Catalan Book Week returns to Barcelona with expanded program and record expectations

The Catalan Book Week returns this year as one of the most important literary events on the calendar.  

The fair has been steadily gaining ground in recent years, and it now stands out as one of the highlights of Catalonia’s year-round literary offer. 

It will take place in Barcelona from September 19 to 28 at Passeig de Lluís Companys, by the Arc de Triomf, a location first adopted last year and maintained due to its success. 

If last year set a record with 100,000 visitors and a 20% increase in sales, organizers expect to surpass those numbers again this year during its 43rd edition. 

The fair will expand by an additional 1,000 square meters, reaching nearly 9,000 in total. Visitors will find 94 stalls hosting 312 exhibitors, including publishers, bookstores, and cultural institutions. 

Across the ten days, the program will be filled with activities: more than 200 book signings, public readings, author talks, and literary routes.

International authors will also be featured, such as French philosopher Roger-Pol Droit and Russian writer Anna Starobinets. 

A special celebration will mark the 250th anniversary of Jane Austen, with talks dedicated to the author and themed activities. 

"It will not only be a literary space, but also a place of cultural connection that brings Catalan culture together," said Ilya Pérdigo, president of Editors.cat. 

Among this year’s new features is a dedicated reading space, designed to offer visitors a quieter, more comfortable environment. 

"We don’t want the Catalan Book Week to be just a place where books are bought, but a space that invites people to stay and read," he added. 

Another key factor behind the event’s success is its overlap with La Mercè, Barcelona’s annual street festival, which runs this year from September 23 to 28. 

"There is great synergy between the Catalan Book Week and La Mercè. The location and dates are ideal. It represents a major success for the publishing sector in normalizing Catalan literature," said the city’s culture councillor, Xavier Marcé. 

Another aim of the Catalan Book Week is to spread literary activity throughout the year, instead of concentrating it all on Sant Jordi, Catalonia’s literary holiday. 

"The goal is to move beyond concentrating reading around Sant Jordi, by adding more events like the Book Week. This is the cornerstone of promoting the Catalan language," said Edgar Garcia, director of ICEC. 

A new addition this year is a stall dedicated to promoting the Catalan language, offering resources, information, and activities for non-speakers interested in learning it.