The Porto Book Fair opens this Friday with 130 stands and hundreds of events

The Porto Book Fair, which opens to the public today at the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal, includes 130 stands of booksellers, second-hand booksellers, national and international publishers, as well as hundreds of events planned.

In its 11th edition in its current model, the Book Fair, which runs until September 8, this year pays tribute to the “poet of light” Eugenio de Andrade (1923-2005).

The initiatives dedicated to the life and work of Eugenio de Andrade, poet and winner of the Camões Prize in 2001, will begin on Saturday at 3:00 pm with the awarding of the Honorary Lime.

The tribute to the author will continue at 4:00 pm with the talk “Arco e Flecha: Themes of Eugénio Hoje”, which will take place in the Almeida Garrett Municipal Library room and will be moderated by researcher Joana Meyrim.

Later, at 9:00 pm, the hall will host a screening of the documentary film “Eugénio de Andrade, Corazán Habitado,” which tells the story of the last audiovisual interview with the poet.

At the presentation of the book fair in July, Porto City Council President Rui Moreira called the event “a unique opportunity to meet and deepen the work” of Eugénio de Andrade and to discover “other sides” of the poet.

For 17 days, 115 publishers, booksellers and second-hand book dealers will be present on Avenida das Tilias in the Jardim do Palacio de Cristal, with 130 stands.

The gardens will also be home to 16 talks, 15 poetry and comedy sessions, four film screenings, 21 concerts, seven book launches and more than 50 activities for children and families.

After the opening to the public scheduled for 12:00, the exhibition “Post Scriptum Sobre a Alegria” will open at 17:00 at the Almeida Garrett Municipal Library (Graphics Office).

The exhibition, open until September 22, is curated by Rita Roque and Jorge Sobrado and offers a first look at Eugenio de Andrade’s art collection, consisting of more than 100 works, artist books and limited editions.

Like the previous edition, this year’s Book Fair was the result of an investment of approximately 650 thousand euros.

In 2023, the Porto Book Fair celebrated the writer and journalist Manuel António Pina and welcomed around 190,000 visitors.

For 17 days, the Jardins do Palácio de Cristal hosted 108 publishers, booksellers and second-hand book dealers, receiving a record number of visits, 20% more than the 2022 edition.

The fair opens from Monday to Friday at 12:00 and on weekends at 11:00. From Sunday to Thursday the fair is open until 21:00, and on Fridays and Saturdays it closes at 22:00.