A ‘LitFest,’ or a literary festival, brings together readers, writers and thinkers to celebrate books, writing and ideas. Audiences of all ages come together for insightful author conversations, interactive sessions for young readers, workshops for every stage of a writer’s journey, and a lively mix of performances and games to close the night.

Since it began in 2009, the Emirates LitFest has been connecting local book lovers with the best literary talent the world has to offer. Most Festival sessions are followed by a book signing but over the years, we have expanded the Festival programme to also include music and comedy shows, themed dinners and film screenings. With over 100 authors in attendance each year, Emirates LitFest is the biggest celebration of literature and ideas in the Middle East and the must-attend literary event of the UAE’s cultural calendar.

The 18th edition of the Emirates LitFest will return from 21-27 January 2026.

The public can enjoy the Festival from 21-25 January but the last two days are reserved for our school audience. Check our FESTIVAL GRID to ensure your LitFest story plays out smoothly.

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The majority of the 2026 Emirates LitFest will take place at the Intercontinental Hotel in Dubai Festival City with the exception of our signature celebration Desert Stanzas hosted at Caravanserai.

The upcoming Festival will welcome an exciting line-up of international and local talent. And because it wouldn’t be the LitFest without some old friends, you’ll find a few familiar faces mixed in with plenty of new ones!

Just like every good book, we’ve been revealing our upcoming speakers and performers at key moments in our LitFest journey. On Tuesday 25 November 2025, we will unveil our full list of speakers and performers! Make sure you go through our complete line-up so you can decide which events you do not want to miss out on!

There’s always plenty to see and do at the Emirates LitFest, no matter what your age, interests or your budget!

LitFest veterans will want to mark their calendars as some of our special events will be returning this year, including a specially-curated murder mystery dinner and our signature night of poetry under the stars, Desert Stanzas.

Families planning their time at LitFest will want to check out our diverse range of Family Activities, which has something for audience members of all ages to do each day!

Looking for something a little later and livelier? Teens and older festival goers will want to hang back for our all-new LitFest After Hours programme, which features a fun range of musical performances, film screenings, artist souq and more — all of which can be accessed with the purchase of a single-day or a multi-day pass!

There’s also lots to learn at LitFest! Aspiring authors or artists can sign up for one of our many workshops and learn how to hone their writing and storytelling skills with celebrated and award-winning authors from across the UAE and the world.

Great question! As we’ve been steadily rolling out the line-up of speakers and performers for the 2026 LitFest, we’ll be doing our final reveal on 25 November 2025, when tickets will go on sale for the general public. If you don’t want to risk an event selling out fast, you can always sign up for a Foundation Friends membership to ensure you get 48-hour early access from 23 November 2025.

Please note that any children aged 3–12 attending a LitFest event must be accompanied by an adult, who must also purchase their own ticket. Children aged 2 and below can attend events for free but they are not guaranteed a seat.

For our guests of determination, we offer a 50% discount to all conversations, family activities and LitFest After Hours sessions, subject to verification of POD card. Guest of Determination are also entitled to a complimentary ticket for one companion to the same session.

Sign up for the Festival newsletter or follow us on social media to keep up with the updates.

Yes! The Festival tries to remain as affordable and accessible as possible with plenty of reasonably priced events across our programme, we understand that not everyone might have the privilege of purchasing tickets to some of our upcoming events.

With that in mind, we have free events across the different Festival categories including LitFest Launch Pad, which celebrates local debut authors and the Fringe, where dazzling young performers, dancers, musicians, poets, and storytellers from across UAE take to stage.

Yes! We curate our programme to be family-friendly so that all our attendees, no matter their age, will have the best time possible — and make plenty of special memories in the process! However, if you are planning on attending any events with your children, we ask that you note the following:

Children aged two and below: Can attend events for free. However, there might not be a seat for them if the event is sold out. Please make sure the content is suitable for your child and that they do not disturb other Festival attendees.

Children aged 3–12: Must be accompanied by an adult for children’s events and both the child and the accompanying adult are required to buy a ticket.

Children aged 16 and below: Will only be allowed to attend adult sessions if accompanied by an adult who has consented to
their attendance. Please make sure the content is suitable for your child before you purchase.

Looking to save money and guarantee better seats at LitFest? Consider getting a Foundation Friends Family membership
so you can save 20% on all tickets (including special events and workshops) and get priority seating! Just remember to get there at least 10 minutes before the event begins!

If a Emirates LitFest event is cancelled for any reason by the Festival, ticket-holders will receive an automatic refund.

However, the booking fee will only be refunded if it is part of a complete order that has been cancelled. If the cancelled event is part of a larger order featuring other events, the booking fee will not be refunded.

If you are unable to attend a LitFest event that you have purchased tickets for due to personal reasons, please note that you may request a refund from the LitFest by emailing tickets@emirateslitfest.com, but refunds will be granted on a discretionary basis. In this case, the booking fee will not be refunded.

There are plenty of ways to get to any of our three locations. Don’t forget to plan your trip in advance!

There are many ways to get involved with the Festival!

Young performers between the ages of 3 to 16 can apply for a slot on our Fringe Stage. The LitFest Launch Pad is a platform for UAE-based debut and emerging writers to talk about their new books. 

Interested in being a speaker at Litfest 2027? Fill this form and learn how you can be apart of our programmes.

If working behind the scenes is more your speed, apply to become one of our LitFest volunteers!

If you would like to sponsor some events or partner up on our other initiatives, consider becoming one of our sponsors!

And finally, make sure to sign up to our newsletter to know everything you there is to know about Litfest 2027 and all our future programmes.

One of the Festival’s goals is to spread a love of reading across the UAE. That’s why we curate a special Education Programme each year.

Schools can book tickets to one of our education sessions in English or Arabic. Festival Authors sign their books after their sessions, allowing your students the chance to own a signed copy.

Work with your students to place a free bid to win a visit from a LitFest author, so you can bring the magic of the LitFest back to your school!

Help your students apply for a slot on our Fringe Stage to showcase their talents in front of an international audience!

And that’s not all. The Emirates Literature Foundation also runs student competitions throughout the year, with the winners announced each year during a special prize ceremony at the LitFest. Interested in taking part? Join our education mailing list so we can notify you when our competitions open again!

The Emirates LitFest celebrates every stage of the publishing process:

Want to become a writer but not sure where to start? Sign up for one of our masterclasses, workshops or our two-day boot camp.

Written a manuscript but not sure what to do next? Book a slot with a literary agent for a quick pitch.

If you’re a UAE based writer, you have two avenues to get ahead on your writing journey, you can apply for the First Chapter: ELF Seddiqi Writing Fellowship or for the MBRSC Sci-Fi Writing Prize!

Interested in meeting fellow publishers or authors and discussing trends in the publishing industry? Attend one of the Conversations on writing and publishing unfolding across the week of LitFest and network with fellow writers and publishers afterwards!

Thank you for asking! YES! The Emirates LitFest would not be possible without the support and dedication of our incredible volunteers!Please read about our roles and requirements before you submit an application.

Please note: We will not be accepting any more applications after 11:59 PM of 30 November 2025.

You asked and we listened. The LitFest merch is no longer reserved for our authors, volunteers, and team. YOU too can sport our cool tote bags, our aromatic (and sustainable) candles, and our aesthetic notebooks – and more – online from our website and in-person from our box office.

Please note that profits from the sales of the LitFest merch are funneled into supporting our literary initiatives year-round so we are unable to offer discounts, exchanges, and refunds on the purchase of these products.

Plan your visit, explore the schedule, personalise your journey, and keep track of your favourite sessions, all in one place. From real-time updates to interactive maps and handy reminders, your entire Festival experience is right at your fingertips

Plan your visit, explore the schedule, personalise your journey, and keep track of your favourite sessions, all in one place. From real-time updates to interactive maps and handy reminders, your entire Festival experience is right at your fingertips. Download now for Android and IOS.

Unfortunately, the LitFest does not accept ticket exchanges.