Turin book fair opens with 1,250 brands

The 38th Turin International Book Fair opened on May 14 at Lingotto Fiere and will run through May 18, according to the fair’s official website. Organizers say the 2026 edition brings together more than 1,250 publishing brands across the Turin event, with 2,700 events scheduled at Lingotto and more than 500 Salone Off events across the city. The fair’s theme this year is “Il mondo salvato dai ragazzini,” drawn from Elsa Morante’s 1968 book, and the opening program featured British writer Zadie Smith and an evening event with Alessandro Baricco. (torinoclick.it) ### How big is this year’s fair? Organizers describe the Turin event as the 38th edition of the Salone Internazionale del Libro and list it as running from May 14 to May 18 at Lingotto Fiere. (salonelibro.it) Trade and city-linked coverage ahead of the opening said the fair spans 147,000 square meters, includes more than 500 stands and hosts 1,250 publishing brands. TorinoClick, the City of Turin’s news site, said the program includes 2,700 events at Lingotto, ranging from author talks and book presentations to debates, conferences and workshops. The same city report said the Salone Off program adds more than 500 events across the territory. (salonelibro.it) ### Who opened the program on May 14? Zadie Smith opened the fair on May 14 with an inaugural lecture titled “Ogni cosa era estrema. Ed è tuttora così. Una riflessione sull’adolescenza,” according to TorinoClick and ANSA. ANSA said the lecture anchored an edition focused on adolescence and younger readers under the Morante-inspired theme. (salonelibro.it) Alessandro Baricco was scheduled for the evening program at the Lingotto Auditorium with “Notte eretica,” accompanied by Orchestra Canova, Intende Voci Ensemble and conductor Enrico Saverio Pagano, ANSA reported. (torinoclick.it) TorinoClick said the pre-inaugural event on May 13 at the Auditorium Rai featured Vinicio Capossela and Pietro Del Soldà in a program inspired by Dylan Thomas. ### Which writers and guests are on the schedule? ANSA and TorinoClick listed David Grossman, Emmanuel Carrère, Kiran Desai, Valeria Luiselli, Peter Cameron and László Krasznahorkai among the international names scheduled for Turin. (torinoclick.it) ANSA also reported appearances tied to books by Roberto Baggio and Jovanotti. The fair’s official materials say Greece is the guest country of honor for 2026. ANSA reported that Greek writer Petros Markaris was among the May 14 participants linked to that focus. (ansa.it) ### What does the fair offer for publishing professionals? The fair’s professional pages say the 2026 edition includes a Business Area, a New Publishers Area, a Self-Publishing Area and a Publishers Centre intended for meetings and professional exchange. The organizers describe the professional track as a space for workshops, conferences and B2B activity for the book supply chain. (ansa.it) A separate Salone page on the Aficionado Award says the prize was created to honor publishing projects and to “network, support and promote” the people behind them. The 2026 shortlisted projects are Words Without Borders, DC Books and Pogranicze, according to the fair’s March 27 press material. (ansa.it) ### What should visitors know before going? The fair’s visitor page says public opening hours are 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Thursday, Sunday and Monday, and 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. The same page says visitors can reach Lingotto by metro, train, bus, car, taxi, bicycle or scooter, with different entrances tied to each route. (salonelibro.it) The official site says a printed map is available at the fair for 1 euro, while the exhibitor catalog and event program are available online and are being updated. The program page also allows visitors to filter events by audience and day. (salonelibro.it) ### What comes next before the fair closes? The official prizes page says the Premio Strega Poesia finalist five will be announced on Saturday, May 16, and the Premio Strega Europeo will be awarded on Sunday, May 17, at the Circolo dei lettori in Turin. The fair’s news page also says the Premio Ernesto Ferrero - Fondazione CRT ceremony is scheduled for Sunday, May 17, at 10:45 a.m. in Sala Blu. (salonelibro.it) The Turin fair is scheduled to close on Monday, May 18, according to the official event pages, with the full public and professional program posted on the Salone del Libro website. (salonelibro.it 1) (salonelibro.it 2) (salonelibro.it 3)