Covering the length and breadth of the African continent, here is a list of literary festivals you can attend in 2020. It is regularly updated as and when information becomes available.
In 2019, African writing continued to produce festivals new and old to the delight of bibliophiles across the continent. There were many of the old favourites like the Hargeysa International Book Fair, Abantu Festival, Ake Arts and Book Festival, Open Book, Pa Gya! and others in the different regions. There were several new festivals like the Feminart Art & Book Festival in Malawi as well as the Swahili Literary Festival and the Macondo Literary Festival both in Kenya.
This year promises just as many literary action like in 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019. For the first time in years, the Writivism Festival has announced a break for 2020. Those who continue with business as usual are among others the Swahili Festival, Open Book, Lagos Arts and Book Festival and the Ake Festival.
Below are some of the confirmed dates for festivals across Africa or featuring majority African writers in 2020. The post is regularly updated when dates are confirmed.
January
Event: Cairo International Book Fair 2020
Venue: Cairo, Egypt
Dates: January 22 – February 4, 2020
Event: Uganda International Book Fair 2020
Venue: Kampala, Uganda.
Dates: January 28 – February 2.
February
Event: African Festival of Emerging Writers.
Venue: Cameroon.
Dates: February 6-8.
Information: Their official Facebook.
Event: Salon International de l’Edition et du Livre de Casablanca 2020
Venue: Casablanca, Morocco.
Dates: February 6 – 16, 2020.
Information: http://www.salonlivrecasa.ma/fr/
Event: Fete du Livre Kinshasa 2020.
Venue: Kinsasha, DR Congo.
Date: February 14-22.
Information: the official website.
Event: The Asmara-Addis Literary Festival (In Exile): A confluence of literature art music in diaspora creativity. Edition II.
Venue: Brussels, Belgium
Dates: February 27-28, 2020.
March
Event: Swahili Literary Festival 2020
Venue: March 4-8, 2020.
Dates: Mombasa, Kenya.
Information: http://hekaya.co.ke/
Event: Time of the Writer 2020
Venue: Durban, South Africa.
Dates: March 16-21.
Information: https://www.facebook.com/TimeoftheWriter/
April
Event: Foire Internationale du Livre de Tunis 2020
Venue: Tunis, Tunisia.
Dates: April 09 – 19, 2020
Event: Alexandria International Book Fair 2020
Venue: Alexandria, Egypt.
Dates: April 13-23, 2020.
Information: Official website.
Event: African Book Festival 2020
Venue: Berlin, Germany.
Dates: April 17-19, 2020
Information: https://africanbookfestival.de/
Event: 72hr Du Livre
Venue: Conakry, Guinee.
Dates: April 23-25, 2020
May
Event: Nigeria International Book Fair 2020.
Venue: Lagos, Nigeria.
Dates: May 11-15, 2020.
Information: Facebook and official website.
Event: Mboka Festival 2020
Venue: Banjul, The Gambia.
Dates: May 25-June 3, 2020
Information: https://twitter.com/mbokafestival
June
Event: Festival De Literatura Mundo Sal 2020
Venue: Sal, Cape Verde.
Dates: June 17- 21, 2020.
Information: Facebook.
July
Event: Heroe Book Fair 2020
Venue: Nakuru, Kenya
Dates: July 23-25.
August
Event: Macondo Literary Festival 2020
Venue: Nairobi, Kenya.
Dates: August 28-30, 2020.|
Information: Official Website.
Event: Ghana International Book Fair 2020.
Venue: Accra, Ghana.
Dates: August 27-30, 2020.
Information: Their Facebook page.
September
Event: Open Book Festival 2020
Venue: Cape Town, South Africa.
Dates: September 2-6.
Details: https://openbookfestival.co.za/
Event: Gaborone Book Festival
Venue: Gaborone, Botswana.
Dates: September 17-21
Information: Official website, Facebook or Twitter.
October
Event: The Quramo Festival of Words (QFEST 2020)
Venue: Eko Hotels and Suites, Victoria Island, Lagos
Date: October 2-4, 2020
Information: the official website.
Event: Pa Gya! Literary Festival 2020
Venue: Accra, Ghana.
Dates: October 16-18, 2020.
Event: Ake Arts & Books Festival 2020
Venue: Lagos, Nigeria
Dates: October 22-25, 2020.
Information: https://www.akefestival.org/
Event: Lagos International Poetry Festival 2020
Venue: Lagos, Nigeria
Dates: October 29 – November 1, 2020.
Information: Facebook.
November
Event: Lagos Arts and Book Festival 2020
Venue: Lagos, Nigeria.
Dates: November 9-15, 2020.
Information: http://www.lagosbookartfestival.org/
December
Event: Abantu Book Festival 2020
Venue: Soweto, South Africa.
Dates: December 3-6, 2020.
Information: Twitter and Facebook.
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