We’re a little late coming out with our list of the year’s anarchist bookfairs, having missed what was by all accounts a very successful showing in Derry on January 27th with a bigger turnout than in 2017 with a huge variety of publications on show.

There’s also a big gap in this year’s list at the moment, with the glaring absence of the London Anarchist Bookfair in the October schedule — though all credit to the fine progressives of Swansea for bringing an all-new bookfair to the tables that same month instead.

At present some of the detail is patchy on venues, particularly later in the year, but we’ll be aiming to fill out as we go — for now, the dates below should help fill out the radical diary nicely over spring and summer.

April 7th: Liverpool Anarchist Bookfair

11am-6pm at The Black-E, 1 Great George Street

Bookings for stalls are now available at £15 per table, along with spaces for workshops and campaign presentations.

Contact liverpool.anarchistbookfair at gmail.com

Event page

May 6th: Norwich Anarchist Bookfair

2pm-11pm at Bedfords Crypt, 1 Old Post Office Yard, Bedford Street, NR2 1SL

Despite a change of venue announcement, the bookfair is well in hand with stalls confirmed from the Anarchist Federation, Solidarity Federation, hunt sabs, PM Press, Eleusinian Press, the Cunningham Amendment and many more, plus headline talks on the Norwich Soup Movement, Freedom Fibres and Faslane Peace Camp. Hosted by No Comply Promotions.

Event page

May 6th: Bristol Radical History Fair

Princes Wharf, Wapping Rd, Bristol BS1 4RN

2018 marks the anniversaries of two of the most significant historical moments in the 20th Century. The First World War ended in 1918. This centenary will see the Remembering the Real World War One history group examining the realities of the human catastrophe and challenging the militarism celebrated in ‘official’ accounts. May 2018 also marks the fiftieth anniversary of the May 1968 events. These signalled the rise of the counter-culture and emergence of the new social movements that continue to define cultural and political debates. The Bread, Print and Roses Collective will revisit the 1960s by coordinating a ‘free university’ to discuss their significance in the present day.

Website

May 12th: Bristol Anarchist Bookfair

11am-6pm at City Academy, Russell Town Ave

Organisers are promising their Biggest Ever Venue in the east of the city and have already set the pace for entertaining promo posters (see above). “You will find all the usual exciting features of the Bookfair, such as the amazing range of radical literature, the networking opportunities, and stimulating workshops, films and discussions. Of course, tasty food will be available, and a parents&kids space provided. There will also be ample opportunity to let loose your inner beast at a banging after party. We hope all this goes without saying as the bread and butter of a Bookfair.”

Website | Twitter | Book a stall

June 2nd: London Radical Bookfair

Goldsmiths University, New Cross



Organised by the Alliance for Radical Booksellers and featuring the annual Bread and Roses award for radical literature, this is the London Radical Bookfair’s third outing. More info to follow.

Website | Facebook

June 17th: Cambridge Radical Bookfair

1pm-5pm at The Portland Arms 129 Chesterton Road, CB4 3BA

Small but perfectly formed, with stalls and talks.

July 21st : Edinburgh Anarchist Feminist Bookfair

At Augustine’s Chuch, 41 George IV Bridge

All-day event open to everybody, not just anarchists or feminists. It will provide spaces for stalls, talks, workshops, film screenings, and performances, all promoting things from an anarchist feminist perspective. The group has successfully raised funds for a professionally run crèche and will have food on hand to help with accessibility., email [email protected] to find out more.

Website | Twitter

August 4th: Dorset Radical Bookfair

11am-6pm at Beufort Community Centre, Beaufort Rd

Including such wonders as books, stalls, food, meetings, a kids’ area, zines, films, talks and a safe space policy. “We welcome rational debate, we don’t welcome attention-seekers, bigots, fascists, grasses and scabs.”

Plus an afterparty at the Riviera Bar with live music and reggae DJ ’til 2am, £5 suggested donation.

Website

September 8th: Bradford Anarchist/Radical Bookfair

11am-11pm at the 1 in 12 Club, 21-23 Albion St, BD1 2LY

Rebel Cat along with Aardvark Production Collective are organising the first anarchist/radical bookfair in Bradford since 2014. A smaller affair as it’s a new collective, it will nevertheless include stalls, films and hopefully some speakers/workshops. Get in touch with Rebel Cat Events for more info.

September 15th: Dublin Anarchist Bookfair

11am- 6pm, Teachers Club 36 Parnell sq , West, Dublin, Ireland D1 Updates and details here

October 13th : Rhyddical Swansea Bookfair

Central Swansea, details tbc

Only recently announced and not many details yet

Event page.

November 3rd: Belfast Anarchist Bookfair

12-7pm at Catalyst Arts, 5 College Court

Details here.

November 17th : Nottingham Radical Bookfair

11am-4.30pm at Nottingham Mechanics Institute, 3 North Sherwood St

Nottingham’s second radical bookfair, organised by Five Leaves Bookshop, featuring stalls by national and local publishers, second-hand booksellers and a full supporting programme throughout the day.

December 1st Manchester & Salford Anarchist Bookfair

at Partisan Collective, 19 Cheetham Hill Road

The collective has now confirmed it will be back in the same venue to see in the Christmas period. For enquiries, email [email protected]

Facebook page.

Will they/won’t they

Some of the bookfairs which have taken place in recent years are yet to declare on whether they are doing one in 2018, but if you want to keep a general eye out, details are below:

Cardiff: The local anarchist network was concentrating on anti-arms activism and didn’t repeating last year’s February event, but we’ll keep an eye out in case something materialises later in 2018.

Sheffield: Last year saw the Showroom and Workstation host in late May, the collective website is here.

Have we missed you out? Get in touch with us via editor at freedompress.org.uk or @freedom_paper. For a listing of bookfairs worldwide, check out the anarchist bookfairs blog.