The Latvian Book Fair was established by the International Exhibition Company BT 1 and the Latvian Publishers’ Association. Held over three days at the International Exhibition Centre Ķīpsala, it presents a diverse range of books offered by Latvian and foreign publishers. The event is a prime meeting point for readers, writers, translators and publishers from all over Latvia and abroad.
The Latvian Book Fair features a versatile selection of books, book launches and presentations of new titles, meetings with writers and author readings, discussions, contests, special events and activities, for young readers, workshops and seminars for industry professionals, and more. Activities take place in one of the four areas: the main stage, Writers’ Lounge, the participant activities zone, and the Fun Reading Room.
One of the fair’s main highlights is the Book Exchange Point. Attendees are encourage to bring books that they don’t need anymore and exchange them for the titles they haven’t read yet. The Book Exchange Point offers all kinds of books, from fairy tales to adult fiction to reference books. Alongside books that have been brought by attendees, there are about 3,000 titles contributed by the Repository Exchange Fund of the Riga Central Library.
The fair also offers a special program for the youngest readers. Children, their parents and grandparents are invited to the Fun Reading Room, where they can meet authors and illustrators, as well as participate in exciting games, contests and creative activities.
Each edition of the Latvian Book Fair has focused on literature and culture of a particular country. For example, Russia was the guest country at the 2017 Latvian Book Fair because of its strong cultural ties with Latvia, as well as high percentage of Russian-speaking population in the Baltic states.
Full admission to the fair is just € 1. Schoolchildren, students, senior citizens, persons with disabilities, children under 7, and participants of the Skola project get free admission.
Photo: bt1.lv
