85th Madrid Book Fair in El Retiro

Queen Letizia opened the 85th Madrid Book Fair on May 29 in El Retiro, launching a 17-day program built around books, author signings and public events. The 2026 edition runs through June 14 in the park’s Paseo de Fernán Núñez, according to the fair’s organizers and the Community of Madrid. This year’s theme is humor, under the slogan “Leer y reír: dos formas de resistir” — “Reading and laughing: two ways to resist” — a line the regional government said is meant to reclaim satire, irony and laughter as tools for critical reading and reflection. The fair is one of Madrid’s largest annual cultural events and remains centered on the public-facing rituals that define it: browsing stands, meeting writers and lining up for signed copies. Organizers said 231 authors have been confirmed for appearances at booths across the site. The Community of Madrid said it is also running a central pavilion with family activities and a focus on children’s and young adult literature. (ferialibromadrid.com) ### Why is humor the organizing theme this year? The 2026 edition is explicitly dedicated to humor, a choice the Community of Madrid described as a way to foreground satire, irony and laughter in literature. The official fair homepage echoes that focus, featuring campaign lines including “Todo depende de cómo se cuente el chiste” — “Everything depends on how the joke is told.” (comunidad.madrid) The opening-night program reflected that emphasis. On May 29, the official schedule listed an inaugural talk titled “Nuestra risa de infancia,” featuring Maitena, Rodrigo Cortés and Edu Galán at the CaixaBank Pavilion. The same day’s program also included an exhibition on humor and a range of talks, workshops and family activities. ### What will visitors actually find inside the fair? (comunidad.madrid) Organizers said the fair brings together 136,718 different titles and nearly 1 million copies for sale and display during the event. Those figures were published in the fair’s opening announcement on May 29, when Letizia toured the grounds with representatives of public institutions tied to the event. (ferialibromadrid.com) The site is not limited to bookstalls. The official programming page showed 412 listed activities when accessed on June 3, spanning talks, exhibitions, workshops, children’s events and professional sessions. Organizers also warned that scheduled events can be changed or canceled because of weather or circumstances beyond their control. ### Which writers and book-sector participants are involved? (ferialibromadrid.com) Queen Letizia’s opening tour highlighted a cross-section of booksellers, publishers and independent projects rather than a single featured guest list. Organizers said her route included visits to booksellers Cervantes y Compañía, Girasol, Vino a por Letras and Santos Ochoa, as well as publishers Ediciones de la Torre, Huerga y Fierro and Nórdica. She also visited Espacio Indómitas, an area devoted to artist books, experimental publications, fanzines and other independent editorial formats. (ferialibromadrid.com) The Community of Madrid’s own participation adds another institutional layer. Its pavilion is presenting activities aimed at broad audiences, including families and younger readers, alongside the commercial stands and signing booths that form the fair’s core. ### Have organizers changed anything in the fairgrounds this year? The May 29 opening announcement said the 2026 edition includes renewed booths and other structural improvements across the site. (ferialibromadrid.com) Organizers said those changes are part of a broader push to improve conditions for visitors and exhibitors. The same statement linked the upgrades to the fair’s work toward ISO 20121, an international standard for sustainable event management. (comunidad.madrid) Organizers said that process is part of efforts to make the fair more sustainable, accessible and efficient. ### How do visitors get there and when is it open? El Retiro remains the fixed point for the fair, with access centered on Paseo de Fernán Núñez in Madrid. (ferialibromadrid.com) The official transport page recommends public transit and lists nearby Metro stops including Estación del Arte, Ibiza, Príncipe de Vergara and Retiro, along with bus routes serving Menéndez Pelayo, O’Donnell, Puerta de Alcalá and Atocha, plus Cercanías rail connections at Recoletos and Atocha. The Community of Madrid lists weekday hours as 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with Saturday and Sunday hours from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. The fair runs through June 14, and organizers are publishing the daily program, map and access information on the official fair website. (comunidad.madrid) (ferialibromadrid.com)