The La Laguna Book Fair will once again fill the city with literature and culture between 9 and 12 October, in an edition that reaches its 37th anniversary and reaffirms its role as the main regional event dedicated to books and reading. Organised by the Tenerife Booksellers Association (APROLITE), the Canary Islands Government —through the Canary Islands Institute of Cultural Development (ICDC) and the Directorate-General for Trade— and La Laguna City Council, this year’s fair will bring together 25 bookshops, 25 publishers and various cultural organisations. It will also feature a space dedicated to fanzines, expanding the creative diversity of its offering and consolidating its position as the most important literary showcase on the islands.

The event was presented on Monday at a press conference by the Councillor for Culture of La Laguna, Adrián del Castillo; the Director General of Cultural Innovation and Creative Industries of the Canary Islands Government, Cristóbal de la Rosa; the Minister of Culture and Museums of the Tenerife Island Council, José Carlos Acha; and the President of the Tenerife Booksellers’ Association, Remedios Sosa.

‘This is one of the most beloved and eagerly awaited cultural events in La Laguna,’ said Adrián del Castillo. ‘Following last year’s success, we are once again choosing the Plaza del Cristo as the main venue, because we believe it is a spacious area with many possibilities for the promotion, sale and exchange of literature, which is the main purpose of this event,’ said the councillor.

Cristóbal de la Rosa pointed out that this year ‘we are strengthening our collaboration with the Book Fair through a co-production agreement that allows us to become more involved’ in the organisation and activities. ‘Our aim is not only to support literature, but also to promote literary creation and publishing in the Canary Islands’, involving young authors and extending the cultural reach of the fair to the entire population.

For his part, José Carlos Acha pointed out that it is the Cabildo’s ‘job to once again support an event that is fundamental to the world of books in Tenerife. The fair allows citizens to enjoy the activities and discover new reading material, while La Laguna consolidates its position as a cultural reference point in the Canary Islands’.

The president of the Tenerife Booksellers’ Association, Remedios Sosa, congratulated those who have made this new edition of the La Laguna Book Fair possible. “Participation continues to grow: this year we have 25 bookshops, 25 publishers and various cultural entities. The fair is undoubtedly the most important cultural event of the year on our island, a space where booksellers, writers and the public share their passion for reading,” she said.

The 2025 programme will offer more than a hundred literary, professional and family activities. Among the names that will be present at this edition are Sabina Urraca, Pedro Torrijos, Amaia Arrazola, Cristina Oñoro, Ana Jarén, Julia Peró, Juan and Javier Gallego, Miguel Fernández and Daniel María. There will also be tributes to figures such as Luis Alemany, Fernando Senante and Jaime Mir, as well as the presentation of new authors from our Literary School and regional publishers who symbolise the future of island literature.

The Alonso Quesada, Isla and Zona Cero spaces will host meetings with writers, presentations and debates, while the Zona Diversidad (Diversity Zone) —which includes the Hotel Hall and Lino de los Sueños spaces— will be dedicated to school workshops, family activities, technology and the performing arts.

In addition, there will be a gastronomic area and a stage for concerts, theatre, dance, circus and parades. The participation of festivals such as Clownbaret (FIC), La Noche de los Cuentos and LOBA will contribute their own content, further enriching the programme.

This year’s edition also has the support of the Tenerife Island Council and the collaboration of companies and organisations such as Cajasiete, Spar Tenerife, Heineken, Fuente Alta, Imprenta Reyes, Fedeco, Lapanera, Colectivo LOBA, Festival Época, Uve de Vida, Troysteatro, La Gaveta Literaria and Garabato Cultural, among others.

All the information and the complete programme can be found on the website www.ferialibrotenerife.es

Since its inception in 1988, the fair has been a meeting point for readers, authors and professionals in the publishing sector. Its move to La Laguna in 2021 marked a new era: the World Heritage city has since become its permanent home, transforming the Plaza del Cristo into a large open-air venue where literature intertwines with urban life, commerce and citizen participation.

The event, which is part of the National Book Fair Network alongside more than forty other events throughout Spain, has placed La Laguna’s fair in a leading national position. APROLITE, an organisation that brings together 135 bookshops in the province and belongs to the Spanish Confederation of Booksellers’ Guilds and Associations (CEGAL), promotes this fair with the aim of raising the profile of Canarian publishing talent and strengthening its connection with the book industry in the rest of the country.

Thanks to collaboration between public institutions and private companies, the fair has established a sustainable model that reinforces the role of bookshops as vibrant cultural centres and drivers of the local economy. More than just a space for sales and promotion, the event is conceived as a collective project where culture, economy and community converge.