“I want to communicate the idea that Madrid is a open and diverse city in which there are as many readings as there are types of readers”, this is how the author of the poster for this edition of the book fair, Maria Simavilla. On this occasion, the illustrator wanted to reflect in her work the existing diversity in the reading community with a typical Madrid façade, which could belong to any traditional neighborhood in the city, led by a diverse reading community, and thereby pay homage to all the passionate by reading the capital to celebrate the 82nd edition of this Book Fair.

Under this same intention, the director of this event, Eva Orue, expressed the importance of reading in this city and claims the anniversary of the fair as a success since its inauguration. “The Fair meets 90 years already and in this time it has opened the windows to those who promoted that initial Fair from April 23 to 29, 1933: it is seen that they have fulfilled their objective”, says the director of the organization. Event that will be held very soon in the park of the Retreat, between May 26 to June 11.

In this edition they land in their 361 booths a wide variety of publishing labels, including 54 with fewer than 100 titles currently in the catalogue, 84 with between 100 and 300 titles; 97 out of between 300 and 1,000 and 53 with more than 1,000. In addition, together with the distribution companies, they will have representation from 327 publishers and there will also be trade union booths, associations and bookstores that will be up to 114 in this edition, as explained by Eva Orúe in a statement to the press.

who signs this year

The most expected of this fair is the confirmation of the presence of the best known faces of the literary world. This edition will have numerous writers in the booths to sign their most recognized titles and among them, the following stand out: Dolores Redondo, Javier Cercas, Sara Mesa, Juan José Millás, Javier Castillo, Julia Navarro, Carmen Mola (Jorge Díaz, Agustín Martínez and Antonio Mercero), Fernando Aramburu, Elvira Lindo, Elisabet Benavent, Eva García Sáenz de Urturi and Pedro Almodóvar. However, on the official page of the Book Fair all authors can be consulted who will be present at this event, the booth they will be in, the date and time.

Book Fair Schedule

The typical cultural event of the Madrid capital will reach citizens from May 26 and can be enjoyed until the 11th of next month, this is the schedule of the Madrid Book Fair:

  • Monday to Thursday: from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.
  • Saturdays and Sundays: from 10:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and from 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.

The location of the event will be the usual one since 1967, the El Retiro Park in the direction of Independence Square where there are more than 361 booths in a row with more than three and four meters. The shelves will be distributed along Paseo de Coches, from Puerta de Madrid (Calle O’Donnell) to La Rosaleda, at the intersection with Paso de Uruguay (Puerta de Granada).

The event shelves will begin to be assembled from May 3 with exhibitions contributed by almost 13 official organizations, 12 distributors, 51 general bookstores and 62 specialized ones. In addition to 161 Madrid publishers and 116 from other autonomous communities. In the center will be located the editors’ unions of six autonomous communities, those of the universities and those of the Union of Spanish University Presses and the CSIC. Here is the complete list of the exhibitors.

How to get to the Book Fair?

The Book Fair is located in the Retiro Park, specifically in the Paseo Fernan Nunez and can be reached by:

Bus (Lines)

  • 001, 1, 2, 5, 9, 10, 14, 15, 19, 20, 26, 27, 28, 32, 34, 37, 45, 51, 52, 53, 61, 63, 74, 146, 150, 152, 203, C1, C2, C03, E1.

Meter

  • Atocha (L1)
  • Ibiza (L9)
  • Withdrawal (L2)
  • Prince of Vergara (L2 and L9)

Surroundings

  • Madrid-Atocha

BiciMad rental

  • Seasons 6065, 69, 70, 74, 75, 85, 102

What is the origin of the Book Fair?

The Book Fair has not always been held in the Retiro, in 1967 it was moved from Recoletosone of the main streets of the capital to the lungs of Madrid and today, this cultural event has become one of the largest events at the national level and a benchmark in the Ibero-American area.

On April 23, 1933, Madrid made its first book Fair due to the celebration of the Cervantina Week in the Paseo de Recoletos. Its objective was the dissemination of copies for a cheaper price, with a ten percent discount during the entire duration of the event, according to a newspaper of the time. Before, La Feria whose name continued with “nacional e hispano-americana” in 1944 was renamed with the name of National Book Fair. Currently, and thanks to the collaboration with guilds such as bookstores, publishers and other distributors, it has become one of the most important cultural events, with recognitions such as the National Prize for the Promotion of Reading and the International Projection Prize of the City of Madrid Benito Perez Galdos. In addition to being declared cultural good in 2020.