Get the inside scoop on the Spring Book Fair 2021
Written by Denitsa Dimitrova, edited by Scott Green, photos by Denitsa Dimitrova
Wondering what to do on this, the first week of June? How about the Spring Book Fair 2021! This year’s slogan is ‘9% VAT on books for a better-educated nation that reads more’. Stalls are lining the garden in front of the National Palace of Culture and you can visit every day until 20:00, but make sure to visit by 19:00 on Sunday, as you’ll have missed out by then and need to wait until next year.
The Spring Book Fair is organized by the Bulgarian Book Association and National Culture Fund and is part of the Calendar of Cultural Events of Sofia Municipality for 2021 and has over 120 participants - publishers, translators, authors, among others.
Different events will be taking place during the fair such as book signings by famous Bulgarian writers, talks on different topics, kid’s events, and entertainment. The best part! Prices will be lower than usual, almost every stall has various discounts and ‘on sale’ baskets. You can find anything from children’s books to novels, classic literature, and science fiction. If you are a fan of comic books and board games you will not be disappointed as there are several stalls that offer those and a number of other interesting gift items - mugs, book covers, tote bags, puzzles with a Bulgarian folklore theme. Bookworm heaven! Check out the fair’s Facebook page for more details and updates.
Most of the publishers only offer books in Bulgarian, but a quick stroll on a sunny Wednesday morning, hunting for other options, took me to stalls 27, 44, 50, and 53, where I found books in English, Russian, Spanish, and Italian. There might be more ‘hidden gems’ there but those are up to you to find. Grab a cup of coffee from the cafes surrounding the park of the National Palace of Culture, and don’t worry, there are portable toilets provided at the fair, and go find your next favorite book. Happy hunting!
