Overview
- The 18th edition runs January 21–27, 2026 at InterContinental Dubai Festival City with more than 200 speakers from about 40 countries.
- Headliners include RF Kuang, Asma Khan, Samantha Shannon, Ruth Ware, Scott Turow and Curtis Jobling, with sessions spanning fiction, non-fiction and culinary arts.
- The roster features leading Arab and Emirati voices such as Hoda Barakat, Ezzat Elkamhawi, Jalal Barjas, Saud Al Sanousi, Ali Al Mazmi and Shamma Al Bastaki.
- Programme highlights return with Desert Stanzas and LitFest After Hours, add Burns Night and the interactive mystery Highrise Homicide, and include a panel on Sheikh Mohammed’s Life Taught Me.
- Standard session tickets start at Dhs50, the Conversations Pass costs Dhs400 and the Bil Arabi Pass Dhs100, early-bird discounts run through December 28, and a new app helps attendees plan and set reminders.