BAY AREA BOOKFAIR 2026
Aug. 9, 2026 Update about cameras and videos
The Bay Area Anarchist Book Fair was infiltrated by Turning Point USA last year on October 18th, 2026. Afterwards, TP posted a 20-minute hit piece* on anarchism across the country showing several clips of our book fair. Preparing for this year’s book fair (Oct. 3rd at Humanist Hall in Oakland), we wanted to let people know what occurred and steps we are taking.
On the day of the book fair, we had a list of right-wing livestreamers to look out for, and we screened for people wearing meta glasses. We had posted numerous signs about our standing policy against photos, filming, and recording. Throughout the day we asked numerous people to stop taking selfies and cell phone pictures. However, with over 1,000 attendees, it was not possible to stay aware of everyone present. During the last panel, we spotted two people sitting separately with meta glasses. They were both approached by security and told to remove the glasses or leave. One agreed to pocket them, the other said they were necessary prescription glasses, but agreed to put tape over the lens. Security continued to keep an eye on them, and shortly after they left separately. Neither was on our right-wing live-streamers list.
Once we found out about the TP infiltration, we contacted our vendors, volunteers and presenters. We also spoke to poeple organizing book fairs in other cities. We attempted to contact people identifiable from the footage. Fortunately, due to our mask policy, that was not many people.
In the past if we caught people taking pictures or videos we would warn them before bouncing them. This year we will increase security and have a firmer line. People wearing meta glasses or caught recording or filming in violation of our policy will be asked to leave immediately. You can help us by not complaining if and when we ask you to put your phone away. We are also asking everyone to mask up to protect their own identity.
* We recommend against searching online for the video so as not to drive traffic for TP USA.
Workshop Submissions Open until July 31, 2026
This year’s theme is:
Going Analog: Fighting Technofascism, Reinvesting in Each Other
We will prioritize workshops that relate to this year’s theme, workshops for children, or workshops that center disability justice. Please click the link below for more information and to submit your proposal.
Workshop Proposals Cryptpad Form
This years full theme is:
Tech companies run by ultra rich oligarchs are revving up neocolonialism by continuing to extract wealth, land, resources, and labor from the Global South and within the heart of empire. Technological development is focused on warfare, surveillance, artificial intelligence, and monetizing the attention economy and the ways we live and connect. Yet as we find ourselves hurtling further into dystopia, we remember that this destructive form of technological “advancement” is being and has always been met with resistance. In an age of mass collapse and rising technofascism, how can we create alternative technologies to further our goals? What strategies and tactics are at our disposal to fight big tech? And how can we meaningfully divest from mainstream technology? As we confront this dytopian technofascist present, we are also reaching back to the past, bringing forward analog technologies to carry with us into the future. We are turning away from systems of genocide and war, mass surveillance, AI slop, and sensational propaganda and investing in our neighbors and the human connections that give the world meaning. We keep us safe. And we are tapping into our creativity, that life force that insists on another, more beautiful, liberated, and healed world.
This year, we invite workshop submissions that help us make sense of these many modes of resistance we’re broadly calling “analog.”
SAVE THE DATE!
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2026
HUMANIST HALL
415 28th St. Oakland
The Bay Area Anarchist Bookfair is a free family friendly event. Masks will be required indoors and very strongly encouraged outdoors. Please note the date shift to accommodate more of our community members. We can’t wait to see you there!
BAY AREA BOOKFAIR 2025
We look forward to welcoming everyone back for the 2025 bookfair. Here is the key information:
Date: Saturday, October 18, 2025
Theme: Building anarchist infrastructure and interdependence
Location: Humanist Hall
Share Share Share: For the book fair to be a successful event, it is essential that you publicize your participation! Please contact your network, post on your website, and link to us on Facebook and Instagram! See attached for our Save the Date and stay tuned for a full poster. (Find us on IG @bayareaanarchistbookfair )
Masking: All vendors will be outside, and all workshops will be hosted indoors. Masks are required indoors and strongly recommended outdoors. Free masks will be available at the entrance all day, and there will be ventilation running indoors.
Sibling Bookfairs:
- Sacramento Anarchist Bookfair is the week before ours on Saturday, October 11th.
- Seattle Anarchist Bookfair is on October 18th-19th, hosted at the Vera Project. We’re collaborating with them on some projects, stay tuned for more info! Please note that their bookfair is two days, while ours is Saturday only – we hope this makes it possible for people to attend both!
Support the future of the book fair: Finally, as you know, the book fair is a free event that is organized by a group of volunteers. We are committed to keeping it this way. If you have the availability to, we would be grateful if you shared the link to our venmo @bayareabookfair in your networks and on your chosen social media platforms.
If you have any questions on the day of the event, please come to the welcome table.
Thanks!
The BAAB Committee