From 10-16 November, Lagos becomes Africa’s largest open-air cultural picnic, with books, art, debate and community at the heart of transformation.
The 27th edition of the Lagos Book & Arts Festival (LABAF) is set to take place from 10 to 16 November 2025 at twin venues, Freedom Park on Lagos Island and the JRandle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History in Onikan.
Organised by the Committee for Relevant Art (CORA), this year’s theme, “Change: Imagining Alternatives”, seeks to spark conversations around culture, society and the power of narrative to reshape futures.
LABAF has long been known as Africa’s largest cultural picnic, a free, open-air festival blending literature, art, performance, film and public conversation. Over the week, attendees can expect:
- Dozens of book-treks and author-talks exploring fiction, poetry and nonfiction
- Panel sessions addressing “Literature in the Digital Age,” the environment and social change
- Live music, art exhibitions, drama and public installations that connect books to broader creative expression.
What makes LABAF special is its accessibility, all main events are free to attend (with only vendors paying fees) so the public truly participates in the cultural exchange.
For readers of ComicPanel, this festival represents an intersection of creative fields you follow: the narrative power of books, the visual language of art and the communal energy of live performance. Whether you’re interested in a new novel, a graphic novel inspired panel or a film adaptation discussion, LABAF offers the kind of cross-disciplinary exploration that ignites imagination.
From the pages of a novel to the stage of a live performance, LABAF 2025 invites you to join a movement, one where stories are rewritten, voices amplified and change imagined.
Which author, artist or conversation are you most excited to see at LABAF this year? Tell us below!