The mayor of Huelva, Pilar Miranda, officially opened the 50th edition of the Huelva Book Fair today, which will take place from 16 to 25 October in the city's Plaza de las Monjas. This event, organised by the Huelva City Council in collaboration with the Huelva Booksellers Association and the Huelva Federation of Entrepreneurs (FOE), commemorates half a century of promoting literature and bringing together readers, writers, booksellers, and publishers around culture and reading.
During her speech, Miranda highlighted the significance of the fair, stating, “We are celebrating nothing less than the 50th anniversary of a fair that is part of Huelva's cultural history and the memories of many generations of Huelva residents. It is an event that has managed to stay alive, grow, and adapt to the times without losing its essence, and we are proud to say it is the oldest in Andalusia.”
The mayor expressed her gratitude to the Huelva Booksellers Association and the professionals who have kept the fair alive over the past five decades, emphasising the role of booksellers in recommending works, discovering new authors, and bringing reading to the public. She also championed local literary talent and the contributions of local publishers such as Niebla and Pábilo Editorial. “In a world that moves so quickly, opening a book remains a wonderful way to pause, imagine, learn, and discover other worlds. Investing in reading is investing in a more educated, critical, and free society,” Miranda noted, inviting residents to visit the fair and “make it their own.”
Gracia Baquero, the provincial deputy for Culture, remarked that the fair allows “books to leave our shelves to reach people and fill our province with wonderful stories.” She underscored that reaching 50 editions is the result of shared efforts among institutions, booksellers, publishers, authors, and professionals, reaffirming the provincial government's support for this cultural event.
This year’s programme also includes the Huelva Black festival, dedicated to crime and mystery novels, with activities planned at the Provincial Council's auditorium. Baquero expressed her hope that the fair continues to be a meeting place between the capital and the province, as well as between readers and authors.
Representing the regional government, Carlos Soriano, the education delegate in Huelva, emphasised the importance of fostering reading from schools and the involvement of the entire community to ensure that young people incorporate this habit into their lives. He reminded attendees that educational centres have a daily reading programme and thanked the collaboration of institutions, professionals, and educators who make the fair possible. Soriano described Plaza de las Monjas as an “open-air library” during these ten days and encouraged schools to participate in activities to connect students with books, publishers, and writers.
Alberto Santana, president of the Port Authority of Huelva, reiterated the port's support for the Book Fair and highlighted the importance of collaboration between public and private entities to sustain such a long-standing event. He noted that culture is a significant part of the sponsorships and projects supported by the Port Authority and congratulated the Booksellers Association for its five decades of work, expressing a desire for continued collaboration in future editions.
María de la O Barroso, director of the Santa María de La Rábida campus of the International University of Andalucía (UNIA), focused on the role of books as tools for discovering other realities and sharing experiences. She particularly thanked Juan Antonio García Villadeamigo and those who have sustained the fair over its 50 years. Among UNIA's proposals for this edition is the activity 'Human Library: Read to Love', scheduled for Thursday, 22 October, at 17:00, where two writers, one of whom is from Huelva, will share how writing has influenced their lives and helped them face challenges.
María Luisa García-Palacios, responsible for Cultural Events and Publications at the Caja Rural del Sur Foundation, expressed the foundation's satisfaction in participating once again in the fair, especially in such a significant edition. She highlighted the presence of their publications covering areas such as livestock, agriculture, gastronomy, and culture. The foundation will also have a solidarity stand, with all proceeds from book sales going to the 'Once Upon a Time' Foundation, which supports children with serious illnesses who must remain hospitalised for extended periods and helps fulfil their wishes.
Antonio Gemio, president of Huelva Comercio, representing the Huelva Federation of Entrepreneurs, noted that maintaining a fair for 50 years is a complex task requiring public-private collaboration and thanked those who have upheld the project over time. He particularly recognised the dedication of Juan Antonio García Villadeamigo, president of the Huelva Booksellers Association, and his ongoing commitment to the sector and the Book Fair.
In closing, García Villadeamigo celebrated the anniversary as “a story built among booksellers, authors, institutions, collaborators, and readers,” recalling that “many generations of Huelva residents have grown up connected to the fair,” thus asserting “the role of bookstores as spaces for guidance and discovery, where personal recommendations help each reader find the right book.” He remarked that “a page is not an ending, but the beginning of a new chapter,” inviting the public to participate in this edition and continue making the fair a meeting place for books, readers, and families.
The Huelva Book Fair will feature 22 stands from booksellers, publishers, administrations, universities, and foundations over the ten days. The programme includes book presentations and signings, author meetings, poetry readings, book clubs, workshops, storytelling sessions, and activities for children and young people. Notable participants this year include Miguel Pardeza, Isabel San Sebastián, Rodrigo Cortés, Ángeles González Sinde, and J. J. Benítez, along with authors connected to Huelva and its province. The fair also reserves space for initiatives that broaden access to reading and engage diverse audiences, with educational activities, easy reading proposals, and meetings in the UNIA Space.
The 50th Huelva Book Fair will remain open until Sunday, 25 October, in Plaza de las Monjas, inviting locals and visitors to discover new readings, meet their authors, and support the participating booksellers and publishers.
