Join us at Derby Market Hall on Saturday 28th February fro 10am to 4pm for a day filled with free storytelling fun! There are plenty of ways to get involved...

- Get involved with our storytelling stages (not one but two!) with an amazing line up of poets, puppeteers and storytellers.
- Choose a new FREE book using your WBD book voucher.
- Exchange an old book for a new-to-you book at our BIG Book Swap.
- Come and meet authors and illustrators galore at our Market takeover.
- Get crafty making Wordy wands and whizzers!
- Enter our fancy dress competition.
- Get arty and enter our colouring competition.
- Take on a tricky book trail to win a prize.
- Browse our brilliant Festival Bookstore.
- Book onto a workshop to make the day even more exciting! This page provides you with some key information to get the most out of your day.

Tickets

The BIG World Book Day Party is free to attend with plenty of free activities and performances scheduled throughout the day. Some workshops and activities will be bookable please visit our events page to book for these events

Donations

Derby Book Festival is a charity. We want as many people in our community as possible to develop a love of books. If you are able to, please support the work we do in schools, nurseries and the community by donating where possible. It helps us to ‘Bring Books To Life’ and put on more lovely events like today.  As today is a celebration of World Book Day, all donations will be split with the ‘World Book Day’ Charity. Thank you. 

Dress Code

Please feel free to dress for our party however you feel most comfortable. This could be your snazziest party clothes, your comfies or maybe a costume related to your favourite book or character. Anything goes!

Books! 

At Derby Book Festival, we LOVE books and want everyone to go home with one. So please bring your National Book Token to claim your free book (they can be downloaded off the World Book Day website if you didn’t get one at school). We will have books for sale too and we’re so excited to be offering our BIG Book Swap at this event. So bring a book that is in fairly good condition that you’ve read before and get yourself a new-to-you-book. 

Author stalls

We will be joined by over 25 local authors, illustrators and creatives that are excited to share their books and makes with you.

Food

Derby Market Hall caters for all and there are a number of food outlets within the venue and plenty of seating to enjoy your food whilst you perhaps listen to some storytelling on the day, alternatively you are very welcome to bring your own food. Please help us to keep the Market Hall tidy by clearing your rubbish away and using the recycling points.

Quiet Space
If anyone in your group requires some time in a quiet space, then please ask one of our volunteers to show you the Quiet Space room for a sensory break.

Accessibility 
The Market Hall is fully accessible. Should you have any additional requirements that you would like the venue to be aware of in advance, please email hello@derbybookfestival.co.uk. Alternatively if you require support at the event, please speak to one of the Derby Market Hall team and they will assist you. 

Breastfeeding Area
If you would like to feed in a quieter area, then please head to the Quiet Space

First Aid 
Located in the corridor between the Carriage Shop and the Engine Shed, our First Aiders are on hand to help if required. 

Photography
Derby Market Hall is open to the general public. Should there be a Derby Book Festival event photographer on site and they wish to take a photo of you or your child, they will then seek permission for the photograph to be kept and used. Please feel free to deny this permission. Otherwise any photographs taken of the event will be broad shots within the venue.

Parking and travel
We recommend Parksafe Car Park on Bold Lane or Chapel Street multi-storey. You may wish to consider travelling by bus or train. Derby Market Hall is located off Market Place close to Morledge and Derby bus station. 

Derby Market Hall
For any further venue information please visit their website