The Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow is an international fair of quality fiction and nonfiction literature, held twice a year in the historic Gostiny Dvor on Ilyinka Street, a few minutes’ walk from Red Square. The spring edition takes place in April, and the larger autumn edition, numbered each year, is held from late October to early December, each for about four days from Thursday to Sunday.
The organizer has run the fair since 1999. It is known for its program of talks and discussions with writers, for independent publishers and for sections such as antiquarian books, and it is a different event from the Moscow International Book Fair held at VDNH in early September. Dates and tickets change each edition, so check the official website.
Current access notice: As of October 2026: the organizer's website lists the next autumn edition of the fair at Gostiny Dvor from 29 October to 1 November 2026. Check the official website for tickets and hours before you go.
Quick Facts
| Russian name | Международная ярмарка интеллектуальной литературы non/fictio№ |
|---|---|
| Type | Recurring event |
| When | Twice a year at Gostiny Dvor: a spring edition in April, called non/fictioNvesna, and a larger autumn edition numbered each year, held from late October to early December; each lasts about four days from Thursday to Sunday, and the dates change each year. |
| Typical duration | About four days, usually Thursday to Sunday. |
| Address | Gostiny Dvor, 4 Ilyinka Street, Moscow (Гостиный Двор, ул. Ильинка, 4) OpenStreetMap · Google Maps |
| District | Tverskoy |
| Metro | Kitay-Gorod (Kaluzhsko-Rizhskaya Line (Line 6, orange) and Tagansko-Krasnopresnenskaya Line (Line 7, purple), The closest station to Ilyinka Street; the exit and the walking time, roughly five to ten minutes, were not verified) Okhotny Ryad (Sokolnicheskaya Line (Line 1, red), The fair's official site suggests exit 7 toward the Museum of the Patriotic War of 1812, then a walk straight on past the Historical Museum, Red Square and GUM to Ilyinka Street; the walking time was not verified) |
| Admission | Entry to the fair is ticketed, with several ticket types depending on the day of the week, sold on the official website. The prices change each edition and were not verified; trade visitors register separately. |
| Best time to visit | Weekday mornings are the quietest, and the weekend afternoon the busiest. The fair is held twice a year, in April and in late autumn, from Thursday to Sunday. Hours and crowd patterns were not verified. |
| Website | moscowbookfair.ru/en |
| Last updated | October 7, 2026 |
Dates, programs and prices change from year to year. Always check the official website for the current edition.
Why Visit Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow?
The fair puts hundreds of publishers, writers and readers into one historic building in the center of Moscow, so a visit combines books with sightseeing in Kitay-Gorod. Alongside the stands there is a program of discussions and presentations, a section of antiquarian and second-hand books, small and regional publishers on a collective stand and a children’s program.
For a visitor who does not read Russian, the draw is the atmosphere, the art books and illustrated editions, and the chance to see how seriously Russians take their book culture. Most talks are in Russian, and tickets must be bought in advance for the busiest days. The dates, hours and prices change each edition.
What to Expect at Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
The fair is held in the halls of Gostiny Dvor for about four days, twice a year, in April and in late autumn. Publishers and distributors, including independent and regional houses, set up stands and sell books, with many presentations of new titles. The organizers describe it as an international forum for contacts between authors, publishers, booksellers, critics, agents, illustrators and translators.
The program usually includes seminars, round tables and discussions on multiple stages, author signings, a children’s and youth section called the Territory of Knowledge, and special zones such as an antiquarian book area, a vinyl club and a balcony for negotiations. Visitors enter from Ilyinka Street. The program changes at each edition and is mostly in Russian.
Highlights of Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
The publishers' halls
The halls of Gostiny Dvor are filled with stands of hundreds of publishing houses, including independent publishers and a collective stand for small and regional presses. Books are sold directly, and new titles are presented. Most books are in Russian, but art books and picture books can be enjoyed without the language. The list of participants changes at each edition.
Tip: Walk the halls once before buying, since the same titles appear at several stands.
Discussions and author talks
Discussion stages run in parallel throughout the day, with writers, critics, translators and publishers talking about new books and the industry, and author signings. The schedule is published on the official website. Most sessions are in Russian.
Tip: Check the day's schedule in advance, since popular talks fill their halls early.
The antiquarian book area
A dedicated area, called Book Stock in recent editions, offers antiquarian and second-hand books, a good place to look for older illustrated editions. Prices vary by seller. The area changes by edition.
Tip: Arrive early on the first day for the best selection.
The children's program
A youth and children's section called the Territory of Knowledge has readings, workshops and games. It is the busiest part on weekends. The program is in Russian.
Tip: Go on a weekday for a calmer visit with children.
Special zones and the vinyl club
Themed zones in recent editions have included a vinyl club, a balcony for negotiations and presentations of top book lists. These show the fair's character as a cultural meeting place as much as a sales venue. They change at each edition.
Tip: Look at the interactive plan the organizers publish to find the zones.
Gostiny Dvor on Ilyinka Street
The fair is held in the historic Gostiny Dvor, a trading arcade in Kitay-Gorod a few minutes' walk from Red Square, entered from Ilyinka Street through entrances 4 and 5. The location lets visitors combine the fair with a walk through the old merchant quarter. See the Kitay-Gorod guide and the How to visit Red Square guide on this site.
Tip: Use the walk from Red Square to Ilyinka Street to see the quarter's old streets.
What It Means for Your Visit
The fair is not a public holiday, so museums, shops and transport work as usual. The effects are local: Ilyinka Street and the area around Gostiny Dvor are crowded during the fair, particularly on the weekend, with queues at the entrances and for the cloakroom, and the Kitay-Gorod metro stations are busy. Parking is available at the venue, with 404 spaces including 33 for people with disabilities, according to the official site.
Gostiny Dvor stays open to other visitors only in the parts not used by the fair, so check the official website for the current edition’s hours, ticket rules and entrances.
Atmosphere
Inside the long arched halls of Gostiny Dvor the air smells of fresh paper and coffee, and the aisles are packed with readers carrying tote bags of books. Publishers stack titles in colorful towers, queues form at author tables and a murmur of conversation rises from discussion stages.
Outside, Ilyinka Street is crowded with people waiting at the entrances. The fair is busiest at midday and on the weekend, and weekday mornings are calmer. The crowd varies by day and no figures were verified.
History of Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
The non/fiction fair has been organized since 1999 by the Expo-Park exhibition company as an international fair of quality fiction and nonfiction literature. The name, a slash between non and fiction, plays on both fiction and the whole range of nonfiction genres, from novels, poetry and fantasy to science, biographies and art books.
The fair has grown into one of the major book events in Russia, held at Gostiny Dvor in central Moscow, with an autumn edition that is numbered each year, the twenty-seventh being held in late 2025, and, in later years, a second spring edition called non/fictioNvesna, held in April. It combines a trade forum, where contracts are negotiated, with a large public program of discussions, presentations and children’s events.
The autumn dates have moved between late October and early December in different years, and the spring edition is held in April, each for about four days. In recent editions the fair has drawn hundreds of publishers and tens of thousands of visitors, according to its organizers and listings; those figures are not repeated as current. Tickets are sold in several categories depending on the day of the week.
The fair is not the same as the Moscow International Book Fair, which has been held since 1977 at VDNH in early September and is a separate event with a different organizer.
Tickets and Booking for Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
The fair is organized by an exhibition company, and tickets are sold on the official website, which opens ticket sales some weeks before each edition. In recent editions there have been several ticket types depending on the day of the week, for example a weekday ticket for a single visit on Thursday or Friday and tickets for the weekend, and the prices change each edition, so none are given here. If a date is not yet on sale, the ticket program has not been announced, and trade visitors and exhibitors register separately. Visitors enter Gostiny Dvor from Ilyinka Street through entrances 4 and 5. Have your electronic ticket ready on your phone.
- Payment: foreign Visa and Mastercard cards are reported not to work in Russia, so check the payment options on the official site, and the sanctions rules of your own country may restrict some Russian payment services, so check this yourself.
Rates for Russian citizens and concessions differ, so check the official website, moscowbookfair.ru, for all ticket categories and the current edition.
Get Tickets for Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
How to Get to Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
Gostiny Dvor is on Ilyinka Street in Kitay-Gorod, closest to Kitay-Gorod (Lines 6 and 7), and the official site suggests a route from Okhotny Ryad (Line 1): take exit 7 toward the Museum of the Patriotic War of 1812, walk straight ahead past the Historical Museum, Red Square and GUM, and turn into Ilyinka Street. Visitors enter from Ilyinka Street through entrances 4 and 5. The walking times were not verified.
- Metro: the metro guides on this site explain the lines and how to avoid rush hour.
- Taxi: streets around Red Square may be closed; the taxi apps guide of this site explains the options.
Accessibility
The official site lists 33 parking spaces for people with disabilities at the venue. Other accessibility details inside Gostiny Dvor were not found, and crowds in the aisles make movement difficult, so contact the organizers before you go.
Food Nearby
Gostiny Dvor has cafes and a bar inside the building, and Ilyinka Street, Nikolskaya Street and Varvarka Street have more. No individual venue was verified for this guide, so check opening hours on site.
What to Bring
A bag for books, comfortable shoes for the aisles, your electronic ticket on a charged phone and rubles in cash for stalls, since foreign cards are reported not to work.
Best Views and Photo Spots of Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
The arched halls of Gostiny Dvor
Long arched corridors lined with book stands and browsing visitors. It shows the historic setting of the fair.
Best time: Midday.
A stand with book towers
A publisher's stand with colorful stacks of books and a reader examining a title. Avoid close shots of people's faces.
Best time: Morning.
Ilyinka Street outside the entrances
The facade of Gostiny Dvor with queues at entrances 4 and 5. It marks the place for orientation.
Best time: Morning light.
Photography Rules
No general photography rules for the fair were found. Publishers' stands and authors may restrict photos, so ask before photographing people, and security zones near Red Square may restrict tripods and drones. Drone rules in Moscow are strict and were not checked.
Family Suitability
The fair suits families with children who like books, with a children's and youth section with readings and workshops, though most of the program is in Russian. Crowds on the weekend are the main limit. Stroller access in the aisles depends on the crowd.
Moscow Vibes Tips
- Do not confuse this fair with the Moscow International Book Fair at VDNH in September; see the Moscow Book Fair guide on this site.
- Choose a weekday ticket if your dates allow, for shorter queues and calmer aisles.
- Check the discussion schedule the day before, since several stages run at once.
- Walk from Red Square to Ilyinka Street through the old Kitay-Gorod streets.
- Look for independent publishers and small presses on the collective stand.
- Pair the visit with the Kitay-Gorod guide on this site for the neighborhood.
Explore Nearby Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
Sights near Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
Zaryadye Park Moscowabout 300 m away (~5 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hours; 3 hours with the pavilionsMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Moscow Kremlin – about 550 m away (~9 min walk) · typical visit: 3–5 hours for Cathedral Square plus the Armoury ChamberMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
St. Basil’s Cathedral Moscowabout 200 m away (~4 min walk) · typical visit: 45–90 minutes insideMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
GUM Moscowabout 300 m away (~5 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hoursMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Red Square Moscow – about 350 m away (~5 min walk) · typical visit: 1–2 hours for the square, 3–5 hours with St Basil's and one museumMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Lenin’s Mausoleum Moscow – about 400 m away (~6 min walk) · typical visit: 30–60 minutes including the queue; a few minutes insideMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metro stations near Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
Okhotny Ryad Metro Stationabout 750 m away (~12 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Ploshchad Revolyutsii Metro Stationabout 450 m away (~7 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Kitay-Gorod Metro Stationabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Restaurants and cafes near Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
Stolovaya 57about 300 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Varenichnaya No. 1about 450 m away (~7 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
SAVVAabout 600 m away (~10 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Metropol Restaurantabout 600 m away (~10 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Nightlife near Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
Papa's Barabout 500 m away (~8 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Alexey Kozlov Clubabout 700 m away (~11 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotels near Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
The St. Regis Moscow Nikolskayaabout 600 m away (~9 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotel Metropol Moscowabout 600 m away (~10 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Hotel Baltschug Kempinski Moscowabout 600 m away (~10 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Events and traditions near Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
Day of Slavic Writing and Culture in Moscowabout 250 m away (~4 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
Spasskaya Tower Military Music Festivalabout 350 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
National Unity Day in Moscowabout 350 m away (~5 min walk)Main image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
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Tverskoy: Tverskaya Street, Bolshoi Theatre and Pushkin SquareMain image: AI-generated illustration. It may not show the place exactly as it looks.
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FAQ: Non/fiction Book Fair in Moscow
When is the non/fiction fair?
Twice a year: in April, and from late October to early December.
Where is it held?
At Gostiny Dvor, 4 Ilyinka Street, in Kitay-Gorod.
How long does it last?
About four days, usually Thursday to Sunday.
Do I need a ticket?
Yes, tickets are sold on the official website.
Is it the same as the Moscow International Book Fair?
No, that one is held at VDNH in early September.
Which entrance do I use?
Entrances 4 and 5 on Ilyinka Street.
Is there parking?
Yes, the official site lists 404 spaces, 33 for disabled visitors.
Are the talks in English?
Mostly in Russian.
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Last updated: October 7, 2026.
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