In 2006 it was the second largest book fair in the world after the Frankfurt Book Fair . It is held every year in the last week of January in Cairo , Egypt , at the Cairo International Fair Grounds in Madinat Nasr , near Al-Azhar University . The Cairo International Book Fair is a major book fair held every year in the last week of January in Cairo , Egypt , at the Cairo International Fair Grounds in Madinat Nasr , near Al-Azhar University .