Sofia International Book Fair 2026 runs 8–13 December 2026 at the NDK in Sofia

The dates come from the 2026 event calendar published by the organiser, the association that runs the abk.bg site, which lists the fair among its book events for the year.

Two further items are listed for the same week. The presentation of the golden lion awards, given for a publishing project, is set for 8 December 2026, and the Sofia international literary festival runs from 8 to 13 December 2026. The organiser describes the literary festival as an event held in parallel with the book fair.

The organiser's own description of the fair says the exhibition traditionally covers an area of 1600 square metres inside the palace, presents the output of close to 200 publishers from Bulgaria and includes more than 100 literary meetings and events, held on the fair's own stage and at partner locations around Sofia. The organiser puts attendance at more than 60 000 visitors a year.

The programme, as the organiser describes it, has several strands: a book exhibition in which publishers from across the country offer readers their newest titles; a focus on the literature of one country, invited as the guest of honour for that year; a professional forum with meetings between publishers, illustrators, authors, editors, translators, printers and proofreaders; an official ceremony for the golden lion award for a publishing project; and a main programme of readings, discussions, meetings between authors, translators and readers, book launches, exhibitions, musical evenings and events for children. Each publisher also runs an accompanying programme of its own, with book presentations, signings by poets and writers, readings and interactive meetings with the public.

The fair has been held since 1967, with a short break in 1989–1990, at the time of the change of political regime, and again in 2020 because of the Covid-19 pandemic. In 2023 the fair marked its 50-year jubilee.