The Porto Book Fair opens on Friday in the Crystal Palace Gardens, bringing more than 200 initiatives across 144 stalls to northern Portugal.
The 17-day festival, which offers free admission, opens its doors at 12:00 p.m. for its 13th edition.
This year's event pays tribute to 83-year-old Porto poet Inês Lourenço through a dedicated program combining literature, music, cinema, theater, dance, and visual arts.
A dramatization of a poem about the tragedy of Gaza is scheduled for Friday at 9:00 p.m. in the auditorium of the Almeida Garrett Library. On Saturday at 12:00 p.m., an exhibition titled Na Lâmina Implacável do Tempo, created from the author's personal archive, will open, followed by the presentation of the Tribute Linden Tree award at 3:00 p.m.
International guests and talks
The fair features prominent international authors, including Palestinian poet and journalist Mohammed El-Kurd, who will participate in a session titled Writing of Resistance: Palestine. Franco-Moroccan poet and artist Rim Battal will speak with festival programmer Teresa Coutinho about the body, identity, writing, and performance.
Spanish playwright Angélica Liddell will join a conversation dedicated to the role of poetry in her writing and stage design. Other international writers attending the event include French author Marie Darrieussecq, Mexican poet Elvis Guerra, and British singer, songwriter, and actress Keeley Forsyth.
According to a press release from organizers, panel discussions will explore contemporary social issues. Themes under the Conversation Cycles series include gender violence, ancestry and identity, and writing as a form of resistance.
Porto is the second-largest city in Portugal, located along the Douro River in the country's northern region. Its Crystal Palace Gardens serve as a major municipal venue and house the Almeida Garrett Library, one of the city's key cultural facilities.
Performances and family activities
Visitors can attend daily musical performances held at the Acoustic Shell stage. Organizers have also expanded programming for younger visitors, offering 83 sessions totaling 112 hours of activities designed for babies, children, teenagers, and families.
Over its 17-day run, the event will feature 21 conversations, 20 concerts, seven round tables, seven special sessions, five interactive discussions, eight performance shows, three exhibitions, and one mural art intervention.
