South Africa

The 183-year-old small South African town in the middle of nowhere that is visited by international authors every year

Bianke Neethling • 26 June 2026

The small town of Richmond in the Northern Cape hosts an annual literary festival, BoekBedonnerd, that draws international authors and visitors from all over the country.

Established in 1843, this historic town is located in the Karoo region of the Northern Cape, nestled on a bend of the seldom-flowing Ongers River.

It is accessible from the N1 but far from any neighbouring towns or cities, sitting astride the vast open plains of the upper Karoo. It is about halfway between Colesberg and Beaufort West.

While Richmond was established to meet the religious needs of a growing farming community in the Karoo, its church was not built as the town’s focal point.

Instead, Richmond’s centrepiece is its village square, featuring a prolific variety of old Karoo cottages.

Its long history means Richmond also has a host of architectural treasures dating from the Victorian era, including a haphazard street layout that speaks to its location along river banks.

The town has multiple well-preserved houses and public buildings built in the Victorian and Edwardian Karoo style, with some featuring verandahs that date back to the 1920s.

In the 1800s, it was considered a resort town for European aristocrats with lung diseases, thanks to its clean air and mineral-rich waters.

However, today one of Richmond’s biggest attractions is its status as a so-called ‘Book Town’, the only one of its kind in South Africa.

The status of ‘Book Town’ essentially means that the town is home to many second-hand bookstores.

However, only a select few towns across the world have been designated with this title, chosen by the International Organisation of Booktowns, which is 20 members strong.

Various factors are taken into consideration when designating a town as a Book Town.

This includes existing book expertise, a town’s scenic appeal, historic attractions, economic importance, and tourism infrastructure.

Thus, Richmond was chosen for its high concentration of bookstores, book lovers, and overall historic and scenic appeal.

In fact, in one part of Richmond, a number of Victorian-era cottages have been joined together to form one of the largest second-hand bookshops in South Africa.

Its moniker as a Book Town was also inspired by one of Richmond’s most unique offerings – an annual literary festival.

Boekbedonnerd

The BoekBedonnerd Literary Festival is an annual event hosted in Richmond and is one of the country’s most unique and beloved cultural gatherings.

Usually taking place over three days, this festival brings together book lovers from all over the world and hosts internationally acclaimed authors both from South Africa and abroad.

Some participants over the years have included Ben Okri, John Banville, Breyten Breytenbach, Deon Meyer, Athol Fugard, Etienne van Heerden, Mongane Wally Serote, Antjie Krog, Albie Sachs, and Shehan Karunatilaka.

The festival was started in 2007 by an Afrikaans lecturer, Darryl David, who was inspired by the Hay-on-Wye festival in the United Kingdom.

David partnered with Richmond resident Peter Baker to create BoekBedonnerd, hosting the festival in the town’s tiny library and local community halls.

It typically takes place every spring, normally in October and November, and features a host of literary exhibitions, including poetry, novels, histories, and biographies.

The festival has also featured film screenings, art exhibitions, food attractions, a road race, dancers, and a street market.

An event of this magnitude is no easy feat, especially for a small town like Richmond. The town and festival came under severe pressure a few years ago after the withdrawal of major government funding.

However, the people of Richmond rallied and have kept the festival alive through sources like crowd-funding, local business sponsorships, and volunteer support.