Six of the nation's largest publishers have signed on as exhibitors for BookCon 2026, event organizer ReedPop has announced. Hachette, HarperCollins, Macmillan, Penguin Random House, Simon & Schuster, and Sourcebooks will bring authors to the show, to be held April 18-19 at New York's Javits Center, and operate booths on the show floor.
"Publishers are a cornerstone of the book industry, and we are thrilled that they are supporting BookCon's return," said Jenny Martin, event director at ReedPop. A total of approximately 400 exhibitors are have signed on to participate, including indie authors, traditional publishers, non-endemic brands, and bookish sidelines.
The participation of the publishing community signals industry confidence in the reimagined consumer event, which ReedPop discontinued in December 2020 after the pandemic forced cancelations. Since then, the growth of BookTok has reshaped genre publishing and attracted legions of new fans—the target audience for the new iteration of BookCon.
Authors participating in the event include Casey McQuiston, Holly Black, Leigh Bardugo, and Victoria Aveyard. The show will feature book signings, panels, workshops, and a show floor with bookish merchandise vendors, including brands offering a wide range of book-related merchandise. Participating brands include Blissfully Bookish, Book Beau, Cliche Teas, Kingdom of Threads, Pinstory, Reading Portal, Steamy Lit, and more.
"There's nothing like the energy of thousands of passionate readers meeting and interacting with the authors and stories that they love," said Leigh Marchant, chief marketing officer at Hachette Book Group.
ReedPop also announced that the event, which returns after a six year hiatus, has already sold out its tickets.
