Debrecen4U August 27, 2026

Three Days Celebrating Books and Reading – “We Love Books” Returns to Debrecen

Between 3 and 5 September 2026, books will once again come to life in Debrecen: for the third time, the We Love Books Network is organising a three-day programme to mark World Book Day. The aim of Book Weekend & We Love Books Day is to bring reading closer to people of all ages through community-based cultural activities.

Organised with the support of the City of Debrecen, the three-day event will bring together schools, libraries, bookshops, cultural institutions, NGOs and local history researchers to demonstrate together that reading is not only useful, but also a genuine source of enjoyment and a powerful force for building communities.

The programme is exceptionally varied: visitors can look forward to guided walks, book launches, author events, a literature therapy workshop, a community reading session, creative arts and crafts activities, concerts, slam poetry and children’s programmes. All events are free to attend.

Books, literature and Debrecen – three days of discovery

The programme begins on Thursday, 3 September. Among other activities, participants can join a literary walk in the Diószegi Sámuel Botanical Garden, take part in interactive literary games at Tóth Árpád Grammar School, discover Alföldi Nyomda on a guided tour, and explore the world of Federico García Lorca in Ady Park in connection with the Csokonai National Theatre’s new production The House of Bernarda Alba. The day concludes with a visit to the Architectural Archive, courtesy of the Cívisporta Association.

On Friday, 4 September, the programme includes a storytelling afternoon at the DEMKI Tímárház, an event at Debrecen Reformed College dedicated to Mihály Fazekas, who was born 260 years ago this year, and a city-history walk in the Catholic cemetery on Vágóhíd Street.

We Love Books Day at the Memorial Garden

The highlight of the programme is We Love Books Day on Saturday, 5 September, which will once again be held at the Memorial Garden behind the Great Reformed Church. The programme runs from 10 am to 6 pm.

The day begins with a concert: the Kelet Brass Band takes to the stage at 10 am, followed by the official opening of the event at 10.50 am. Throughout the day, the Memorial Garden and several venues across the city centre will host a wide range of programmes connected with books, literature, art and Debrecen’s cultural heritage.

Visitors can take part in a local-history treasure hunt, a guided tour of the Szabó Magda exhibition at the House of Literature in Debrecen, the announcement of the results of a literary competition, a community reading session, a local-history walk, a puppet theatre performance and a paper theatre show, among other activities. Karakter 1517 Bookshop and Café will host several talks and author events, giving visitors the opportunity to meet writers Margit Halász, János Vági and Tibor Somogyi. The House of Literature in Debrecen will also host a literature therapy workshop, while the programme will conclude with a slam poetry evening on the terrace of Csokonai Forum.

Interactive activities and family experiences

Emlékkert will offer all-day activities for visitors. These include creative workshops, readings, book-related games and quizzes. The programme also features a literary quiz, a comic book fair, a pop-up poetry exhibition, bookcrossing, literary puzzles and quizzes, as well as numerous other creative activities inspired by books and poetry.

The guest organisation of Könyv Barátai Day is Vízió Könyvkiadó Egyesület, whose participation will include a book fair featuring works by authors published by independent publishers, as well as author events.

A shared passion: reading

Over the course of the three days, the Könyv Barátai Network will offer numerous opportunities to meet fellow enthusiasts of books, literature and culture at a variety of venues and through a wide range of activities. The organisers aim to present the joy of reading as a shared community experience and to offer programmes for all age groups in which, alongside books, Debrecen’s cultural and local-history heritage also takes centre stage.

The detailed programme for Book Weekend & We Love Books Day can be found HERE.

All events are free to attend. Registration is required for some programmes; participants can register using the contact details provided in the detailed programme.

We Love Books members contributing to Book Weekend & We Love Books Day:

• Alföldi Nyomda
• City-Legends.Com
• Cívisporta Association
• Csicsogó Produkció
• Csokonai National Theatre Debrecen
• Debrecen Ady Endre Grammar School
• Debrecen Bocskai István Primary School
• Cultural and Student Sports Foundation of Debrecen Dózsa György Primary School
• Debrecen Honvéd Sports and Student Sports Association – Békessy Béla Olympic Friends’ Circle
• Association for the Nature Conservation and Culture of the Great Forest of Debrecen
• Grand Library and Theological Reference Library of Debrecen Reformed College
• German Cultural Forum of Debrecen
• DEMKI Debrecen Cultural Centre and Youth House Nonprofit Ltd.
• Déri Museum – House of Literature in Debrecen
• DESzínház
• DSZC Péchy Mihály Technical School of Construction
• Explore Debrecen
• Ibolya Street Primary School
• Karakter 1517 Bookshop and Café
• Kós Károly Arts Vocational Secondary School, Technical School and College
• Master-Lab Comics
• Méliusz Juhász Péter Library
• Művésztér Műhely Association
• Perspectiva Nova Association
• Tóth Árpád Grammar School

Source and photo credit: debrecen.hu