“Chennai Book Fair 2026 Opens with Free Entry”

Book lovers can now visit the 49th edition of the Chennai Book Fair 2026 without paying any entry fee. Earlier, visitors had to pay ₹10 to enter the fair. The book fair will begin on January 8 and will be officially inaugurated by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.

Speaking to the media on Tuesday, R.S. Shanmugam, president of the Booksellers and Publishers Association of South India (BAPASI), shared details about the event. He said the book fair will have more than 1,000 stalls in total.

Out of these, 428 stalls will feature Tamil books, 256 stalls will have English books, and 24 stalls will be general stalls. Around 400 publishers and participants will take part in the fair. Among them, 240 participants represent Tamil publishing houses, while 130 participants represent English publishers.

The Chennai Book Fair is one of the largest book fairs in the country and attracts thousands of visitors every year. With free entry this year, organisers expect even more people, including students and families, to visit and enjoy a wide range of books.