticket prices for them.
Opening hours
The FAQ says opening hours vary by day and points readers to the visit section of the site. That section lists the dates and the venue, but no daily hours. The Expo Centre’s own event page shows 10:00 am on 4 November to 10:00 pm on 15 November, and those look like overall listing times, not daily hours.
To check a specific day, call 800 BOOKS (26657) or write to info@sibf.com, the contacts on the fair’s pages. Khaleej Times cites 1.4 million visitors at the 2025 fair, so plan for crowds.
Getting to Expo Centre Sharjah
Expo Centre Sharjah is in the Al Khan area, on Al Taawun Street near Arab Mall. The fair’s visit page puts Sharjah International Airport about 20 minutes away. Our Sharjah airport guide covers that side of the trip.
Traffic around Al Taawun Street is the concern in the October r/Sharjah thread. Gulf News reported on 22 September that Al Taawun Square would open to traffic on 4 November and be accessible to vehicles during the fair. The Al Taawun Tunnel is not open. Its first phase is scheduled for November 2026 and the whole project for February 2027.
A reader on r/Sharjah asked in October whether the tunnel would be ready before the fair. One reply matched the official line.
“They’ve already stated multiple times that the tunnel itself will not be completed by then, but that the surface streets will be ready by the book fair.”
– r/Sharjah, October 2026 (2 upvotes)
Another reply was less sure about the roads around the venue.
“I think they will pave the way to and out of Expo center, already partially done, in time for the book fair. But looks like another bottleneck situation waiting to happen.”
– r/Sharjah, October 2026 (2 upvotes)
Those are two comments, not a traffic forecast. We have not driven the route since the roads changed.
Shuttle buses and parking
The Sharjah Book Authority said in October that free shuttle buses and extra parking are planned for 2026, Khaleej Times reports. Gulf News adds that details are expected before the fair opens. We found no routes, times or parking locations for this year.
Last year’s arrangements may hint at the shape of this year’s, though nothing confirms a repeat. For the 2025 fair, Gulf Today reported free shuttle buses from Al Rashidiya Bus Station in Dubai and the City Centre Ajman parking area.
- Buses left Dubai and Ajman at 9:00 am, 1:00 pm and 5:00 pm.
- Return buses left Expo Centre Sharjah at 12:00 pm, 4:00 pm and 9:00 pm.
- Free traditional boats ran from Sharjah Aquarium and Al Qasba to the Expo Centre during opening hours.
Treat that list as 2025 only. Check the fair’s channels for this year’s version before you plan around it.
Our Sharjah parking timings guide lists the paid hours in the emirate, and we have not checked whether they apply around Expo Centre.
What is on at the Sharjah International Book Fair 2026
The 45th edition has the theme Made of Stories, and Oman is guest of honour. Gulf News counts 2,673 publishers and exhibitors from 124 countries, plus 1,500 cultural, creative and artistic events. Khaleej Times says more than 2,000 publishing houses. The totals differ, and neither report explains why.
- Oman’s programme includes 15 cultural sessions, six children’s workshops and 20 artistic performances.
- Poets’ Corner turns visitors’ personal stories into poems in Arabic or English.
- Future Hands District is an interactive city where children try out different professions.
- The fifth Thriller Festival runs from 7 to 10 November, with crime writers including Clare Mackintosh.
- A Cookery Corner offers live demonstrations by international chefs.
Two professional events sit around the public fair. The Sharjah Publishers Conference runs from 1 to 3 November, and the Sharjah International Library Conference runs from 7 to 9 November. Our guides to Al Noor Island and Rolla Square Park cover two other Sharjah stops for the same trip.
What we could not confirm
Five points stayed open after our reading, and we left them out of the answers above rather than guess at them.
- Daily opening hours for each of the 12 days.
- This year’s shuttle bus routes, times and parking locations.
- Whether the tunnel’s first phase opens during the fair.
- Ticket prices for the three stage productions.
- Which workshops and talks need registration.
Questions about the Sharjah International Book Fair
When is the Sharjah International Book Fair 2026?
From 4 to 15 November 2026 at Expo Centre Sharjah. It is the 45th edition, according to Khaleej Times.
Is entry to the Sharjah Book Fair free?
Yes. The fair’s FAQ says entry is free for all visitors, unless special events or sessions are announced as ticketed.
Do I need to register before visiting?
General visitors do not, says the FAQ. Registration may be required for workshops, professional sessions and special talks.
What are the opening hours?
The fair says hours vary by day and does not list them on the pages we read. Call 800 BOOKS (26657) to check a given day.
