The Kolkata Book Fair of 2026 concluded on Tuesday, February 3, with a record number of visitors and sales. The 13-day event, held from January 22 to February 3, attracted 32 lakh visitors and saw total sales of ₹27 crore, according to the Publishers & Booksellers Guild, the fair's organiser. In comparison, last year 27 lakh visitors attended. Tridib Chatterjee, general secretary of the Guild, said, "The unprecedented footfall was due to the both-way metro connectivity and six holidays (including weekends) marking the duration of the fair. We are now gearing up for the golden jubilee celebration of the International Kolkata Book Fair with some unique events which will be remembered in future." Many visitors posted emotional pictures on social media on the closing day. They shared photos from book launches, discussions, and moments with authors. Shreya C. Mukherjee, a visitor from Hyderabad, said, "When I was a child, my parents would take me to the book fair at Maidan. In the view of a three to four feet child, the world of books seemed grand and beyond reach. But now, as a grownup, an avid reader and a little collector, my interests have found new avenues. This book fair was more organised, where even a small publishing house could leave its footprint. I came across several young authors and poets who are otherwise ordinary people like you and me." She added, "The interesting thing was just how many children were getting lost and were being guided back to their parents by a battery of police personnel. I figure this was one of those fairs where kids and parents alike were enticed by books and forgot each other." Kanchan Mitra, a volunteer at the Yogoda Satsangha Society of India book stall, noticed the rise in crowd too. "Unlike previous years when afternoons tended to be quieter, this time the flow of visitors felt continuous from morning till late evening. There were hardly any lean hours. A big reason, I believe, was connectivity. The newly operational Green Line Metro seems to have made access much easier for people across the city. The metro ran at higher frequency and for extended hours, which clearly helped accommodate the large crowds. Convenience makes a big difference, and it showed," he said. Mitra also highlighted the strong youth presence. "What truly encouraged me was the presence of younger visitors. We saw many young people at the YSS stall, curious and genuinely interested in spiritual literature. Several of them were already familiar with classic works like Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda. While the book fair in Kolkata is often associated with Bengali readers, this year I observed a significant number of Hindi-speaking visitors as well. The fair felt more pan-Indian in spirit than ever before. What, therefore, stood out this year was not just the scale, but the energy, inclusiveness, and sustained enthusiasm throughout the day." Despite the praise, some concerns were voiced. Ayan Dutta, a literary editor, posted on Facebook, "Gate 1 and 2 were used mainly for food stalls — that should not have been the case. Also, they should ban the use of mikes for singing and quizzing and other noise-generating events at the book fair venue. Loud sound does not go with browsing. Also this year, the Little Magazine stall was disappointing to me — I could not find much that was new." On a positive note, he added, "Dey’s Publishing paid a tribute to old Bengali publications that were big names in the 1970’s and 80’s by displaying pictures of their one-time heads, such as D.K. Gupta of Signet Press. There was cleanliness all around. A book fair map was easily available too." The Publishers & Booksellers Guild now sets its sights on the golden jubilee edition of this beloved event.