Open Book Festival 2025: Dates, venues and how to book your tickets
The Open Book Festival returns to the Mother City in September 2025. The three-day programme, which attracts top writers and a global audience, will feature over 50 events. The festival has helped showcase South Africa's best literature for over a decade.
Source: Instagram
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Key takeaways
- The Open Book Festival will take place at the HCC (Homecoming Centre) in Cape Town.
- Although some of the festival's events are free, others require an entry fee of R50, R100 or R200.
- Adriana Marais, Andile Cele and Caryn Dolley are some authors attending the Open Book Festival in 2025.
- Fans raised over R500k to facilitate the 2025 Open Book Festival after the government cut its funding for the event.
Open Book Festival 2025 dates and venue
On 4 August 2025, the Open Book Festival's fraternity took to Instagram to announce that the 15th edition of the event is scheduled to take place from 5th to 7th September 2025.
Its main hub, the Homecoming Centre, houses various venues where the magic will happen, including the Avalon Auditorium, Star Theatre, Marketplace, HCC Workshop and The Book Lounge satellite shop.
According to HCC's website, the Star Theatre and Avalon Auditorium can hold up to 320 and 120 people, respectively.
NB: All books related to the 2025 festival will be available for purchase at the satellite shop.
Source: Instagram
Open Book Festival 2025 programmes and ticket prices
The 2025 Open Book Festival tickets are available on Webtickets and vary depending on the programme. Check out the festival's official website for the lineup of events and their pricing.
5 September 2025 (11:00 am to 12:00 pm)
| Programme | Venue | Price |
| No Sign of Justice | Star Theatre | R50 |
| Building on the Past | Avalon Auditorium | R50 |
| Speaking to the Next Generation | The Book Lounge | R50 |
| The Secret Keepers | HCC Workshop | R50 |
12:30 to 1:30 pm
| Programme | Venue | Price |
| Difficult Mothers | Avalon Auditorium | R50 |
| Fluency and Trauma | HCC Workshop | R50 |
| Living in Crisis | Star Theatre | R50 |
| Unlikely Friendships | The Book Lounge | R50 |
6th September 2025 (10:00 to 11:00 am)
| Programme | Venue | Price |
| English Alive: 70 Years of the Sacee | Central Library | Free entry |
| Inherited Systems | Star Theatre | R50 |
| Policing of Masculinity | HCC Workshop | R50 |
| Tales of Marriage | The Book Lounge | R50 |
| Tensions of Home | Avalon Auditorium | R50 |
12:00 to 1:00 pm
| Programme | Venue | Price |
| From DRC to Cape Town | The Book Lounge | R50 |
| Finding Lightness | Avalon Auditorium | R50 |
| Exploring the Queer Imaginary | HCC Workshop | R50 |
| African Cosmologies as a World of Magnitude | Star Theatre | R50 |
7th September 2025 (12:00 to 1:00 pm)
| Programme | Venue | Price |
| Facing Death | Avalon Auditorium | R50 |
| Recovering from Childhood | HCC Workshop | R50 |
| Up Close with Maneo | Star Theatre | R50 |
2:00 to 3:00 pm
| Programme | Venue | Price |
| What the Water Gave Me | Star Theatre | R50 |
| The Loss Rate | Avalon Auditorium | R50 |
| Book Lounge Feminist Book Club | HCC Workshop | R50 |
| Shape Shifters | The Book Lounge | R50 |
| Letterhead Quiz 2025 | Marketplace | R50 |
Check out the festival's catalogue for all the events, including the ones you can attend without paying a dime if you reserve a seat on time!
Source: Instagram
The 2025 Open Book Festival author lineup
This year's festival will feature over 100 writers. From best-selling author Zulaikha Patel to the lead writer of Netflix's Mandela Murders, here are some creatives that will grace the 2025 event:
- Faye Kabali-Kagwa
- Bianca Flanders
- Andrew Robert Wilson
- Alistair Mackay
- Athambile Masola
FAQs
In 2013, the Open Book Festival broke the Guinness World Records for the world's longest book chain. Here are some frequently asked questions about the event:
What happens at a book festival?
Authors, publishers, and readers gather to celebrate literature at a book festival. Activities include book signings, storytelling, panel discussions, workshops and theatrical performances.
Source: Instagram
What are the Open Book Festival contacts?
You make inquiries regarding the 2025 Open Book Festival through the official website. Follow their social media account (Instagram, Facebook or X) for updates.
Wrapping up
The 2025 Open Book Festival will be held from September 5th to 7th at the Homecoming Centre in Cape Town. While some of the events have free entry, others will require you to get a ticket from as low as R50.
DISCLAIMER: This article is not sponsored by any third party. It is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on to make decisions of any kind. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility.
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Proofreading by Kelly Lippke, copy editor at Briefly.co.za.
Source: Briefly News
