Newington Green Meeting House, 39 Newington Green, London • Saturday 24th October, 2026

The Hackney Indie Press Fair October 2026

This October, the Alternative Book Fair comes to Newington Green for a special one-day Independent Publisher Fair celebrating the very best in independent publishing. Run with support from Arts Council England, the Fair will bring together around 30 independent publishers, giving readers, aspiring authors and emerging writers the chance to discover award-winning fiction, poetry and non-fiction, meet the people behind the books, and explore some of the most exciting writing being published today.

Following the same ethos as the Alternative Book Fair, the Hackney Indie Press Fair is about opening up publishing and literature to a wider audience. Visitors will be able to meet publishers of Booker Prize and Women’s Prize-listed publishers, browse new and innovative books, and hear directly from leading independent publishers about how publishing works.

With events also taking place across the day including the Publishers Panel.

Tickets are free. Sign up to receive more information.

We are thrilled to have Bookbanks represented at the Fair. Bookbanks is an amazing organisation bringing and giving away books to food banks. Bookbanks was conceived by Emily Rhodes, a writer and critic who has worked in publishing and bookselling. In 2022 she started volunteering at her local food bank in Newington Green, and came up with the idea to set up a stall alongside it giving away books. Initially, Rhodes gave away her own books, but as the project grew she was able to get donations from organisations including bookshops, libraries, prizes and publishers, and also from individuals. We will be taking book donations for Bookbanks Dalston at the Hackney Indie Press Fair.

WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR: We’d really appreciate it if you could include that the books should be in very good condition, i.e. that you’d be happy to gift to a friend. We are looking for:

+ Children’s books for ages 0 to 5

+ Adult non-fiction, we’d love if you could prioritise cookbooks, gardening, self-help, history, and memoir.

SATURDAY

24/Oct 10.00am-5pm

The Indie Press Fair

Meet some of the UK’s most inspirational independent publishers, with a day of stalls and events from the publishers of the world’s most innovative fiction and non-fiction. Stall holders include Weather Glass Books, Scratch Books, Arachne Press, Renard Press, Indie Novella, Heloise Press, Strange Region, Sinoist Books, Sidekick Books, Lurid Press, Scorpius Books, Istros Books, Conduit Books, époque press, Asteria Press, Goat Star Books & Ortac Press.

Throughout the day there will be opportunities for readers and writers to meet leading and award winning independent publishers, experience their books, meet authors, and ask questions about the world of publishing.

SATURDAY

24/Oct

Across the Day

Publisher Talks and Poetry Readings

We’ll have poetry stand-ups and mini huddles with publishers throughout the day. You’ll also have the opportunity to speak with publishers directly at their stalls and hear about the wonderful works they are publishing.

SATURDAY

24/Oct 4.00pm

Publishing Panel - Weatherglass Books, Renard Press and more!

Four leading publishers talk through their experiences in the UK publishing sector and what it takes to publish an award winning novel.

Get an insight into the world of independent publishing, how to submit your work, and what it is like to work with a publisher, and what it takes to publish an award winning novel, from publishing heavyweights Neil Griffiths of Weatherglass Books, Aina Marti-Balcells of Heloise Press, Sean of Epoque Press and hosted by Will Dady of Renard Press.

This panel brings together four leading names in UK publishing to answer questions from aspiring authors and avid readers and give us an opportunity to see behind the scenes of publishing.

SATURDAY

24/Oct 5.30pm

Readings on the Green - by Scratch Readings

Fresh from hosting FRIDAY NIGHT SCRATCH READINGS at Waterstones Gower Street, publisher Tom Conaghan curates a speacial reading series.

Fresh from hosting FRIDAY NIGHT SCRATCH READINGS, publisher Tom Conaghan will be hosting a special reading series to close the Hackney Indie Press Fair. Tom will be bringing together six of the most exciting contemporary writers to read from their work including Caroline Albertine Minor, Ronan O'Shea, Louisa Bello and more to be announced.

Finish off the Hackney Indie Press Fair in style with this initimate event where you can pick up a drink from Yeild N16 over the road and listen to readings for the six inspirational and innovative authors. We'll have readings, music and a chance to connect and chat with the authors and publishers.

Caroline Albertine Minor has been nominated for the prestigious Nordic Council Literature Prize for Blessings (Velsignelser). She has won the P.O Enquist Prize 2018 as well as the Danish Fiction Writers Prize, the Michael Strunge Prize 2017 and the Special Award of the Danish Arts Foundation.

Louisa Bello's debut novel Where The Shadows End was published in 2026 by Epoque Press and was longlisted for the Pat Kavanagh Prize for Writing Excellence under its former title, London Planes, and was supported by an Arts Council Time to Write grant.

Ronan O’Shea is an Anglo-Irish author from London. His debut novel, Murphy Who Talks, was released by Indie Novella in October 2025. His fiction has appeared in numerous literary journals including Ropes, J Journal and Saltbush Review. Formerly a care worker, prison teacher, barman and journalist, he now lives in South London and writes full time.

Free Tickets ➡