The journey begins here: Fantasy Festival 2026 steps into the world of heroes
Three international authors have already secured their tickets to Fantasy Festival 2026, where the hero’s journey will be the central theme. The theme can be explored with tickets to both the festival and Fantasy Quest Esbjerg, which brings the story to life.
After the festival in September, where villains took center stage, Fantasy Festival 2026 turns its gaze toward those who stand on the other side of the battle.
The festival’s theme will be the hero’s journey, giving audiences the chance to experience all the decisive steps that shape a hero. From the first call to adventure to the final confrontation, the festival explores what drives a person to rise, to act, and to create change.
“The hero’s journey is a story that both authors and readers return to again and again. It contains courage, doubt, missteps, and breakthroughs – everything that makes stories come alive. In 2026, we want to give festival guests an experience of how heroes are created, both on the page and in encounters with the authors", says Jacob Holm Krogsøe, Creative Director of Program and Content for Fantasy Festival.
Visits from Australia, the USA, and Sweden
Three international authors have already announced their arrival in Esbjerg. Coming from Sweden, the United States, and Australia, they collectively demonstrate how differently a hero’s journey can unfold.
From Sweden comes award-winning Maria Hernius, who has Danish roots. In 2026, she visits her great-grandmother’s homeland to speak about her dystopian universe Dark Paradise, where young people fight for hope in a world marked by collapse and fear.
From the United States, Sherrilyn McQueen will visit Esbjerg. She stands as one of the genre’s most prominent voices, with more than 70 million books sold. She has created iconic universes filled with gods, destinies, conflicts, and people forced to find strength where everything is on the verge of falling apart.
From Australia comes Jessica Townsend, who broke through with Nevermoor, a series about discovering one’s own role and accepting that courage often begins with believing in yourself.
The three authors represent very different genres and expressions, but their stories share a common thread: their protagonists must cross a threshold and venture into the unknown. This is precisely the core of Fantasy Festival 2026.
