A view of the KL Alternative Bookfest 2025, with thousands at Central Market in Kuala Lumpur. The next edition will return to the same venue from Jan 30 to Feb 3, 2026. Photo: Filepic/The Star
As the new year approaches, with so many book fairs and literary festivals taking place throughout the year, it’s a good idea to note when they’re happening so you can strategically plan your book purchases (and road trips!) – something anyone with an overflowing TBR stack will understand.
Here is a list of 2026’s main book events to note down in your calendar.
First up is the Kuala Lumpur Alternative Bookfest (KLAB), running at Central Market in Kuala Lumpur from Jan 30 to Feb 3.
Organised by the Malaysian Book Publishers Association (Mabopa) with support from Fixi and The Patriots, the festival spotlights homegrown publishers, striking a good balance between mainstream and fringe literary voices.
Thanks to its central location in the capital, KLAB’s visitor numbers have grown in recent years, with this year’s edition (Jan 29 to Feb 2) attracting nearly 93,000 visitors.
The significance of homegrown literature in Bahasa Malaysia remains undeniable, exemplified by KLAB 2025, which drew nearly 20,000 visitors during its mid-week opening in late January.
In 2025, KLAB also expanded with its first regional spin-offs – the Ipoh Alternative Bookfest and Johor Alternative Bookfest – both set to return next year in May and December, respectively.
Visitors hunting for books at the Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (PBAKL) 2025 at the World Trade Centre KL during the school holidays in late May. Photo: The Star/Azman Ghani
The month-long Kuala Lumpur Festival returns for its second edition, with tentative dates from April to May 2026, promising to showcase the capital’s arts, culture, heritage and more.
It remains unclear whether the festival will take a completely new direction or build on the inaugural 2024 Kreatif KL Festival (presented by Think City), which featured the flagship Kalam Literature Festival, as no official programming announcements have been made.
Given Kuala Lumpur’s rich literary and storytelling tradition, however, it would be surprising if the festival did not include any literary elements.
The 44th Kuala Lumpur International Book Fair (KLIBF) runs at the Kuala Lumpur World Trade Centre from May 29 to June 7.
Drawing over a million visitors since 2022, it is Malaysia’s largest book fair and one of the biggest in South-East Asia. With more than 1,000 booths spread across multiple floors, featuring local and international publishers and booksellers, KLIBF easily warrants multiple visits.
The KL Art Book Fair 2025, in its fifth edition, featured over 125 exhibitors from more than 20 countries and attracted over 6,000 visitors. Photo: KL Art Book Fair
A year-end literary highlight in the Klang Valley is the Selangor International Book Fair (SIBF), which has grown significantly since its 2022 rebranding. Formerly Pesta Buku Selangor, SIBF has become a major event, attracting over 200,000 visitors this year.
SIBF’s 2026 dates will be announced soon.
For more specialised book and art events, the KL Illustration Fair 2026 will take place at GMBB creative mall in Kuala Lumpur from May 1–3.
These events are hard to call “niche” anymore – this year’s KL Illustration Fair drew 19,000 visitors, while the KL Art Book Fair, typically held later in the year, is expected to announce its 2026 edition soon.
Outside the Klang Valley, no Malaysian book calendar is complete without the George Town Literary Festival (GTLF) in Penang.
Organised by the Penang Institute, its 16th edition is scheduled for November.
GTLF 2025, themed “Urban Myths and Memories,” was memorable, featuring a strong homegrown line-up, with Canadian novelist Madeleine Thien and Australian poet, writer, and rapper Omar Musa adding international presence.
Across a weekend of talks, book launches, performances, and satellite events, readers were thoroughly engaged. Anticipation now builds for what GTLF 2026 will offer.
