The Bangalore Literature Festival 2026, its 15th edition, will run from 11 to 13 December at Freedom Park in Bengaluru, according to the festival’s official website. Entry is free, and the site asks visitors to register. A full session schedule has not been published yet.
For readers in Bengaluru, this is one of the easiest big book events to attend. There is no ticket to buy, and the venue sits in the city centre. Because passes are free, early registration is a sensible step.
Quick answer
- Dates: 11 to 13 December 2026.
- Venue: Freedom Park, Bengaluru.
- Entry: free, with online registration.
- Schedule: not yet published on the website.
- Edition: the 15th Bangalore Literature Festival.
Who is speaking at the Bangalore Literature Festival 2026
The homepage lists 20 names, and a link leads to the full speaker list. The names shown include historian Ramachandra Guha, mythologist Devdutt Pattanaik, scholar Pratap Bhanu Mehta and actor Rana Daggubati. Writers on the page include Geoff Dyer, Lisa Jewell, Tahmima Anam and Cristina Rivera Garza.
The list also has Peter Frankopan, Rana Mitter, Daniel Hahn, Anton Hur, Priyamvada Natarajan and Toby Walsh. Tennis player Mahesh Bhupathi and filmmaker Suhasini Maniratnam appear too. The mix covers fiction, history, translation, science and public life.
What else is on the website
The site links to a LitMart and a volunteer sign up page. Details of both are not shown on the homepage. The page carries no news items or session timings at present, and it was last updated on 5 November 2026.
That means the programme can still change. Speaker lists often grow in the weeks before a festival. Check the website again closer to the dates for session times and hall details.
How to plan your visit
Register first through the link on the festival website. Then check the schedule once it goes live, and pick two or three sessions you cannot miss. Freedom Park is easy to reach by metro and bus, but December weekends get busy, so leave early.
Because it runs across three days, you can split your visit. Go on the day that carries the speakers you want most. Bring water, a notebook and a light jacket for the evening sessions.
Where it fits in the season
December and January are packed with book festivals across India. Our list of literature festivals in India covers the full run of dates. The Jaipur Literature Festival follows from 14 to 18 January.
FAQ
When is the Bangalore Literature Festival 2026?
It runs from 11 to 13 December 2026. This is the festival’s 15th edition.
Where is the Bangalore Literature Festival held?
It is held at Freedom Park in Bengaluru. The official website lists this as the venue for the 2026 edition.
Is entry to the Bangalore Literature Festival free?
Yes, the website says entry is free. It asks visitors to register through the link on the site, so sign up early.
