The 16th Al Ain Book Festival is set to open its doors on November 24, running through November 30 at Al Ain Square’s Hazza bin Zayed Stadium. For anyone who’s followed the festival over the years, this edition brings some interesting changes worth noting.
The Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, which organizes the event, has announced that 220 exhibitors will participate this year—a 10 percent jump from last time. What really stands out is that roughly one in five exhibitors are newcomers to the festival. That’s a pretty clear sign that publishers see value in showing up.
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More Venues, Wider Reach
This year’s festival isn’t limiting itself to just the stadium. Events will spread across several locations in Al Ain, including Qasr Al Muwaiji and various schools and cultural centers around the city. It’s an approach that should make the festival easier to access for people who might not make it to the main venue.
Sheikh Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain Region, is again serving as patron of the festival. The week-long event has become something of an anchor for Al Ain’s cultural calendar, drawing readers, writers, and publishers together each year.
Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, who chairs the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, pointed out that the Al Ain Book Festival does more than just provide a marketplace for books. It’s become a genuine gathering point for the literary community, and the steady stream of new publishers joining each year backs that up.
“The festival has a significant impact at the grassroots level,” Al Mubarak said, “continuing to inspire a culture of reading and bringing communities together through the power of books, creativity and knowledge.”
Local Writers Get the Spotlight
One thing the festival has consistently emphasized is support for Emirati authors and emerging writers. Dr. Ali bin Tamim, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Arabic Language Centre, talked about how partnerships with publishing houses and cultural institutions help create opportunities for local talent.
The festival’s programming reflects this focus. Alongside book stalls and author signings, there are reading sessions, panel discussions, and activities designed to get families involved. The goal, according to organizers, is to make reading feel less like homework and more like part of everyday life.
Keeping Traditional Poetry Alive
One of the more distinctive aspects of the Al Ain Book Festival is its attention to folk poetry. Through a program called Poetry Nights: The Sung Word, the festival celebrates traditional poetic forms that have deep roots in Emirati culture. It’s the kind of programming that could easily feel out of place at a modern book fair, but somehow it works here.
This year’s festival will also host the awards ceremony for the Kanz Al Jeel Award, which was launched in 2021 specifically to recognize excellence in folk poetry. The fourth edition will honor winners across six different categories, from poetry composition to translation work. The ceremony takes place at Qasr Al Muwaiji, which adds a nice historical touch to the proceedings.
What to Expect
With 220 exhibitors spread across multiple venues, there should be plenty to see. The festival runs for a full week, giving people time to browse, attend events, and maybe discover something unexpected. Whether you’re into contemporary fiction, academic titles, or traditional poetry, the range of publishers suggests there’ll be something worth checking out.
The Al Ain Book Festival has clearly found its footing after 15 years. The numbers speak for themselves—more exhibitors, more first-timers, and what appears to be solid community support. For a week in late November, Al Ain becomes a hub for anyone interested in books, writing, and the literary scene across the region.