Derby Book Festival is celebrating World Book Day with a BIG party in Derby Market Hall tomorrow, Saturday 28 February from 10am to 3pm. The BIG Derby World Book Day Party will feature authors, illustrators and storytellers and offer opportunities for families to celebrate books together.
Entry to the Market Hall is FREE but Derby World Book Day workshops are ticketed and cost £5. Some workshops have already sold out, so please check online and book in advance.
Every year children celebrate World Book Day in their schools – this year’s date is Thursday 5 March. Following the success of Derby Book Festival’s first World Book Day Celebration last year, we are welcoming families to join us to celebrate together with activities aimed at children 0-12 to enjoy with their adults.
2026 has been designated at the National Year of Reading and Derby Book Festival is one of their key supporters and will be holding events across the year to support their objectives.
A mini-family festival in a day, the event will celebrate everything book-related. There will be a full line-up of fun activities and storytelling designed to entertain and delight. We will also be holding a Prize Raffle to win one of two sets of 10 children’s books.
Some of the highlights include:
- Come and spend your National Book Token and get your free book
- Dress up as your favourite book character (optional) with judging at 2.30pm
- Bring books that you’ve already read and swap them for new (to you) books
- Take part in our colouring competition and you could win a prize
- Watch poets, authors and performers entertain you on the Market Hall stage
- Take part in free craft activities at the Festival stall
- Follow the Marty Moose Trail around the Market Hall
- Book into fun sessions and workshops with authors, poets and illustrators
- Meet and chat to local authors and illustrators.
Some of the stall holders will also be organising their own free activities on their stalls.
The event is FREE but Derby Book Festival, which is a charity, is suggesting a donation of £3 from those who are able to support them, as well as supporting the World Book Day charity who will receive a share of the donations. Both of these charities are working to improve literacy rates and the enjoyment of books, by ‘Bringing Books To Life’.
Professor Keith McLay, Chair of Derby Book Festival and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the
University of Derby, said: “World Book Day helps young people see reading as a source of joy, creativity, and opportunity – laying strong foundations for learning and personal growth.
“Derby Book Festival is proud to be supporting the initiative with The BIG Derby World Book Day Party, and we are looking forward to welcoming families to Derby Market Hall for the event.
“It is through events and reading initiatives that we can help to bridge literacy gaps and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to experience the joy and benefits of reading.”
Derby Book Festival has a strong programme of events for children, families and schools as part of its community programme, in addition to its two annual festivals, with its Summer Festival held from 22 – 31 May 2026.
Each year it organises Meet the Author events for Derby and Derbyshire primary and
secondary schools, which last year reached over 9,000 pupils. The two primary events are held at Derby Theatre and live streamed to around 60 schools across the city and county. This year’s Meet the Author events will include the current Children’s Laureate, Frank Cottrell Boyce and author/illustrator Joe Todd- Stanton.
Derby Book Festival is funded by Arts Council England and the University of Derby, with
additional sponsorship from local businesses.
