Photo: कृष्ण कान्त शर्मा, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0. Book stalls at a book fair at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi. The photo is not from the Mumbai Book Festival.
Quick answer: Mumbai Book Festival 2026 (also searched as Mumbai Book Fair) is scheduled for 24 to 29 November at the University of Mumbai’s Kalina Campus. The organisers advertise free entry, Gate No. 2 on the Santacruz side and free parking at the venue. From Navi Mumbai, one practical option is a Harbour line journey to Kurla followed by an auto or cab to the entrance. Check the programme and the registration instructions before you travel, since activity times differ.
Programmes, speakers and timings can change. This site is independent and is not affiliated with the organisers. Check the festival’s website before you travel.
Dates, venue and entry
| Item | What the organisers say |
|---|---|
| Dates | 24 to 29 November 2026 |
| Venue | University of Mumbai, Kalina Campus, Mumbai |
| Entry | Free (festival website) |
| Gate | Gate No. 2, on the Santacruz side of the campus |
| Parking | Free at the venue. Free parking does not guarantee a space at peak hours. |
| Organisers | National Book Trust, India, under the Ministry of Education, in collaboration with the Government of Maharashtra, the BMC and the University of Mumbai, according to a CBSE circular. NBT also lists the festival among its book fairs. |
Visitor registration
Entry is free. The organisers provide a visitor registration form, which you can open at the official visitor registration page. Check its current instructions before you attend. Whether registration is mandatory for entry was not stated in the information reviewed. Exhibitor registration is for stall holders and does not apply to visitors.
Timings: different programmes, different hours
The organisers give different hours for different activities, and a single “festival hours” figure can mislead.
| Activity | Dates | Time on the festival website |
|---|---|---|
| Inauguration ceremony | 24 November | 4:00 pm |
| Children’s activities | 24 to 29 November | 10:00 am to 2:00 pm |
| Literary stage | 24 to 29 November | 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm |
| Cultural performances | 24 to 29 November | 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm |
| Closing ceremony | 29 November | 7:00 pm |
National Book Trust’s promotion lists the festival as 11:00 am to 10:00 pm (NBT post), while its book fair listing gives 11:00 am on 24 November to 8:00 pm on 29 November (NBT book fairs). The 4 pm inauguration on 24 November is not necessarily the time the public can enter.
When to arrive: choose your arrival time around the programme you want. Families going for the children’s activities should confirm morning access, since those are advertised from 10 am, earlier than the 11 am general start in NBT’s promotion. If you mainly want the book stalls, confirm the stall opening hours for your day. Evening performance times do not mean every stall stays open until the same time.
What you can see and do
- Book stalls and publisher displays, with titles across languages and genres.
- A literary stage with author discussions, panel discussions and book launches.
- Cultural performances in the evening.
- Workshops, including live culinary demonstrations, theatre sessions and handicrafts.
- Children’s activities: storytelling, workshops, panel discussions, quizzes and contests. Rashtriya Kavya Utsav 2.0, a poetry recitation initiative, runs at the Children’s Corner from 24 to 29 November.
The website lists featured speakers including Kailash Kher, Acharya Prashant, Aruna Dhere, Sharankumar Limbale and Chandra Prakash Dwivedi. A name on the homepage does not give a session date, time or access arrangement, so check the official schedule for your visit date. The site has a Download Agenda button, but a downloadable agenda was not available when this guide was checked.
How to reach from Navi Mumbai
| Starting point | Suggested journey |
|---|---|
| Vashi, Nerul, Kharghar or Panvel | A suitable Harbour line service that stops at Kurla, then an auto or cab to Gate No. 2 |
| Other Navi Mumbai locations | Reach a suitable Harbour line station, or compare a direct cab |
| Car or cab | Navigate to Gate No. 2 on the Santacruz side, not just the general campus pin |
Take a suitable Harbour line service from Vashi, Nerul, Kharghar or Panvel that stops at Kurla. From Kurla, continue by auto or cab to the festival entrance at Gate No. 2, University of Mumbai, Kalina Campus. This is a practical route and not a claim that Kurla is always the fastest option. Services and disruptions change, so check a current timetable. See our Mumbai local train guide and Vashi station guide.
- Pin the right place: the university has a Kalina Campus, which is the venue, and a separate campus in Fort. The organiser’s venue page links a map to the Kalina Campus. Set your map app to Gate No. 2 before you start the road transfer.
- Road transfer: the time from Kurla depends on the hour and the traffic, so check it in a map app on the day. Use a road transfer unless you have checked a suitable walking route to the entrance.
- By car or cab: set the destination to Gate No. 2 on the Santacruz side. Check live traffic before you leave.
- Parking: the organisers say parking at the venue is free. Do not assume space will be available at peak hours.
If you stay for the evening performances, plan the return journey and check the last trains on your line first. Look at Central Railway notices for any block on the day.
Schools and group visits
The CBSE circular of 11 November 2026 invites CBSE schools in Mumbai, Thane, Palghar and Raigad to take part in the Children’s Corner and says NBT will give participating students certificates and refreshments (CBSE circular). Schools planning a group visit should read the circular and coordinate arrangements with the organisers. These arrangements are separate from a family visit.
Before you leave
- Confirm the session you want and the access time for your day.
- Save the Gate No. 2 map pin and any registration acknowledgement.
- Plan the return journey, especially after evening performances.
- Carry a reusable bag for books you buy.
- If you need them, ask the organisers about accessibility, toilets and food arrangements. This guide does not list facilities the organisers have not stated.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Mumbai Book Festival 2026?
From 24 to 29 November 2026, at the University of Mumbai’s Kalina Campus.
Is entry free?
Yes. The festival’s website says entry is free and parking at the venue is free.
Which gate should I use?
The website says visitors can enter through Gate No. 2, on the Santacruz side of the campus.
Do I need to register as a visitor?
The organisers provide a visitor registration form. Check its current instructions before you attend, since the information reviewed did not state whether registration is mandatory. Exhibitor registration is only for stall holders.
What are the festival hours?
Programmes have different hours. The website lists children’s activities from 10 am to 2 pm, the literary stage from 12 noon to 5 pm and cultural performances from 7 pm to 10 pm. NBT’s promotion gives 11 am to 10 pm. Confirm the hours for your day.
How do I get there from Navi Mumbai?
One practical option is a Harbour line service that stops at Kurla, then an auto or cab to Gate No. 2 at the Kalina Campus. Check the timetable and traffic for your day.
Are there activities for children?
Yes. Children’s activities run each day from 24 to 29 November, per the festival website, with storytelling, workshops, quizzes and contests.
Sources
| Point | Source |
|---|---|
| Dates, venue, gate, parking, programme hours, visitor registration | Mumbai Book Festival and visitor registration page |
| Organising arrangement and Children’s Corner | CBSE circular Acad-77/2026, 11 November 2026 |
| Book fair listing and hours | National Book Trust, India, book fairs and NBT post |
Checked 12 November 2026. Confirm dates, hours and entry arrangements with the organisers before you travel. This page will be marked as ended after 29 November 2026.
NaviMumbai.com is an independent information site and is not affiliated with any government body.
