Bookshop, Library & Festival Events – July 2026
| Date | Event Host | Event Details |
| 1 | Readings | Celebrate the launch of The Damned by Matt Rogers (S&S) Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton |
| BMI Ballarat | Sherryl Clark in conversation For All the Dead Girls Time: 6pm Venue: BMI Library | |
| 2 | Geelong Libraries A Local Word Pop-Up event | Chrissie Bellbrae – The Romanov Secret Time: 2pm Venue: Queenscliff Library |
| The Leaf Bookshop | Kids Creative Workshop with Amelior Mellor Time: 11am Venue: in store, Ashburton | |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of Something Sweet by Jessica Holmes (Pan Mac) Time: 6pm Venue: Chadstone | |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of Rite of Spring by Kris Kneen Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton | |
| Black Inc | She Leads in conversation: Prof Julie Andrews Where’s All the Community and Prof Clare Wright Dharuk The Bark Petitions Time: 6pm Venue: Her Place Womens Museum, Abbotsford Convent | |
| Dymocks Waurn Ponds | Books in Bars: Sherryl Clark For All the Dead Girls Time: 6.30pm Venue: Waurn Ponds Hotel | |
| 3 | Readings | Celebrate the launch of Don’t Forget to Smile by Ariane Beeston (Black Inc) Time: 6pm Venue: Emporium |
| Stories by the Sea | Ilka Tampke in conversation How To Love the World Time: 6pm Venue: in store, Mt Eliza | |
| Ink Bookshop | Ink After Dark: Dinner & Book club discussion Yesteryear Time: 6pm Venue: in store | |
| Mornington Library | Victoria Brownlee in conversation The Writers Retreat time: 11am Venue: Mornington Library with Farrells Bookshop | |
| 3-11 | FESTIVAL | Warrnambool Story Telling Festival VIC A dozen events showcasing stories in their many forms will unfold across ten days, illuminating the Warrnambool winter with inspiration, reflection, and connection |
| 4 | Readings | Celebrate the launch of Shakespeare in the Orchard by Danielle Binks (Hachette) Time: 2pm Venue: Readings Kids |
| Readings | Don Watson talking about The United States of America (Black Inc) Time: 6pm Venue: Union Theatre, University of Melbourne, 15 Monash Rd, Parkville | |
| The Little Bookroom | Double book launch: Amy Doak Eleanor Jones is Not Drowing AND Adrian Beck Nowhere House Time 2pm Venue: in store, Brunswick East | |
| Your Library Ltd | Meet the author: Jo Skinner The Truth About My Daughter Time: 11am Venue: Bayswater Library | |
| 5 | Bookish Bendigo | Book Launch: Eleanor Jones is Not Drowning time: 11am Venue: in store, Bendigo |
| 5,11,12 | CYA CONFERENCE | CYA Conference Brisbane, Qld Children, Young Adult, and Adult Writers’ and Illustrators’ Conference, is a conference for writers and illustrators of all ages, all genres. This conference offers a wide range of professional development sessions that cater to various writing genres, including children’s board books and fiction novels for adults. |
| 6 | Readings | Celebrate the launch of kisshug by Eddie Paterson (Whitmore Press) Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton |
| Booktique, Albury | Sarah Clutton Bookshop of Buried Pasts Time: 5.30pm Venue: in store, Albury | |
| Melb Writers Club | Meet up with special guest Jo Skinner time: 6pm Venue: Arbory Bar & Eatery – no bookings required | |
| 7 | Shepparton Library | In conversation: Sarah Clutton, The Bookshop of Buried Pasts Time: 2.30pm Venue: Shepparton Library |
| Avenue Bookstore | Paul Valent Know Thyself in conversation with Dani Valent Time: 6pm Venue: in store, Elsternwick | |
| Jeffreys Books | Meet the Author: David Griffin That Race Time: 6pm Venue: in store, Malvern RSVP by phone/email | |
| 8 | Readings | Hear Dominic Pellegrino reveal the history of Melbourne Coffee Roasters (Melb Books) Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton |
| Collins on Lydiard | Sarah Clutton will be in conversation with Renee Price to celebrate her latest release The Bookshop of Buried Pasts Time: 6pm Venue: Old Colonists Club Ballarat | |
| Dymocks Waurn Ponds | Rod Halsted Take My Advice in conversation with Barrie Cassidy Time: 6.30pm Venue: Waurn Ponds Hotel | |
| 9 | Readings | Hear Melanie Lionello in conversation about her book, Easy Italian Dinners From My Little Kitchen Time: 6pm Venue: Chadstone |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of Good Intentions by Jessy Wu (Pan Mac) Tiem: 6pm Venue: Emporium | |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of Tight Lines by Allee Richards (S&S) Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton | |
| Readings | Cynthia Banham and Kate Halfpenny in conversation about Mother Shadow (Upswell) Time: 6.30pm Venue: Readings State Library | |
| Blarney Books & Art | Sarah Clutton in conversation The Bookshops of Buried Pasts Time: 6pm Venue: in store, Port Fairy | |
| Stories by the Sea | Anne Buist & Graeme Simsion The General Hospital Time: 6pm, Venue: in store, Mt Eliza | |
| Libraries Wyndham | Author Talk: Tony Birch Pictures of You in convo with Bruno Lettieri Time: 7pm Venue: Manor Lakes Library | |
| Bayside Libraries | Brigid Carrick The Belfast Express in convo with Vikki Petraitis Time: 6pm Venue: Sandrigham Library | |
| The Kids Bookshop | Hunt for the Nighthawks Kids Launch with Felice Arena Time: 11am Venue: in store, Mitcham | |
| 11 | Your Library Ltd | Meet the author: Fiona Hardy Old Games Time: 10.30am Venue: Rowville |
| FESTIVAL | Riverina Readers Festival, Wagga Wagga, NSW Riverina Readers Festival values the joy of reading, the sharing of knowledge behind stories and storytellers, and providing opportunities for our regional communities to connect in person and online through words. | |
| 12 | Clunes Booktown | Booktown on Sunday with Sean Dooley The Big Twitch Time: 2pm Venue: Clunes Railway Station |
| 13 | Readings | Celebrate the launch of The Deer Woman by Susan Fealy (Upswell) Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton |
| 14 | Sorrento Writers Festival | Sorrento on Tour – in Conversation: Hannah Richell Time: 6pm Venue: Gasworks Creative Precinct |
| Fairfield Books with YPR Liibrary | Dr Kerry Jewell A Little Unwell Time: 6.30pm Venue: Rosanna Library | |
| Readings | Hear Dr Julie Macken and Kon Karapanagiotidis in conversation about national identity and immigration Australia’s Schism in the Soul Time: 6.30pm Venue: Readings State Library | |
| Little Bookroom | Special Storytime & Craft with Isabelle Schupak Herbie and the Big Clean Up Time: 11.30am Venue: in store | |
| 15 | Wimmera Libraries | Author talk: Lyn Yeowart, The Hollow Girl Time: 6pm Venue> Horsham Library |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of The Vape Lord of Queanbeyan by Omar Musa (PRH) Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton | |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of Neighbours by Joanne Wallis and Jack Corbett Time: 6.30pm Venue: Readings State Library (Black In) | |
| Farrells Bookshop | Hannah Richelle An Ocean and a Day in conversation with Kate Horton Time: 6pm Venue: in store, Mornington | |
| Hill of Content | Dominic Pellegrino Melbourne Coffee Roasters: A History Tiem: 6pm Venue: in store, Bourke Street | |
| Geelong Libraries | Local Word Pop Up Event – Mark Smith – Where Truth Ends Time: 6pm Venue: Geelong Library & Heritage Centre | |
| Scribe Publishing and Brunswick Bound | LAUNCH: Worry Doll Laura McPhee Brown Time: 6pm Venue: Brunswick Artists Bar | |
| Your Library Ltd | Meet the Author: Steven Carroll The Afterlife of Harry Playford Time: 2pm Venue: Crodyon Library | |
| 16 | Darebin Libraries | Warm Winter Read Author Talk – John Morrissey Bird Deity Time: 6.30pm Venue: Northcote Library with Fairfield Books |
| Readings | Hear Ann Liang in conversation about I Could Give You the Moon (HC) Time: 6pm Venue: Emporium | |
| Bendigo Library | Author Talk: Anna Johnston when Life Gives you Lemons Time: 5.30pm Venue: Bendigo Library | |
| Readings | Hear Chris Ames I Made this Just for You and Ronnie Scott in conversation Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton (Ultimo) | |
| Readings | Mirandi Riwoe A Short History of Longans Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton | |
| ONLINE | Online launch: A Single Witness, Christine Balint Time: 6pm AEST | |
| Stories by the Sea | Jaclyn Crupi Pasta Love Time: 6pm Venue: in store, Mt Eliza | |
| Collins on Lydiard | Shannon Kelly-White Billie King in conversation Time: 6pm Venue: Old Colonists Club, Ballarat | |
| The Booklover Society | Cocktails and Crime Night with guests Madeleine Cleary (The Butterfly Women) and Laura McCluskey (The Wolf Tree, The Cursed Road) Time: 7pm Venue: Death and Co, Flinders Lane | |
| 16-19 | FESTIVAL | Q.Lit.Fest – Queer Nostalgia Venues: Kensington Town Hall, Mission to Seafarers, Victoria Pride Centre |
| 17 | Wheeler Centre | Dinner with Stan Grant When Words Fail Us Time: 6.30pm Venue: Port Phillip Estate with Farrells Bookshop |
| Mornington Libraries | Author Talk: Christine Balint A Single Witness Time: 10.30am Venue: Mornington Library | |
| 17-19 | FESTIVAL | Mildura Writers Festival VIC Held in July, the Mildura Writers Festival presents four days of words, food and wine featuring Australian and international writers. |
| FESTIVAL | Willoughby Literary Festival, NSW The Willoughby Literary Festival is back for its second year, and bookings are now open. ✨ Venue: Willoughby Library Hear from literary stars, including Michelle de Kretser, winner of the 2025 Prime Minister’s Literary Award for Fiction, for her book ‘Theory & Practice’, as well as Chris Hammer, Tara Moss, Bob Carr, Jane Caro and many more. | |
| 17-26 | FESTIVAL | Noosa Alive QLD Author conversations feature Bryan Brown, Louise Milligan, Rosalie Ham, Thomas Mayo, Mike Carlton, Amy Remeikis & Blanche Del A’lPuget |
| 18 | Little Bookroom | BOOK LAUNCH: The Rebound by Fiona Harris Time: 2pm Venue: in store, Brunswick East |
| Wheeler Centre | Tough Guy Bookish Club: Shay P Leighton in convo with Tim Byrne discussing Cherrywood, Jock Serong Time: 2.30pm Venue: Bakery Hill Distillery | |
| 19 | Willoughby Literary Festival | Cynthia Banham Mother Shadow in conversation with Jane Messer Raven Mother Time: 11.15am Venue: Chatswood Library |
| 20 | Readings | Celebrate the launch of Dream Sequence: the Art & Lives of Louis Kahan with editor, Dena Kahan Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton |
| BMI Ballarat | In Conversation with Petronella McGovern Every Time She Wakes Time: 6pm Venue: BMI Library | |
| The Bookbird Geelong | Andrew Dodd & Matthew Ricketson Getting Murdoched in convo with Jon Faine Time: 6.30pm Venue: Geelong Library & Heritage Centre | |
| Hares & Hyenas | Join Greg Johnston in conversation with Neal Drinnan at Hares & Hyenas, in celebration of Johnston’s new book For A Moment More. Time: 7pm Venue: Victorian Pride Centre, St. Kilda | |
| 21 | Bayside Libraries | Petronella McGovern Every Time She Wakes in conversation with Sally Hepworth Time: 6pm Venue: Brighton Library |
| Readings | James Walter and Carolyn Holbrook, authors of Australia Fair?, in conversation with Paul Strangio (Melb Uni Press) Time: 6.30pm Venue: Readings State Library | |
| Port Phillip Libraries | Penny Tangey & Victorian Brownlee in conversation Time: 6.30pm Venue: Emerald Hill Library | |
| Hobsons Bay Libraries | In conversation with Kate Solly The Paradise Heights Miniature Railway Bust-Up Time: 6pm Venue: Newport Community Hub | |
| 22 | Readings | Hear Mirandi Riwoe in conversation about A Short History of Longans Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton |
| Dymocks Waurn Ponds | Books in Bars: Ashely Kalagian Blunt Like Follow Die Time: 6.30pm Venue: Waurn Ponds Hotel | |
| The Leaf Bookshop | Kate Solly and Emma Grey in conversation with Kerryn Mayne Time: 7.30pm Venue: in store, Ashburton | |
| 23 | Farrells Bookshop | Crime Panel: Join us this July for a thrilling in-store Crime Fiction Panel featuring acclaimed Australian authors Margaret Hickey, Mark Smith, and Leah Swann, in conversation with moderator Laura McCluskey. Time: 6pm Venue: in store, Mornington |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of two fantasy novels by Mikayla Bridge and Bori Cser Time: 6pm Venue: Emporium | |
| Port Phillip Libraries | An evening with First Nations Kalkadoon author, John Morrissey Bird Deity Time: 6pm Venue: Port Melbourne LIbrary | |
| The Kids Bookshop & Genazzano College | Felice Arena in conversation Nightwhawks – for teachers and teacher librarians Time: 5pm Venue: Genazzano FCJ College, Kew | |
| 23-24 | FESTIVAL | Story Arts Festival Ipswich QLD (bienneial) The StoryArts Festival Ipswich began in 1995 as the Ipswich Festival of Children’s Literature and has been held every two years since then. The festival offers FREE sessions for children. The Ipswich Festival is organised and funded mainly by the Ipswich District Teacher-Librarian Network |
| 23 July to 1 August | RARE BOOK WEEK | The Melbourne Rare Book Week is an exciting program of free talks, workshops and tours that celebrate the importance of books, publishing, book production and collecting, and held at venues across Melbourne. The 2026 Rare Books Melbourne program has over 47 events, all free. To view the program or book a ticket visit the Rare Books Melbourne website The program concludes with the Melbourne Rare Book Fair at Wilson Hall, University of Melbourne, from Thursday 30 July to Saturday 1 August 2025 |
| 24 | Sisters in Crime | Law & Disorder: Eve Thomson, Rebecca Lim, Joanna Jenkins & Lyn Yeowart Time: 8pm Venue: Rising Sun Hotel South Melbourne |
| Your Library Ltd | Craft-along Author Talk with Kate Solly Friday 24 July 2026 at 2:00PM Time: 2pm Venue: Miller’s Homestead | |
| 24-26 | FESTIVAL | Southern Highlands Writers Festival Bowrla, NSW This winter, come and experience the cool climate of the Southern Highlands, the perfect setting for the 2026 Southern Highlands Writers’ Festival (SHWF). Now in its fifteenth year, the annual SHWF is one of the most popular and much-loved events on the Highlands’ calendar. |
| FESTIVAL | Apollo Bay WordFest VIC Now in its 33rd year, the Apollo Bay WordFest continues to impress. The 2026 lineup is: Hannah Kent, Sofie Laguna, Toni Jordan, Gina Chick, Louise Milligan, Robbie Arnott, Christian White, Rhett Davis, JP Pomare and Mark Mupotsa Russell and children’s author, Andrea Rowe. | |
| 25 | Northern Books | Winter Book Chat Laura McPhee-Browne Worry Doll in conversatin with Melissa Fulton Mark Smith, Mali Cornish and Lauren Williams in conversation with Kristin Gill Time: From 2pm Venue: Castlemainew Bwoling Club |
| Southcoast Writers | Kate Holden The Ruin of Magic in convo with Catherine McKinnon Time: 10.20am Venue: Thirroul District Community Centre | |
| Collins on Lydiard | Author in Residence: Christine Balint A Single Witnes Time: 11am – 1pm Venue: in store, Ballarat | |
| The Story Society Bendigo & Bendigo Library | Michael Winkler Griefdogg and Wayne Marshall Henry Goes Bush Time: 11.30am Venue: Bendigo Library | |
| 25-26 | FESTIVAL | South Coast Readers & Writers Festival, NSW Program to be announced – Thirroul |
| 27 | Benalla Library | Michael Winkler Griefdogg and Wayne Marshall Henry Goes Bush Time: 2.00pm Venue: Benalla Library |
| 28 | Beechworth Library | Michael Winkler Griefdogg and Wayne Marshall Henry Goes Bush Time: 10.30am Venue: Beechworth Library |
| Sorrento Writers Festival | Sorrento on Tour – in Conversation: Paul Kelly Time: 6pm Venue: Gasworks Creative Precinct | |
| Your Library Ltd | Author Talk: Jenna Lo Bianco The Italian Marriage Time: 6pm Venue: Ferntree Gully Library | |
| The Booker Prize | Longlist Announcement | |
| 29 | Aperitivo & Ramona Bookshop | Aperitivo with Dee Salmin It’s Not Love Actually Time: 6.30pm Venue: Ramona Books |
| Wodonga Library | Michael Winkler Griefdogg and Wayne Marshall Henry Goes Bush Time: 6.30pm Venue: Wodonga Library Gallery | |
| Echuca Library | Michael Winkler Griefdogg and Wayne Marshall Henry Goes Bush Time: 2pm Venue: Echuca Library | |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of Once Upon a Breakfast Show by Stefanie MacFie Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton (Text) | |
| 30 | Sorrento Writers Festival | Sorrento on Tour – Political Dinner with Journalist Paul Kelly Time: 6pm Venue: Sorrento Golf Club |
| Readings | Celebrate the launch of Blue Giant by Jordan Prosser (UQP) Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton | |
| Readings | Hear Meg Mason talking about her new book, Sophie, Standing There Time: 6pm Venue: Carlton | |
| Readings | Amie Kaufman for a series of panel discussions that celebrate fantastical reads and romantic romps! Time: 6pm Venue: Emporium | |
| Barham Library | Michael Winkler Griefdogg and Wayne Marshall Henry Goes Bush Time: 11.00am Venue: Barham Library | |
| Fairfield Books & YPR Library | Author Talk: Margaret Hickey Cold River Tiem: 6.30pm Venue: Ivanhoe Library | |
| Glee Books | Jaclyn Moriarty Time Travel for Beginners in convo with Michaela Kalowski Time: 6.30pm Venue: in store, Glebe | |
| 31 | Hill of Content | Book Launch: Cold River by Margaret Hickey time: 6.30pm Venue: in store, Melbourne |
| 30 July – 1 August | BOOK FAIR | Rare Book Fair Now in its 57th Edition, the Melbourne Rare Book Fair will again feature rare and wonderful books, manuscripts, ephemera, prints (and much more) from the best rare book and antiquarian dealers across Australia and New Zealand and from overseas. A gathering of buyers, sellers and lovers of books not to be missed Venue: Wilson Hall, University of Melbourne |
| 31 July – 2 August | FESTIVAL | The Kimberley Writers Festival, WA Guests this year: Debra Oswald, Claire Coleman, Richard Glover, Jack Heath, Karen Herbert, Tricia Stringer |
| 31 July – 1 August | FESTIVAL | Orange Readers and Writers Festival NSW Venue: The Hotel Canobolas, Orange Guets include: Chris Hammer, Cynthia Banham, Sam Guthrie, Meredith Jaffe, Sue Williams and Kim Kelly |