The Book Market

Since 2021, Exeter City of Literature have hosted a yearly Book Market, working with independent bookshops across Devon to bring Exeter an exciting afternoon of bookish activities.

The Book Market has previously taken place at Powderham Castle and Positive Lights Project, but we now have a permanent home on Exeter Cathedral Green every summer.

The Book Market 2024

The Book Market will be returning to Exeter Cathedral on Sunday 9th June - watch this space for updates on Bookshops and Booksellers, Food and Drink, Bookish Activities and Special Guests!

In a first for the 2024 edition of The Book Market, Exeter City of Literature will be playing host to several authors with local literary ties for a series of live talks, panels, and discussions, which will take place in a dedicated author tent on the Cathedral Green. Authors in attendance will be announced in the coming weeks.

Join the Book Market event on Facebook to let us know you're coming!

Bookshops and Vendors

On Sunday 9th June you can shop with…

Meet the Authors!

You asked for it, so we’re making it happen: for the first time The Book Market will be playing host to some terrifically talented authors for a series of live talks, discussions, and workshops.

We’ll be releasing the full schedule on socials soon, but we’re thrilled to share that our dedicated author tent will have something for everyone, with appearances from Abdulla Moaswes, Lucy Holland, Fiona Williams, Aaliyah Kara, Esmie Jikiemi-Pearson, Sarah Pearse, Shri Gunasekara, D-M Withers, and special guest Josie Long!

Plus, our amazing sponsors David & Charles Publishing are bringing two South West writers to the Book Market - Anne le Brocq and Joey Hulin.

The Literary Dream Machine

Help us turn a capsule vending machine into a Dream Machine, filled with colourful capsules containing crowd-sourced contributions!

The Dream Machine will pop up at events across Devon where folks can make a donation to crank the key and receive a bite-sized gift of words. At The Book Market, you can take these words of wisdom to kick start something creative.

If you have a poem, haiku, recipe, quote, limerick, or an excerpt that will fit on a small piece of paper (think a non-edible fortune-cookie) then send it our way by clicking the button below.

Contribute to our literary dream machine

Activities and Refreshments

There will be Bibliotherapy taster sessions available through the day, face-painting maestro Sonia returns with her wordy-themed face & body painting, try out a typewriter courtesy of our friends at Francis Kay, and the Pelican Press Wheelchair Printing Press is back! This beautiful handmade printing press incorporates the weight of a wheelchair as the main printing element, making creativity accessible.

Raw Writing will be hosting memoir writing drop in sessions, Exeter Library will be on hand with crafts & details of their Summer Reading Challenge, whilst Exeter City of Literature’s Youth Panel will be hosting a haiku writing competition and other literary crafts.

Book-shopped till you dropped? Take a break and tuck into delicious goodies from Cake or Death, Naturally Bread, Roots Devon, Exeter Cathedral’s TenFifty and more!

Cast the First Votes of City Reads

The Book Market visitors will be the first to cast their votes for Exeter’s favourite book, as the City Reads shortlist is unveiled!

Find out which books made the top 6 and vote for your favourite at a special voting stand - there will even be some goodies up for grabs at this exclusive first-vote event!

Find out more about City Reads

Interested in Volunteering?

Whether you’re looking to gain some experience in the literary and live events scenes of Devon or just want to support Exeter City of Literature, we’re always happy to welcome more people to our volunteer pool. Click the button below to find out more about volunteering for The Book Market.

Volunteer at The Book Market

Thank you to the following organisations for sponsoring The Book Market

Special thanks to Stormpress for supporting Exeter City of Literature and The Book Market

The Book Market 2023

On 16th July we welcomed a whole host of Devon’s finest purveyors of wordy delights to Exeter Cathedral for a day of book shopping and FREE literary activities!

Bookshops and Booksellers: Bookbag (Exeter) : Dogberry & Finch Books (Okehampton) : Gnash Comics (Ashburton) : Graham York Rare Books (Honiton) : Oxfam Books & Music (Exeter) : Sanctuary Bookshop (Lyme Regis) : Stevens Books & The Mint Press (Exeter) : The Ivybridge Bookshop (Ivybridge) : The Old Queeriosity Shop (Plymouth)

Food and Drink: Ten Fifty at Exeter Cathedral (Exeter) : Daily Bowl (Exeter) : How On Earth Deli (Exeter) : Cake or Death (Exeter)

Bookish Activities: Bibliotherapy Taster Sessions : Pulp2 (Exeter) : Plymouth Book Co-Op (Plymouth) : Francis Kay Vintage (Exeter) : Circle Tales (Exeter) : The Pelican Press by The Pelican Project & Positive Light Projects (Exeter) : Sparkly Sonia Face Painting (Exeter)

The Book Market 2022

On Sunday 20 November, the Book Market returned! This time at Positive Light Projects, the indoor market featured 10 independent bookshops, illustration activities, and gorgeous food and drink.

Bookshops and Booksellers: Bookbag (Exeter) — Fieldfare Birds & Natural History Books (Sidmouth) — Gnash Comics (Ashburton) — Graham York Rare Books (Honiton) — Harbour Bookshop (Kingsbridge) — Liznojan (Tiverton) — Oxfam Books & Music (Exeter) — Sanctuary Bookshop (Lyme Regis) — The Ivybridge Bookshop (Ivybridge) — Megan Stallworthy Hand Bound Books (Wiveliscombe) — Stevensbooks & The Mint Press (Exeter)

Bookish Activities: Author and illustrator Bethan Welby illustration workshops — drop-in bibliotherapy — Francis Kay Vintage typewriters

Food & Drink: South West Coffee Co. — Cake or Death — How On Earth — Rip & Dip Bagels

We were delighted to see so many book lovers, sellers and budding typewriter authors at our second book market.

A big thank you to everyone who attended!

The Book Market 2021

On 20th June 2021, Powderham Castle and Exeter City of Literature hosted a brand-new Book Market in the Castle grounds, featuring a plethora of independent booksellers and literary arts groups from across the county. Thirteen bookshops and booksellers filled the atmospheric Old Riding School barn, alongside local food and drink vendors, The Novel Cure bibliotherapy, Inky Fingers notebooks, CircleTales board games, a vintage typewriter station, and a Reading Nook.

Arts & Literary Activities: CircleTales (Exeter) | Francis Kay Vintage (Exeter) | Inky Fingers Printshop (Exeter) | The Novel Cure Bibliotherapy (Somerset)