For three days each spring, Exhibition Park in Canberra transforms into a magical place. Rows upon rows of trestle tables fill the pavilion, stacked high with pre-loved books that carry the scent of a thousand lounge rooms, classrooms, and bedside tables. This is the Lifeline Canberra Bookfair, and for many locals, it’s a tradition as familiar as Floriade or a Brumbies match.

It’s the place where grandparents take grandchildren by the hand, pointing out the dog-eared paperbacks they once read in the seventies. It’s where students come armed with tote bags, on the hunt for bargain textbooks or a novel they’ve been meaning to read. It’s also where the unexpected happens; someone stumbles across a first edition, or a family spends half an afternoon laughing together in the comics section.

This year’s Bookfair runs from 26–28 September 2025 at EPIC. On Saturday, 27 September, the pavilions will be buzzing with Family Day fun, featuring activities, colour, and a chance for young readers to discover the simple thrill of rifling through boxes of books and finding one that feels like it’s meant for them.

But beyond the joy of the hunt, there’s something deeper at the heart of the Bookfair. Every gold coin at the gate, every novel tucked under an arm, helps Lifeline Canberra fund its crisis support services. Each purchase contributes to life-saving conversations happening in quiet moments across the city.

It’s a reminder that stories don’t just live on the page. They live in the way this community comes together, year after year, to share in the love of reading and to support those who need it most.

So grab a coin for the entry jar, bring a bag for your finds, and let yourself get lost in the story that is the Lifeline Bookfair.

Lifeline Canberra Bookfair
26–28 September 2025
Exhibition Park in Canberra (EPIC)
Entry by gold coin donation