Bookafe: literature born on social media comes to life in Ferrara

Created by TXT and organized with Confcommercio Ferrara and Impresa Cultura Ferrara, Bookafe is presented as the first literature festival born online and designed to be experienced in person. The project was introduced at the Turin International Book Fair on 15 May 2026 and will take place in Ferrara from 16 to 18 October 2026.

• Dates: 16–18 October 2026
• Venue: Ferrara's museums and historic palaces
• Organizers: TXT, Confcommercio Ferrara, Impresa Cultura Ferrara
• Support: Municipality of Ferrara, Concessionaria Cavour, libreriauniversitaria.it
• Format: meetings, talks, interviews, readings and performances featuring digital creators, authors and publishers

Organizers say the festival aims to highlight the role of creators who use Instagram, TikTok and podcasts to bring Generation Z closer to reading. Mauro Padovani (CEO of TXT) emphasized the value of mixing digital languages with traditional cultural venues, while Davide Urban (general manager of Confcommercio Ferrara) stressed the goal of restoring the pleasure of reading to young people through a contemporary language.

Bookafe will also include off-festival initiatives with hashtags to engage the city and visitors, aiming to build a bridge between cultural tradition and new modes of communication.