Tampere Book festival 2024

About

Sat-Sun, Nov 30 – Dec 1, Tampere Hall
Tampere Book festival

Day ticket: €16
Seniors, students, children (7-16 years): €13
Family ticket: €33
(includes 2 adults + 2 children, 1 day)
Two-day ticket: €23
Seniors, students, children (7-16 years): €20

Combo ticket for Saturday’s Book festival and The Snowman film concert also available!

Combo ticket: €20, children (7-16 years): €15
Combo family ticket: €60 (includes 2 adults + 2 children)

The Snowman film concert in the Main Auditorium on Sat, Nov 30 at 11:00 and 12:30

Tampere Book festival opening hours:
Sat, Nov 30: 10:00–18:00
Sun, Dec 1: 10:00–17:00

Pirkanmaa’s largest celebration of culture, literature, indulgence, and Christmas shopping at Tampere Hall on Sat-Sun, Nov 30–Dec 1, 2024.

The event weekend includes interviews with the top authors of 2024, presentations of the most talked-about and interesting books, expert panels diving into current issues, speeches and lectures, cross-disciplinary live performances, clubs, and family-friendly programs.

Around 100 exhibitors will be present at the event. You can conveniently pick up Christmas gifts for the whole family from the booths, and in between browsing, you can relax and enjoy the literary weekend in themed cafés and Tampere Hall’s own restaurants.

In addition to the literary program, this year’s festival will particularly focus on children’s programming at the Children’s Kirjafestarit. The popular wine tasting will also return to the Wine & Tapas area on the second floor. The event area covers almost the entire Tampere Hall.

You can explore the full program, which will be updated throughout the autumn, on the event’s website: www.kirjafestarit.fi (in Finnish)

Event details are subject to change.
Produced by Tampere Live.
The events top cooperation partner is Aamulehti.

Program

Tampere Book festival promises a weekend full of literature and culture with over 200 events, featuring current themes and panels, author and artist interviews, a special interactive book festival area for children, and of course, the presentation of the Tulenkantaja Prize. In addition to the literary program, around 100 exhibitors, including publishers, various organizations, and other participants, will be present.

A distinguished lineup of authors and artists will once again participate in Tampere Book festival, showcasing their new books and biographies. Some of the top names in fiction featured in the Aamulehti Hall’s fiction program include Päivi Alasalmi, Siiri Enoranta, Merja Mäki, Helmi Kekkonen, Anni Kytömäki, Matti Rönkä, Milja Sarkola, Pajtim Statovci, and Sinikka Vuola. One of the most anticipated festival guests is Satu Rämö, who has gained unprecedented popularity with her Hildur crime series and will participate both as a performer and an interviewer. This year, the Tulenkantaja Prize will be awarded in the Aamulehti Hall on Sunday, December 1st, unlike in previous years. As in recent years, the newly selected Finlandia Prize winners will also be invited to participate – Tampere Book festival is the only book fair event in Finland where the winners can visit and meet their readers immediately after the prize announcements.

A House Full of Culture

The literary program of Tampere Book festival is divided by genre and theme across different spaces of Tampere Hall.

On Saturday, November 30th, Maestro will host Crime Saturday, featuring Finnish crime, thriller, and true crime authors such as Helena Immonen, Virpi Hämeen–Anttila, JP Laitinen, Anneli Kanto, and Outi Pakkanen. On Sunday, the Maestro’s program will include artists and actors sharing their personal stories, with popular favorites like actor Pirkka–Pekka Petelius and Pauli Hanhiniemi of the band Kolmas Nainen.

Duetto 1 will feature a captivating and high-profile young adult literature program on Saturday, with stars of the genre like Siri Kolu and Salla Simukka, alongside popular YouTuber Namikolinxi. Sunday in Duetto 1 is dedicated to the well-established Ihme & Kumma series, exploring a wide range of fascinating topics from ancient goddesses to ritual murders.

Duetto 2 will focus on books and themes related to sports, animals, and nature in the morning, and in the afternoon, it will become a celebration for comic book fans organized by the Tampere Kuplii collective.

Throughout the weekend, Aulaklubi in the Tampere Hall lobby will offer free, open-to-all programs including music, poetry, recitals, and word art performances, as well as theater. New this year, morning sessions at Aulaklubi will feature interviews with top authors conducted by students. On Sunday, December 1st, you can also catch the always fascinating and imaginative Cosplay show.

New at the Tampere Book festival is an even more colorful and diverse Puistolämpiö interactive children’s book festival area, offering a variety of activities such as reading to therapy dogs and crafting workshops. Children will also have the chance to meet familiar cartoon characters from Tatu and Patu to Supermarsu, and the children’s stage will feature visually inspiring and engaging programs specifically designed for the youngest festival-goers.

Current themes, trends, and topics that resonate with people are also strongly reflected in the Tampere Book festival program. The intimate Riffi offers a chance to step away from the festival bustle and immerse yourself in books focused on wellness, self-help, and autobiographical survival stories, without forgetting humor or shying away from tough subjects like coping with death and cancer.

During the festival, Park Hall will be transformed into a large bookstore with two stages. The Sorsapuisto Stage will delve into societal topics, media, politics, and the power of words, featuring discussions curated by Aamulehti and a program organized by the Finnish Writers’ Union.

The second stage, Ajan henki, will focus on contemporary phenomena, influences, and the stories behind them. Highlights include journalist Laura Friman and Mikko Mattlar’s exploration of the history of Suosikki magazine through their new book Kultaturbo, and the touching life story of Vesilahti parish priest Harri Henttinen. The entire program for Sopraano is produced and curated by the Pirkkalaiskirjailijat association in collaboration with Tampere University, as in recent years.

Event details are subject to change. The program is primarily in Finnish.