An ocean of stories: How Goa is falling in love with books at Goa Book Festival

For five days in February, Goa is discovering a different kind of shoreline: one lined not with sand, but with stories. The first-ever Goa Book Festival 2026, being held from 4 to 8 February at the Bhausaheb Dayanand Bandodkar Ground, Panaji, is transforming the city into a buzzing literary hub where books, ideas and conversations are flowing freely.Inaugurated by the Chief Minister of Goa, Shri Pramod Sawant, the festival is a landmark moment for the state’s cultural calendar. Organised by the National Book Trust, India (Ministry of Education) in association with the Government of Goa, Lokmanya Cultural Foundation and Samarth Yuva Foundation, the event is bringing together readers, writers and families in a shared celebration of books and ideas. At the heart of the festival is a sprawling book fair featuring over 250 book stalls by more than 100 publishers, offering everything from contemporary bestsellers and regional classics to children’s literature and non-fiction in English, Konkani, Marathi and several Indian languages. With free entry and a 10% discount on books, the festival is quickly becoming a favourite stop for visitors and dedicated readers alike. But the Goa Book Festival is about much more than browsing shelves. The Author’s Corner is hosting a lively mix of conversations with journalists, filmmakers, actors, scholars and public intellectuals, turning the festival into a space for debate, reflection and discovery. Sessions are moving seamlessly across themes like history, cinema, spirituality, public life and modern India and drawing packed audiences eager to listen, question and engage.Art is finding its own spotlight through the evocative exhibition ‘Goa: Stories of Light and Delight,’ which is showcasing the timeless works of Mario de Miranda and Shashi Shetye. Their illustrations offer a visual love letter to Goa and its humour, everyday life, landscapes and cultural textures to create a gentle pause amid the buzz of the fair. Complementing this are special exhibitions marking 150 years of ‘Vande Mataram’ and celebrating the legacy of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, adding layers of history and national memory to the experience. Young readers are clearly at the centre of the festival’s vision. Puppet storytelling, cartoon workshops inspired by Mario de Miranda’s iconic style, art activities and interactive sessions are filling the mornings with laughter and colour, while evenings are coming alive with cultural performances, from classical dance to contemporary music, that are drawing families to stay on long after sunset. As the festival is unfolding, the message is becoming clear: the Goa Book Festival is doing more than hosting a literary event, it is creating a shared cultural moment. One that is celebrating reading not as a solitary habit, but as a joyful, collective experience. And if the enthusiasm of its inaugural edition is anything to go by, this ocean of stories is only just beginning.