Mexican singer Julieta Venegas will be in Madrid this month… and it won’t be to give a concert. Her visit is prompted by the presentation of her literary debut, *Norteña: Memories of the Beginning*, as part of the latest edition of the independent literature festival Back to the Book Festival 2026.
The event, organized for several years now by the bookstore and publishing house Altamarea, will be held once again at Matadero Madrid, in the Arganzuela district, and will take place over the coming weekend: September 11–13. Admission, as usual, is completely free.
For those unfamiliar with this event, it could be described as a hybrid between an independent book fair and a music festival: all participating publishers will have copies of their books for sale, and surrounding them is a full program of activities spread across different stages.
In addition to the Mexican artist, the lineup for this unique festival features prominent figures from the current literary scene, such as Lana Corujo, Paco Roca, Lucía Solla Sobral, Sara Torres, Pilar Asuero, Servando Rocha, Raquel Congosto, María Bastarós, and Pedro Zuazua, among many others.
Back to the Book Festival 2026 Program
The scheduled activities, designed for all audiences and literary interests, include both book presentations and signings —such as that by Julieta Venegas, which will take place on Friday, September 11, at 6:30 p.m. —as well as live radio programs, such as Radio 5’s *El ojo crítico*, hosted by Laura Martínez Ruibal.
In addition to the above, there will also be talks, workshops, and special book club sessions . It’s important to note that, although admission to the festival is free, for some activities it’s necessary (or advisable) to reserve a spot, and that there is a fee for the workshops—prices range from €5 to €35.
All the details of the program (schedule, location, reservations, etc.) can be found on the Back to the Book Festival 2026 website.
Schedule for the Back to the Book Festival 2026
Throughout each day, visitors can also enjoy music by a DJ and grab a snack or a specialty coffee. The event schedule is as follows:
- Friday, September 11: 4:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Saturday, September 12: 11:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Sunday, September 13: 11:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.