La XIII Feria del Libro de Parla opens its doors from April 4th to 6th in various spaces around the city. Organized by the Department of Culture of the Parla City Council, the Center for Business Initiatives (CIE), the Photographic Collective of Parla, and Teatro Baypass, this edition features the participation of the Municipal Libraries and five local bookstores, as well as the support of sponsoring companies and the collaboration of artists in literature, illustration, and storytelling.
The Fair will take place at the Plaza de la Guardia Civil, Teatro Jaime Salom, Casa de la Cultura, and Centro Cultural Almudena Grandes. During the event, participating bookstores will offer a 5% discount on books, and the Department of Culture will distribute 3,000 vouchers worth 1 euro that can be collected at the organization’s booth until supplies last. The goal is to promote the purchase of books at local bookstores.
Councilor of Culture and Commerce, Gema García Torres, has invited the entire community to enjoy this edition of the Book Fair, emphasizing their commitment to promoting reading and culture: «During the first weekend of April, we will celebrate the XIII edition of the Book Fair with numerous activities related to books and the promotion of reading, in collaboration with our bookstores, illustrators, municipal libraries, and various entities that join us every year.»
«Start preparing your shopping list and come enjoy a weekend full of art and culture with us. Happy Book Day and happy reading,» concluded the councilor.
Diverse and participatory programming
The Parla Book Fair will offer a packed agenda of activities for all audiences. Highlights include artistic contests in different disciplines such as photography (The Fair inspires you), micro-story (The journey of a book), poetry (What is a verse?) and painting (Sailor on Land, by Rafael Alberti).
Winners will receive book bundles and works from collaborating artists. Participation guidelines are available at the Fair’s booth, official event social media, and the municipal website. The awards ceremony will take place on Sunday, April 6th at 6:00 PM at Plaza de la Guardia Civil.
Between March 31st and April 6th, Parla will host a bookcrossing initiative, allowing citizens to find books on the Tram and other city spots. Additionally, Centro Cultural Almudena Grandes will host the exhibition «Land and Shadows. 89 years with Lorca,» featuring paintings and textile art by Mercedes Mateos.
Workshops, theater, and author discussions
On Saturday, April 5th at 11:00 AM, the Perigallo Theater Company will conduct an acting workshop at Casa de la Cultura. Aimed at adult theater enthusiasts, the workshop will provide an immersion in their working method. The activity is free, but registration is required due to limited capacity, via the email cultura@ayuntamientoparla.es.
Also, on Saturday, April 5th at 8:00 PM, Teatro Jaime Salom will present the play «By Own Will«, a dramatic comedy that encourages looking beyond appearances, exploring our essence, and discovering ourselves in others, recommended for audiences aged 14 and above. Pre-sale tickets available at www.bacantix.com.
The event will also be a meeting point for local writers. On Saturday, April 5th at 7:15 PM, the discussion «Editing and publishing as local artists: Is it difficult to become known?» will take place, with the participation of local authors Antonio Carralón, Eduardo Bastos, Soraya Moreno Ballota, Susana Gómez Díaz, Jesús María Chaves Bonilla, and Edson Ferrage.
Children’s activities and musical shows
Youth can enjoy a program filled with stories, activities, and special encounters. From Friday, April 4th to Sunday, April 6th, there will be themed storytelling sessions with professional narrators like Zaira Poblador, Inma Muñoz, and María Márquez, English sessions with Storytelling & Cantajuegos and Storytime, as well as interactive activities like CuentaRol: Become a samurai and Meet and Greet. There will also be meetings with children’s authors such as Estrella López and Mike Bonales.
Additionally, the booths of the Municipal Libraries will offer ongoing activities like Color the sheets, Complete the comic, and Create your own comic, all designed for children to enjoy the magic of literature in a playful and creative way.
In the music section, on Friday, April 4th at 7:00 PM, the public can enjoy the show «Sabina vs Serrat» by EducaPOP; a tribute to two of the great poets and musicians of the Spanish-speaking world, performing their most emblematic compositions, from generational anthems to intimate ballads.
On Sunday, April 6th at 12:00 PM, Mundo Caracolino, the first surf music band for children, will offer a concert filled with reggae, funk, rap, and punk, combining games, body percussion, and fun lyrics about ecology, dinosaurs, and more.
In the evening, at 7:00 PM, the vocal group Meraki will present a repertoire ranging from gospel and classics by Las Chordettes and The Beach Boys to contemporary hits by Dua Lipa and Adele.
All information about the XIII Book Fair and events honoring Book Day, as well as the guidelines for the contests that will be held, can be found on the municipal website:
