Bookshop, Library & Festival Events – August, 2026
| Date | Event Host | Event Details | |
| 1-4 | FESTIVAL | Melbourne Jewish Book Week VIC This year’s theme, ‘Connections’, threads through every session: untold family histories, genre fiction from romance to satire, standing up for truth in a post-truth era, the AI conundrum, and the full spectrum of Jewish literary life today. | |
| 1 | Your Library Ltd | Meet the Author: Marion Taffe By Her Hand in conversation with Kylie Eklund-Dernman Time: 11am Venue: Belgrave Library | |
| Little Bookroom | Launch: Surviving the Odds, Anna Battesse & Erin Reeves Time: 2pm Vnue: in store, Brunswick | ||
| Wonthaggi Library | Author Talk: Vikki Petraitis The Vanishing of Vivienne Cameron Time: 1.30pm Venue: Wonthaggi Library | ||
| 4 | Readings | Celebrate the launch of Good Witch by Lucianne Tonti (S&S) Time:6pm Emporium | |
| Hill of Content | Book launch: Drives a Bit Funny by Stephen Corby Time: 6pm Venue: in store, Bourke Street | ||
| 5 | Goldfields Libraries | Tracy Crisp Author Talk Pearls Time: 11am Venue: Kyneton Library Time: 2pm Venue: Gisborne Library | |
| Yarra Libraries Fairfield Books | BOOK LAUNCH: Heresies, Richard Flanagan Time: 6.30pm Venue: Fitzroy Town Hall Ball room | ||
| State Library Victoria | Beyond the Page series #1 Amy Remeikis Screw Nice: How the Politics of Civiily Shuts Us Up Hachette Time: 6.30pm Venue: Conversation Quarter or Livestream | ||
| Readings | Hear Glenn Orgias in conversation about Teeth Kicker (HC) Time: 6pm Carlton | ||
| Readings | Celebrate the aunch of the new edition of The Light on the Hill by Ross McMullin with Jenny Macklin AC and the Hon Tanya Plibersek MP (Scribe) Time: 6.30pm Venue: Solidarity Hall, Trades Hall | ||
| Dymocks Waurn Ponds | Books in Bars with Dinuka McKenzie She Lied First Time: 6.30pm Venue: Waurn Ponds Hotel | ||
| FESTIVAL | Emerging Writers Festival Program Launch Time: 6.30pm Venue: Wheeler Centre | ||
| Bayside Libraries | Sarah Di Lorenzo The Blood Sugar Repair Plan Time: 6.30pm Venue: Beaumaris Library | ||
| Miles Franklin Winner announced today | |||
| 6 | Darebin Libraries | Tracy Crisp Author Talk Pearls Time: 6.30pm Venue: Northcote Library | |
| Northern Books | Richard Flanagan in conversation with Astrid Edwards, discussing Heresies Time: 7.00pm Venue: Castlemaine Town Hall | ||
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of A Study in Sparkling by Jodi McAlister (S&S) Time: 6pm Hawthorn | ||
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of Time Travel for Beginners by Jaclyn Moriarty (Ultimo) Time: 6pm Emporium | ||
| Readings | Hear Nicola Marsh in conversation about her novel, The Orchard at Rosevale (HC) Time: 6pm Chadstone | ||
| Readings | Join Readings for a night of all things YA with Walker Books! Guests: Suzy Zail A New Kind of Beautiful & Kate Rice My Wonderful Disgrave Time: 6pm Venue: Brunettie Classico | ||
| Readings | Hear Jo Cooper talking about Toppling Towers of Power Time: 6.30pm Readings State Library | ||
| 7 | Mornington Peninsula Libraries | Author Talk: Tracy Crisp Pearls Time: 11am Venue: Mornington Library | |
| Readings | Join Keshe Chow to celebrate the launch of Eyes of Kings by Chloe Gong Time: 6pm Emporium | ||
| Collins Booksellers on Lydiard | Jaclyn Moriarty in conversation Time Travel for Beginners Time: 6pm Venue: Old Colonists Club, Ballarat | ||
| 8 | Readings | Celebrate the launch of A House Made of Books by Frankie Gritton Time: 2pm Venue: Readings Kids | |
| Macedon Ranges Library | Warm Winter Reads: Jaclyn Crupi Planing for Native Birds, Bees and Butterflies Time: 2.30pm Venue: Duneira Estate, Mount Macedon | ||
| FESTIVAL | Stories from the West – a day for readers and writers Meet the shortlisted authors of the 2026 Western Australian Premier’s Book Awards at a day of panel discussions, book signings and live experiences that spotlight the richness, diversity and daring of WA writing. Time: 10am – 6pm Venue: State Library WA | ||
| 9 | Clunes Booktown on Sunday | Tony Birch in conversation Pictures of You Time: 2pm Venue: Clunes Railway Station | |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of Petra Goes to Greece with illustrator Cheri Hughes Time: 11am Hawthorn | ||
| 10 | Whitehorse Manningham Libraries | Pearls: memoir strands and monologues with Tracy Crisp Time: 7.30pm Venue: Doncaster Library | |
| Readings | Hear Robbie Swan and MP Fiona Patten in conversation A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sex Party, with Jacinta Parsons Time: 6pm Carlton | ||
| Amplify Bookstore | Launch: But Won’t I Miss Me, Tiffany Tsao Time: 6.30pm Venue: instore, West Melbourne | ||
| 11 | Mulgrave Library | Sophie Green The Frock Shop Time: 10am Mulgrave Library Time: 5.30pm Ocean Grove Library…other events in Victoria to Aug 14, see link | |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of The Thread That Binds Us by Helena Potter Time: 6pm Emporium | ||
| Coburg Library Pictures & Pages | Author Talk: Penny Tangey What Rhymes with Murder Time: 6pm Venue: Coburg Library | ||
| Bayside Libraries | Meet Jaclyn Crupi – Warm Winter Read Ambassador Time: 6pm Venue: Sandringham Library | ||
| 12 | Frankston Libraries | FrankTALK with Tracy Crisp Pearls Time: 1pm Venue: Frankston Library | |
| Fairfield Books | Author Talk: Raph Jackman Detention Time: 7pm Venue: Ivanhoe Library | ||
| Yarra Libraries | Author Talk: The Sandwich Generation with Tracy Crisp Pearls Time: 6.30pm Venue: North Fitzroy Library | ||
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of I Love the Whole World! by Victoria Hannan (Penguin) Time: 6pm Carlton | ||
| Readings | Hear Dr Mariam Tokhi in conversation with Louise Chappell and Na’ama Carlin about Being Patient: Close Encounters in Cancer World (New South Pub) Time: 6.30pm Readings State Library | ||
| BMI Ballarat | Sophie Green in conversation The Frock Shop Time: 6pm Venue: BMI Library | ||
| 13 | Bayside Libraries | Meet the author: Tracy Crisp Pearls Time: 2.00pm Venue: Brighton Library | |
| State Library Victoria | Beyond the Page Series #2 Stacey McEwan as she discusses her latest book, A Forsaken Prophecy (July 2026), the second instalment in her The Artisan Trilogy series. | ||
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of Alice’s dreaming by Tom Griffiths, hosted by Clare Wright Time: 6pm Carlton (Black Inc) | ||
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of the new edition of The Pelagius Book by Paul Morgan Time: 6.30pm Readings State Library | ||
| Your Library Ltd | Meet the Author of Pearls: Tracy Crisp Time: 6pm Venue: Belgrave Library | ||
| 14 | Inverloch Library (Myli) | Fiona Basile in conversation The Next Wave Time: 5.15pm Venue: Inverloch Library | |
| Collins Bookseller on Lydiard | Kate Forsythe in conversation The Changeling Time: 6pm Venue: Old Colonists Club, Ballarat | ||
| 14-16 | FESTIVAL | Byron Writers Festival NSW As Australia’s favourite regional meeting place of storytelling and ideas, Byron Writers Festival captivates with renowned authors, thought-provoking discussions and inspiring Workshops and Feature Events. | |
| 15 | Writers And Wine Bookclub | Wild Dark Shore, Charlotte McConahey Time: 3pm Venue: Glou, Collingwood | |
| Phillip Island Library | Fiona Basile in conversation The Next Wave Time: 11.00am Venue: Phillip Island Library | ||
| Collins Warrnambool | Launch Party: Wylah The Koorie Warrior Richard Pritchard & Jordan Gould Time: 10am Venue: One Day Studios, Warrnambool | ||
| Little Bookroom | BOOK LAUNCH: Possum Skin Cloak by Aunty Fay Muir, Sue Lawson and Leanne Jones Time: 2pm Venue: in store, Brunswick | ||
| 15-16 | FESTIVAL | Australian Fairy Tale Conference VIC Melbourne | |
| 17 | Wagga Wagga Library | Wayne Marshall & Michael Winkler in conversation Time: 6pm Venue: Wagga Wagga Library | |
| 18 | Readings | Celebrate the launch of Elvis and Me by Gillian Wills (Hawkeye Publishing) Time: 6pm Emporium | |
| Little Bookroom | Special storytime with Zanni Louise Time: 11am Venue: in store | ||
| Bathurst Library | Wayne Marshall & Michael Winkler in conversation Time: 6pm Venue: Bathurst Library | ||
| 19 | Readings | Hear Andrew Upton in conversation about his debut novel Krank Fuss (Puncher & Wattmann) Time: 6pm Carlton | |
| Fairfield Books | Karen Martini Cook Sweet, Cook Green BOOKED OUT, wait list available Time: 6.30pm Venue: Rosanna Library | ||
| Torquay Books | Jane R Miles Stay Buriedin convo with Anthea Riskas Time: 6pm Venue: in store, Torquay | ||
| The Leaf Bookshop | AT Prewett The Picasso Ransom in convo with Helen Farch Time: 7.30pm Venue: in store, Ashburton | ||
| 20 | Readings | Hear Amy de la Force in conversation with Lisa Tirreno and Keshe Chow Time: 6pm Emporium | |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of two picture books by Zanni Louise, Sunny Gets to Work and You, Me, Community (Walker Books) Time: 6pm Readings Kids | ||
| Readings | Hear Jane R. Miles in conversation about Stay Buried (HC) Time: 6.30pm Readings State Library | ||
| Stories by the Sea | Moreno Giovannoni The Immigrants in conversation with Christine Balint (Black Inc) Time: 6pm Venue: In store, Mt Eliza | ||
| Rutherlglen Library | Author Talk: Peter Mitchell I’ll Walk Beside You Time: 11am Venue: Rutherglen Library | ||
| 21 | Yarra Plenty Libraries | Author Talk: Peter Mitchell I’ll Walk Beside You Time: 11am Venue: Watsonia Library and Fairfield Books | |
| 22 | Little Bookroom | BOOK LAUNCH: Gibbon Glenda: Pickleball Contender! by Kelly Brodie-Brown and Inge Daniels Time: 2pm Venue: in store, Brunswick | |
| 20-23 | FESTIVAL | Red Dirt Poetry Festival NT The poetry festival in the heart of Australia that brings in poets from around the Territory with visiting interstate and international poets. | |
| 21-23 | FESTIVAL | Phillip Island Festival of Stories Cowes, VIC Inspiring, uplifting, entertaining, challenging and thought-provoking; no topic is off limits as Phillip Island Festival of Stories empowers a diverse group of people to tell their tales in their favourite form. | |
| 21-23 | FESTIVAL | Mudgee Readers’ Festival NSW The Mudgee Readers’ Festival — now in its sixteenth year — exists to share the joy of reading with our vibrant community. MRF is run by a passionate and dedicated team of volunteers, with essential support from Mid-Western Regional Council libraries. | |
| 22 | CBCA | Symphony of Stories celebrating Book Week Time: 10.40am – 4.00pm Venue: State Library Vic | |
| 24 | Readings | Celebrate the launch of The Green Room by Cath Kenneally (Liquid Amber Press) Time: 6pm Carlton | |
| 25 | Readings | Celebrate the launch of More Fool Me by Richard Denniss (Black Inc) Time: 6pm Venue: Cinema Nova | |
| Readings | Hear Lindsay Bartels talk about her memoir, Imogen in Waiting (Third Rail Press) Time: 6pm Hawthorn | ||
| Dymocks 234 | Liane Moriarty Bit Little Truths with Kate Langbroek Time: 6.30pm Venue: Storey Hall, RMIT | ||
| 26 | Readings | Celebrate the launch of You Must Take Part in Revolution by Badiucao and Melissa Chan Time: 6pm Venue: Cinema Nova | |
| Readings | Hear Lorena Carrington in conversation with Lyn Yeowart about A Puzzling Pursuit Time: 6pm Carlton | ||
| 26-30 | FESTIVAL | Words In Winter Daylesford VIC Words in Winter is an annual literary festival held each August on Djaara country and across the twin towns of Daylesford and Hepburn. The volunteer-led festival brings together writers, readers and storytellers from across the region and beyond to celebrate words in all their forms – from page to stage. Across five days of conversations, readings, workshops and performances, local creators and visiting artists will share ideas, craft and imagination with audiences of all ages. | |
| 27 | Collins Booksellers on Lydiard | Myf Warhurst in convseration Middle Rage Time: 6pm Venue: The Goods Shed, Ballarat | |
| 27-30 | FESTIVAL | Perth Poetry Festival State Library WA This annual Poetry Festival is organised by WA Poets Inc and features invited national and local poets plus ample opportunities for public participation in a diverse program of free and low cost events. | |
| 28-30 | FESTIVAL | Dunkeld Writers Festival VIC The Dunkeld Writers Festival returns from 28–30 August 2026 for a weekend of storytelling and conversation. Now in its fifth year, the Festival brings together celebrated writers, readers and thinkers in one of regional Victoria’s most spectacular settings. | |
| 29 | Wheeler Centre | Bookish Club with Tim Rogers Waiting for Godot Time: 4.00pm Venue: The Moat | |
| Readings | Reading(s) Romance, an afternoon of talking about love: Welcome Address by Anita Heiss Love My Way: Ali Berg and Michelle Kalus (Love Overdue), Darcy Green (After the Siren), Steph Vizard (A Smart Girls Guide to Second Chances) with Kate Cuthbert. It’s Complicated: Olivia Tolich (Side Character Energy), Jodi McAlister (A Study in Sparkling) and Nina Kenwood (The Wedding Forecast) with Victoria Brownlee Time: 4pm Hawthorn | ||
| FESTIVAL | Local WordGeelong VIC Local Word brings our diverse local writing communities together through workshops, panel discussions, authors in-conversation and literary-themed social events. | ||
| 30 | Western Port Writes | In conversation and afternoon tea with Kate Legge Delicious with Belinda Hawkins Time: 2pm Venue: Shoreham EVENT IS SOLD OUT | |
| Q Lit Fest | Orbost Writers Group with Bumpy Favell Time: 2pm – 4pm VEnue: Orbost Arts Centre | ||
| 31- Sept 2 | FESTIVAL | Somerset Storyfest – South West St George region, QLD Rarely– if ever–do writers festivals come to the outback, Storyfest seeks to change this: making inspiration accessible to all. |