Tijuana’s 41st annual book fair, one of the city’s longest-running cultural events, will take place at Parque Morelos in late June or early July after a political dispute nearly canceled the 2026 edition entirely. City syndic Teresita Balderas Beltrán confirmed the new timeline on May 11 following a meeting with booksellers and coordination with multiple city departments.
The Tijuana Book Fair 2026 was originally scheduled for May. But the Booksellers Union of Tijuana, which organizes the event, announced its cancellation last week, citing a lack of cooperation from then-Culture Secretary Ilya Haro. Within a day, Mayor Ismael Burgueño Ruiz stepped in, declared the fair would proceed, and announced Haro’s resignation.
Four Decades of Bookselling on Boulevard Insurgentes
The Feria del Libro de Tijuana dates back to 1985, when a small group of independent booksellers organized the first edition as a way to promote reading in a border city better known for its nightlife than its literary scene. Over 41 editions, the fair has grown into one of Tijuana’s most recognizable cultural traditions, drawing publishers, authors, and exhibitors from across Baja California and beyond.
The event typically features book sales from dozens of vendors, author readings, panel discussions, and children’s programming. In past years, publishers from Mexico City, Guadalajara, and even the United States have set up stalls alongside Tijuana’s own independent bookshops. The fair has historically served as a more accessible, street-level counterpart to Mexico’s massive Feria Internacional del Libro in Guadalajara, which draws over 800,000 visitors each November.
Parque Morelos, the confirmed venue on Boulevard Insurgentes, is one of Tijuana’s largest public parks. It sits in the Zona Río area, close to the cultural corridor that includes CECUT (the Tijuana Cultural Center, a major performing arts and museum complex). The park’s open-air layout has hosted previous editions of the fair and gives organizers room for dozens of vendor booths.
Haro’s Departure Followed Weeks of Tensions With Booksellers
The near-cancellation did not come out of nowhere. Pedro Serrano García, president of the Booksellers Union, had publicly criticized the city’s Culture Secretariat for failing to provide the logistical and financial support that organizers needed to stage the May edition. The union’s core complaint centered on Ilya Haro, who booksellers said had not collaborated on permitting, funding, or scheduling.
When the union announced the cancellation, it put Mayor Burgueño in an awkward position. The fair is a high-profile civic event, and its loss would have reflected poorly on his administration. His response was swift: he accepted Haro’s resignation and publicly committed to holding the fair. Burgueño then directed the city’s Secretariat of Economy to work directly with the booksellers on a new plan.
On May 8, Balderas Beltrán met with Serrano García and a delegation from the union to discuss logistics. At that meeting, both sides agreed the May timeline was no longer feasible. The booksellers proposed a late June or early July window, and Balderas Beltrán said city departments are now working to guarantee the date and secure the space at Parque Morelos.
“Because of the timeline, they can no longer hold the Book Fair this month,” Balderas Beltrán told reporters. “But given the mayor’s intervention with the Economy Secretary, they told me they could be ready to present the Book Fair around the end of June or the beginning of July.”
Exact Dates Still Pending as City Departments Coordinate
A final date has not been announced. Balderas Beltrán said the Booksellers Union will present its event proposal to the Secretariat of Economy, which will handle coordination across city departments. That process involves confirming the venue reservation, vendor permits, public safety staffing, and any city funding for the event.
If you were planning to attend the fair in May, adjust your calendar. The roughly six-to-eight-week delay pushes the event into Tijuana’s warmer season, when afternoon temperatures regularly reach the mid-80s Fahrenheit. Parque Morelos offers shade in some areas, but an outdoor book fair in late June will feel different from the milder May weather that past editions enjoyed.
The Booksellers Union has organized the Tijuana Book Fair every year since its founding, and the group’s willingness to return to the table suggests the 41st edition will happen. The city’s Sindicatura office said a cross-departmental team is working to finalize logistics so that the date and venue are locked in once the union’s proposal is approved. The story was first reported by Punto Norte.