The biggest Helsinki Book Fair of all time believes in the power of books
Helsinki Book Fair brings together writers, readers and books to Messukeskus Helsinki, Expo and Convention Centre, from Thursday to Sunday, 24 October– 27 October 2019. The record-breaking event hosts more than 340 companies. Helsinki Book Fair approaches literature from many aspects in the form of debates and interviews. The 14 programme points present more than 1,100 performers and nearly 900 shows. The country of theme of the event is France.
Helsinki Book Fair is the biggest literary event in Finland as well as a significant cultural forum. In addition to authors, the event provides artists, politicians and influencers with a platform to perform. 14 literary awards are handed out during the fair, including the Finnish Fair Foundation’s Rakkaudesta kirjaan (For the Love of Books) award and the Minna Canth award.
Many books are bought at the book fair, for personal use or as gifts. The second-hand bookshop area offers, for example, older books that are no longer available at bookstores. Books are valued at Helsinki Book Fair. According to the visitor survey carried out at the book fair last year, audio books have actually increased the number of books read.
“The importance of reading and literature were highlighted throughout last year, and it has been fabulous to enjoy the Finnish book world in all its glory at Messukeskus. The record-breaking event speaks volumes of the trust we place in our own literature, and the fact that the tickets sold like hot cakes shows how interested people are in the event,” says Ronja Salmi, Head of Programme, Messukeskus. “The long-term goal of Helsinki Book Fair is to get a wide range of people interested in reading. Because reading is something for the whole family, we have catered especially for children and their parents by providing a diverse programme. The playful programme at the children’s area is aimed at the little ones, and there is a programme package geared towards education and relationships at the Esplanadi stage on Sunday. Literature is also constantly on the lookout for new stars and voices, which is why we have also placed a special emphasis on first-time authors. We have encouraged young people to attend the event, for instance, by handing out more than 9,000 free tickets to new university students.”
In addition to Finnish authors, Helsinki Book Fair is visited by nearly 40 international writers, such as the Englishman David Nicholls, Éric Vuillard from France, Kaspar Colling Nielsen from Denmark as well as the Swedish crime writers Camilla Grebe, Denise Rundberg and Arne Dahl. The nominees for the 2018 Nordic Council Literature Prize are also visiting the event. French literature and culture were beautifully showcased by discussions held at the book fair.
Finland's biggest book event
Helsinki Book Fair is hosted by Messukeskus Helsinki, Expo and Convention Centre in cooperation with the Finnish Book Publishers Association and the Booksellers’ Association of Finland. Helsinki Book Fair also features an Antiquarian Book Exhibition co-hosted with the Finnish Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association. The fair also includes a vinyl fair and a stamp exhibition. The “Suunnista kirjaan” event will take place on Thursday and Friday. It will bring roughly 8,000 school students to the fair.
The 2019 Helsinki Book Fair takes place 24–27 October 2019 at Messukeskus Helsinki, Expo and Convention Centre. The event is open between 10.00 am and 8.00 pm from Thursday, 24 October until Saturday, 26 October and between 10.00 am and 6.00 pm on Sunday, 27 October.
You can buy tickets at the door or online during the event: for adults EUR 19/children, students, conscripts, unemployed persons, pensioners EUR 12/family ticket EUR 41/full-time tickets EUR 34/24.
Find the cheapest tickets online at http://shop.messukeskus.com
The event is the 19th of its kind You can explore the food and wine event taking place at the same time with the same ticket. Last year, these events attracted a total of 85,616 visitors.
Further information: Teija Armanto, Communications Officer, Messukeskus Helsinki, Expo and Convention Centre, tel. +358 50 376 0804, teija.armanto@messukeskus.com
Ronja Salmi, Head of Programme, tel. +358 (0)40 750 1019, ronja@ryovari.fi
Images from Helsinki Book Fair at http://mediabank.messukeskus.com
