Book Events: Fairs, Festivals, and Conferences (2025 and 2026)
Check out our list of events from the beginning of the year.. To add an event, complete our form: Add a Book Festival or Fair to Our Calendar. You can also share event details in the Press Release section of our discussion forum.
Visit our Photo Gallery, Event Archives, and AALBC’s Events.
5 Events Found in Illinois

Anime Central
Donald E. Stephens Convetion Center & Hyatt Regency O'Hare
555. N River Rosd , Rosemont, Illinois
Hosted by: Anime Central
Dates: Friday, May 19, 2023 to Monday, May 22, 2023
Website: Anime Central
Description:
Cosplay gathering and exhibition.
Learn more about Anime Central on AALBC.com.Back to our list of events from the beginning of the year.
The Soulful Chicago Book Fair
61st Street from Cottage Grove to King Drive
Hosted by: Asadah Kirkland
Date: Saturday, August 5, 2023
Time: 10 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Website: The Soulful Chicago Book Fair
Email: soulfulchicagobookfair@gmail.com
Description:
The Soulful Chicago Book Fair is a FREE, outdoor, celebration of literacy and literary arts found throughout the African Diaspora. It is Chicago’s only living “author-centric” festival, filled with OUR stories told through books, spoken word, storytelling, songwriting, play writing and art!

Back to our list of events from the beginning of the year.
Printers Row Lit Fest
Historic Printers Row
Date: Saturday, September 9, 2023
Time:
Website: Printers Row Lit Fest
Phone: 312-836-7000
Description:
The Printers Row Lit Fest was founded in 1985 by the Near South Planning Board to attract visitors to the Printers Row neighborhood (once the city's bookmaking hub). By 2002, it had grown to five city blocks (on Dearborn, from Congress to Polk), attracting more than 200 booksellers from across the country displaying new, used and antiquarian books and featuring more than 200 authors participating in panels, discussions and a variety of other programs.
Learn more about Printers Row Lit Fest on AALBC.com.Back to our list of events from the beginning of the year.
C2E2
McCormick Place
2301 S Lake Shore Dr., Chicago, Illinois 60616
Hosted by: C2E2
Dates: Friday, April 11, 2025 to Sunday, April 13, 2025
Website: C2E2
Phone: 800-354-4003
Email: C2E2INFO@Reedpop.com
Description:
Comic, cosplay, gaming, wrestling, anime pop culture convention
Learn more about C2E2 on AALBC.com.Back to our list of events from the beginning of the year.
Words of Wonder Literary Festival
Dr. Conrad Worrill Track & Field Center
10201 South Cottage Grove Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60628
Hosted by: Burst Into Books
Date: Saturday, July 26, 2025
Time: 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. CDT
Website: Words of Wonder Literary Festival
Email: burstintobooks@gmail.com
Description:
The Annual Words of Wonder Literary Festival is a celebration of books-to-be-written and books-to-be-read.
Back to our list of events from the beginning of the year.
Check out our coverage of past events.