The Book Fair in Matanzas Through the Memories of Its People

The 34th International Book Fair in Matanzas will take place in the coming days, and expectations — although not as they used to be years ago — remain high due to the various cultural activities taking place on the city’s main streets.

In a scenario where complexities are the protagonists, the Matanzas population is curious about the proposals that could take place this coming weekend.

However, it is the feeling of nostalgia that is most aligned with the followers of this initiative when remembering previous editions.

The Book Fair stands as one of the most enriching cultural events of recent years in our country, with numerous volumes available for all ages and literary tastes.

A time when childhoods are marked by the smell of freshly printed pages, and buying a book determines the ideal gift for almost anyone.

In Matanzas, as in the rest of the country’s provinces, the dates prepared to host the event have always been the most anticipated days for the reading public.

Due to the rising value of these texts as well as the absence of many others, the euphoria for this phenomenon has diminished in recent editions.

Some young people from the territory, such as Elizabeth Helen Hamill, point to transportation problems as the main reason why we probably will not see a large number of new books in the upcoming edition.

For his part, Dayron Josué Hidalgo joins the popular opinion that the exorbitant cost of these copies — with increases in recent editions — will prevent greater attendance of city dwellers.

«I notice that the Fair has become smaller, not only in physical dimension but also in the emotion that used to emanate from the public,» commented another interviewee.

The insufficient book supply, where the variety of genres is perceived as scarce on the different shelves, was another issue debated by the young people.

Beyond the setbacks that have accompanied the eve of this edition, the City of Bridges proudly receives the news of presenting more than twenty new titles.

The emblematic Libertad Park will be the venue on this exceptional occasion, where important Matanzas publishers will stand out in the largest literary gathering in Cuba.

Parallel to book sales, the presentation of volumes in the most well-known spaces is customary.

The 34th International Book Fair in our city has a date with its followers from the 20th to the 23rd of this month — an unusual season for its execution but with the promise of bringing an edition orchestrated by the best hands.