The first Manchester Radical Bookfair was organised in December 2001 at Bridge 5 Mill, the home of MERCi (Manchester Environmental Resource Centre Initiative) in Beswick, east Manchester.
Five further bookfairs were organised at Bridge 5 Mill (taking place twice a year) before moving to The Basement, a new anarchist social centre on Lever Street in Manchester’s Northern Quarter.
It was decided to change the name to the Manchester Anarchist Bookfair (as this better reflected to content/ philosophy of the bookfair and the Basement Social Centre).
Two further bookfairs were organised at the Basement before the social centre closed due to flooding.
The search for a new venue was on and the bookfair took place twice at Jabez Clegg (a night club close to Manchester University) and then once at the Dancehouse Theatre (opposite the now demolished BBC building).
Finally the book fair moved to the People’s History Museum on the banks of the River Irwell in the Spinningfields area of Manchester city centre.
After the first year the book fair was renamed the Manchester & Salford Anarchist Bookfair to reflect its current location on the edge of the two cities.
Here’s a list of all the bookfairs to date with posters where available.
If you spot any mistakes or omissions drop us a line at manchester@bookfair.org.uk
Manchester Radical Bookfair
Saturday 8th December 2001
Bridge 5 Mill
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Manchester Radical Bookfair
Sunday 5th May 2002
Bridge 5 Mill
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Manchester Radical Bookfair
Saturday 7th December 2002
Bridge 5 Mill
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Manchester Radical Bookfair
Saturday 17th May 2003
Bridge 5 Mill
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Manchester Radical Bookfair
Saturday 6th December 2003
Bridge 5 Mill
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Manchester Radical Bookfair
Saturday 19th June 2004
Bridge 5 Mill
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Manchester Radical Bookfair
Saturday 30th April 2005
The Basement
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Manchester Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 3rd December 2005
The Basement
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Manchester Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 29th April 2006
The Basement
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Manchester Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 7th June 2008
Jabez Clegg
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Manchester Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 26th September 2009
Jabez Clegg
Manchester Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 2nd October 2010
Dancehouse Theatre
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Manchester & Salford Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 3rd December 2011
People’s History Museum
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Manchester & Salford Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 1st December 2012
People’s History Museum
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Manchester & Salford Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 23rd November 2013
People’s History Museum
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Manchester & Salford Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 29th November 2014
People’s History Museum
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Manchester & Salford Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 10th December 2016
Islington Mill, Salford
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Manchester & Salford Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 2nd December 2017
Partisan, 19 Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester
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Manchester & Salford Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 1st December 2018
Partisan, 19 Cheetham Hill Road, Manchester
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Manchester & Salford Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 7th December 2019
People’s History Museum
Manchester & Salford Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 6th November 2021
People’s History Museum
Manchester & Salford Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 5th November 2022
People’s History Museum
Manchester & Salford Anarchist Bookfair
Saturday 4th November 2023
People’s History Museum