Helsinki Book Fair, the largest literary event in the Nordics, celebrates its 25th anniversary
The Helsinki Book Fair is arranged for the 25th time 23-26 October 2025 at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre. Helsinki Book Fair the largest literary event in the Nordics. "Both visitor and book sales records year-after-year speak not only to the appeal of the event, but also to Finland's strong reading tradition and the vitality of the Finnish literary culture", says Ville Blåfield, Program Director of the Helsinki Book Fair.
Helsinki Book Fair is arranged every October in Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre. The event is arranged by Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre in collaboration with the Finnish Publishers' Association and the Booksellers' Association of Finland. The Helsinki Book Fair 2025 features 17 program stages with over 900 author interviews and discussions. Well over 1,000 authors, artists, academics, and political decision-makers will participate in the discussions.
The Helsinki Book Fair is the largest literary event in the Nordics in terms of attendance. Last year 97,725 people attended the fair over four days, and additionally, the event's programs were streamed more than 20 000 times with online tickets. The previous attendance record for the Helsinki Book Fair was from 2019, when the fair had 91,952 visitors. In 2023, the Helsinki Book Fair had 88,071 visitors. At the same time is arranged Wine & Food Fair.
The events not only create experiences but also generate jobs and support the economy. The venue generated an income stream of €245 million for the Helsinki region, and the employment impact of exhibition activities amounted to 3,335 person-years.
"Both visitor and book sales records year-after-year speak not only to the appeal of the event, but also to Finland's strong reading tradition and the vitality of the Finnish literary culture", says Ville Blåfield, Program Director of the Helsinki Book Fair. “The atmosphere is unique. The event has become a highlight of the year for readers, authors, and publishers. This year we welcome around 40 international guest authors at the fair. Finland is a bilingual country, and we want to offer content to both Finnish and Swedish speakers. Three of our 17 program stages are dedicated to Swedish language literature," continues Blåfield.
This year, The Helsinki Book Fair is celebrating its 25th anniversary. Founding members and program managers have been invited to the fair over the years. A gala dinner will be organized one evening for book lovers. History is important, but at the same time the new books of 2025 are celebrated.
Frankfurt Book Fair’s John Steinmark to Attend the 25th Helsinki Book Fair as Guest of FILI
To mark the 25th anniversary of the Helsinki Book Fair, FILI – the Finnish Literature Exchange – will welcome John Steinmark, Programme Director of the Frankfurt Book Fair, as a special guest. Steinmark curates the event programme Frankfurt Calling – Perspectives on Culture and Politics and will represent Frankfurt Book Fair Director Juergen Boos. Among other events, he will take part in a panel discussion on The Power of Literature and the State of Publishing in Europe (Senaatintori Stage, Thursday 23 October, 2 p.m.) as well as FILI’s international fellowship programme for 60 literary translators from abroad.
“I’m looking forward to discovering the Helsinki Book Fair, which has become such an important meeting place for literature and ideas in the Nordic region,” Steinmark says. “It’s inspiring to see how readers of all ages come together here – not only to celebrate books, but to engage with the questions shaping our societies. Literature and culture remain vital spaces for reflection, dialogue and imagination. Keeping them open, dynamic and connected across borders is essential if future generations are to find their own voices in them.”
A nationally significant cultural arena and literary event
The Helsinki Book Fair promotes reading interest, appreciation for literature, and book sales in Finland. The event is a nationally significant cultural arena; a current pioneer, a challenging conversation partner, as well as a storyteller and a nurturer of the heart. The main values of the book fair are freedom of speech, equality, and respect for human dignity. In conjunction with the Helsinki Book Fair is the Antiquarian Book Fair which is organized annually in collaboration with the Finnish Antiquarian Booksellers' Association. Next time, the Helsinki Book Fair and the Wine & Food event will take place on 22-25 October 2026, at the Helsinki Expo and Convention Centre.
More information:
The Helsinki Book Fair,
communications: Teija Armanto, phone 050 376 0804,
Business Manager Tanja Pasila, phone 050 387 0024,
Program Director Ville Blåfield, phone 050 310 3017,
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