The most important book fair in the Spanish-speaking world and the second largest on the planet after Frankfurt: nine days, over two thousand publishers, hundreds of authors and a guest country that brings its whole literature to Guadalajara.
Guest of honour: Italy
Source: fil.com.mx, checked on 5 September 2026.
Updated: September 2026
The Guadalajara International Book Fair has been organised by the University of Guadalajara since 1987. It is both a trade fair and a readers' festival: mornings on the first days are reserved for professionals (agents, publishers, booksellers), and the rest of the time Expo Guadalajara fills with families, students and readers who come to hear their authors and buy at a discount. Each year a country or region is guest of honour and brings its writers, music and food.
The programme is impossible to cover: launches, forums, the FIL Prize for Literature in Romance Languages, FIL Niños for children, late-night concerts and encounters with Nobel laureates. You plan with the programme in hand, and something always gets left out.
Log what you buy, your progress and the quotes you underline. Free, no account needed to start.
Start for freeGeneral admission is ticketed and box offices have queues. Check prices and days on fil.com.mx; reduced rates are usually available.
Guadalajara fills up that week. Hotels near Expo and in Chapalita sell out early.
With over two thousand publishers and fair discounts, you will leave loaded. There is luggage storage and shipping on site.
Expo Guadalajara is on Mariano Otero, near Plaza del Sol. Light rail line 1 (Unidad Deportiva) and many bus routes; by taxi or ride app from the centre, 20–30 minutes.
Guadalajara International Book Fair 2026 runs 28 Nov – 6 Dec 2026 at Expo Guadalajara, Guadalajara.
At Expo Guadalajara, Guadalajara.
No, it is ticketed: check prices and sales on the official website.
FIL passes 800,000 visitors every year over nine days, with more than 2,000 publishers from around 50 countries.