The Paseo de San Francisco is once again transformed for several days into the city's grand literary salon. The 45th Badajoz Book Fair It brings together presentations, signings, workshops, storytelling, comics and school activities in a venue full of booths and themed tents, designed so that all types of audiences can find their niche among books.
Over ten days, the competition combines the presence of well-known figures from the national publishing scene with authors from ExtremaduraThere are proposals for children and young people, spaces dedicated to fanzines and graphic novels, as well as exhibitions and literary competitions that reinforce the city's connection with reading.
A well-established fair on the Paseo de San Francisco
The heart of the fair beats in the Paseo de San Francisco, transformed into a meeting point for readersBooksellers and publishers. This year, 43 stalls have been set up, opening their doors with a mix of new releases, essential classics, and works by local authors, along with the first-time presence of the Mirada y Voz narrative school with its own titles and manuals.
During the days the event lasts, the promenade is transformed into a veritable showcase of books, not only on paper, but also “in person”Thanks to an intensive program of presentations and talks that brings writers closer to the public. Of the nearly eighty presentations scheduled, more than half are by authors from Extremadura, who find in this environment a privileged platform to showcase their work.
The 45th edition takes place from May 8th to 17th, with a compact schedule that links activities from morning to night. The exhibitors are open Monday to Thursday from 10:00 to 14:00 and from 17:30 to 22:00From Friday to Sunday, the opening hours are slightly adjusted: from 11:00 to 14:30 and from 17:30 to 22:00. On the final day, Sunday the 17th, the venue remains open from 11:00 to 14:00, with a festive closing that includes a concert by the Badajoz Municipal Band.
The organization maintains the format that has been so successful in recent years: a tour of the booths after the opening ceremony, tents differentiated according to the type of activity (conferences, children's content, thematic space for comics and fanzines, exhibitions) and a continuous program that avoids dead hours, encouraging people to walk around and stop in every corner of the venue.
Official opening and presence of big names
The official start of the 45th Badajoz Book Fair takes place on Friday, May 8th at 7:00 p.m., with the usual institutional inauguration and opening address by the writer Juan Manuel de PradaThe speech took place at the Fair's entrance and later in the Conference Tent. The author, who has a long-standing cultural connection with the city and is a regular judge for the Ciudad de Badajoz awards, assumed the role of town crier after Luis Alberto de Cuenca resigned for personal reasons.
That same day, the program begins even before the opening speech with the opening of Reading corner in the Children's Tent at 5:30 p.m.A comics workshop and comics library will be held in the Ambigú Gráfico themed tent at 6:00 p.m., followed by a storytelling session between 8:00 and 8:45 p.m. At 8:30 p.m., the bibliographic exhibition “Manuel Terrón Albarrán. Bibliophile,” organized by the Badajoz City Council and the Union of Bibliophiles of Extremadura, will open in the UBEX exhibition tent.
The presence of top-tier authors is one of the festival's strongest points. Throughout the ten days, The Paseo de San Francisco is home to writers such as Luz Gabás, Vicente Vallés, Juan del Val, and Ángela Banzas.A finalist for the Planeta Prize, among other prominent names. In total, there are 79 presentations, ranging from contemporary fiction to essays, including crime novels and young adult literature.
The programming also includes figures such as Lorenzo Silva, Espido Freire, Blue Jeans, Isabel San Sebastián, Sergio del Molino, Juan Soto Ivars, César Pérez Gellida, Luis Zueco, Santiago Díaz or Ismael Martínez BiurrumMany of them come not only to present their latest works, but also to meet with readers and sign copies in the City Hall tent.
A Sunday with a continuous rhythm of events
Within the calendar, one of the busiest days is Sunday, May 10th, which begins in the morning and continues until night. The Conference Tent opens at 11:30 a.m. with a children's program.: the presentation of “Ursula's Revenge. The Adventures of Miriam Chuli and Tito Feo”, by Teo Carrasco.
Minutes later, at 12:00, the announcement and awards ceremony will take place. XXX Children's and Youth Poetry and Narrative CompetitionThe program, coordinated by Juan Manuel Cardoso Carballo, is now part of the fair's regular schedule. The morning continues at 1:00 p.m. with "Ancestras" by Miguel Ángel Carmona, followed at 1:30 p.m. by "El puente – del caos financiera al control consciente" by Marcos Castaño Pérez. The morning session concludes at 2:00 p.m. with the presentation of "Un lugar entre pompas de jabón" by Raquel Silva.
Meanwhile, the themed tent-graphic refreshment stand adds activity with a Pepe Murciego's object-based magazine workshop, "Pages Under Construction"The event is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. Later that afternoon, at 5:30 p.m., the same space transforms into a zine market and open workshop with a comic book library, further promoting comics and self-publishing. The day concludes at 8:30 p.m. with the presentation of "Piscolabis," a collaborative book produced by the Mirada y Voz project.
In the afternoon session, the Conference Tent resumes its activity at 5:30 p.m. with "Marisol and Pepito the Cricket", by Fructuosa Bellido Sara, an event aimed at children. At 6:00 p.m., María Polán presents “Original Stories by Mary Wollstonecraft and William Blake”, followed at 6:30 p.m. by Isaac Palmiola with the collection “Detective Sopapo and You”, designed for young readers.
At 7:00 p.m., Justo Macías Pérez presents “No lo cuentes” (Don't Tell Anyone), followed at 7:30 p.m. by Violeta Reed, who takes the stage with “Si es perfecto no es amor” (If It's Perfect, It's Not Love), a work in the young adult romantic genre. The final part of the afternoon features two of the most anticipated performances: “The Gospel According to Caravaggio”, by Jaime de los Santos, at 8:00 p.m., and “The Trial”, by Luis Zueco, at 8:45 p.m., which serves as the closing of the Sunday program in the Conference Tent.
Book signings and direct meetings with readers
The Town Hall tent functions throughout the fair as a genuine meeting point between writers and readersOn Sunday the 10th, the signing schedule runs parallel to the presentations: at 12:00 Teo Carrasco will be there; at 13:30 it's Raquel Silva and Miguel Ángel Carmona's turn, and at 14:00 Marcos Castaño Pérez will be signing.
In the afternoon, the dynamic continues with Fructuosa Bellido Sara at 6:00 p.m.This is followed by María Polán at 6:30 p.m., Isaac Palmiola at 7:00 p.m., and Justo Macías Pérez at 7:30 p.m. At 8:00 p.m., the tent welcomes Violeta Reed and Luis Zueco, while at 8:45 p.m., Jaime de los Santos will be signing books. The day concludes at 9:00 p.m. with authors associated with Mirada y Voz.
Beyond that specific day, the signing schedule extends throughout all the days of the fair, so that Readers can take home copies signed by their favorite authorsFrom media figures like news presenter Vicente Vallés, who presents his latest work in the afternoon, to local writers who premiere works on a wide variety of topics, almost any visit to the venue coincides with a book signing session.
The program includes, among others, the presence of Planeta Prize winners Juan del Val and Luz Gabás, who are coming to Badajoz to share their novels "Corazón de oro" and "La caza del ejecutor" with the public, as well as authors such as Santiago Díaz, known for the series JD and who presents “El Amo”, or writers from Badajoz such as Juan Pedro Plaza, Miguel Ángel Carmona del Barco, Mila Ortega or Ramón de Arcos, who also enjoy their moment with the readers.
Children's, youth and school programming: the reading pool
One of the defining characteristics of the Badajoz Book Fair is its clear commitment to children and adolescentswhich have gained significant importance in the programming and strategy of booksellers. The Children's Tent keeps the Reading Corner active for extended periods, from 11:00 to 14:30 and from 17:30 to 22:00, with storytelling sessions from 12:00 to 12:45 and from 20:00 to 20:45, designed so that families can find a moment of calm among books.
The schedule for schoolchildren focuses mainly on the mornings of school days. On Monday, May 11, for example, The day begins at 10:00 a.m. with a youth workshop in the Thematic Tent-Graphic Reception AreaAimed at private schools, the program includes guided tours of the grounds and children's entertainment until 2:00 p.m. That same morning, the López de Ayala Theatre hosts the performance "What a Crazy Museum!", also intended for schools.
Between 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., the school competition "It's in the books" is held in the Conference Tent, a test in which several schools compete to demonstrate who knows the details of a selected work best. At 12:30, the same space is dedicated to the presentation of “Acquisitions, donations and legacies 2023, 2024 and 2025”, by María Teresa Rodríguez Prieto, an event linked to the Museum of Fine Arts of Badajoz (MUBA) and the Provincial Council.
In the afternoon, the activities resume at 5:30 p.m. with the opening of the Reading Corner in the Children's Tent, while Juan Francisco Pachón Carvajal presents "Leo, leo… olé" in the Conference Tent. At 6:00 p.m., the volume "Revista de estudios extremeños, REEX 2025/1-2" is presented, and simultaneously, the Graphic Ambigú offers a children's comic book workshop and a comic book library.
The program continues with “Scream Cassandra”, by Julia Rípodas, at 6:30 p.m., followed by “Savarnos los dos” by Mila Ortega Rodríguez at 7:00 p.m. At 7:30 p.m., author Judith Capel leads a talk on young adult literature and a conference on “Donde nace la venganza” (Where Revenge is Born), coinciding with a new storytelling session in the Children's Tent, which allows each time slot to always have some specific proposal for young readers.
Crime fiction, popular science, and specialized talks
In addition to general fiction and young adult literature, the program includes a prominent presence of crime fiction and thrillersAuthor Santiago Díaz, with a long career as a screenwriter for film and television, has established himself as one of the leading names in the genre in Spain. At the book fair, he presents "El Amo" (The Master), the second installment in the JD series, published by Alfaguara, adding another title to his universe of intrigue.
The crime genre coexists with other types of offerings, such as the psychiatrist's talk. Fernando Mora, who advocates for the need to recover daily habits to combat stressor lectures by authors specializing in different disciplines. The thematic diversity is also reflected in works such as "Make Your Brain Make Good Decisions," which is presented in the Conference Tent at 9:15 p.m. on one of the main days.
Similarly, the fair provides a platform for publishing and academic projects linked to Extremadura, such as the “Journal of Extremadura Studies, REEX 2025/1-2”The event focuses on research and dissemination of the region's cultural heritage. Presentations of works linked to local institutions, such as the MUBA (Museum of Fine Arts of Buenos Aires), are also organized, with the latter taking advantage of the event's popularity to showcase its latest acquisitions and donations.
Within the realm of contemporary prose, the public finds titles ranging from speculative fiction to more intimate narratives. Ismael Martínez Biurrum presents “The Night in Balance” at 8:00 p.m.One of the afternoon's genre offerings is a presentation, while at 8:30 p.m., one of the most anticipated events takes place with Sergio del Molino and his novel "La hija" (The Daughter). At the same time, the Ambigú Gráfico (Graphic Ambigú) hosts "La geometría de los cuentos" (The Geometry of Stories) by Isabel González, a book that explores the interplay between the language of storytelling and illustration.
Literary competitions and the promotion of reading in schools
Among the complementary activities, the Awards ceremony for the XXX Children's and Youth Poetry and Narrative Competition It has become one of the most symbolic events of the fair. The competition, promoted by the Badajoz City Council, is aimed at students in the 4th, 5th and 6th grades of Primary School and the 1st year of Secondary School, with two categories (Narrative and Poetry) further divided into categories A and B.
In Narrative Category A, for 4th and 5th grade Primary students, 35 works have been received from centers such as CEIP Guadiana, CEIP Puente Real and Colegio Sagrada FamiliaThe first prize went to “The Magician, the Mother, and the Hero” by Laura Gallardo López (Sagrada Familia School), while the runner-up was “My Father Knows How to Die Very Well” by Blanca Cuecas Carrillo, also from Sagrada Familia School. Honorable mentions were awarded to stories such as “The Wormtail Witch,” “Tina’s Return,” and “The Journey of Memories,” all written by students from those schools.
In Narrative Category B, where students from 6th grade of Primary School and 1st year of Secondary School participate, 60 works have been submitted from six educational centers: Sagrada Familia School, Salesianos Ramón Izquierdo School, Santo Ángel School, CEIP San Fernando, CEIP Puente Real and Maristas Nuestra Señora del Carmen SchoolThe winning work was “Look at yourself and look at me”, by Alejandra Alcántara Mateos (Santo Ángel School), and the recognition as finalist was for “The journey of loneliness”, by Elena Maroto Carmona (Maristas Nuestra Señora del Carmen School).
The mentions in this category have distinguished texts such as “The Prophecy of Light”, “A One-Piece Team”, “Friendship” or “Tomi the Tomato Who Never Gave Up”, which show the variety of styles and themes addressed by the schoolchildren. The Poetry category has also registered a remarkable participation, with 25 works in Category A, from the Sagrada Familia School, CEIP Puente Real, CEIP Guadiana and CEIP San Fernando.
In Poetry Category A, the first prize went to Luis Ángel Luna Pallarés, from the Sagrada Familia School, for “My Crystal Worlds.” The runner-up was Blanca García Carracedo, from the San Fernando Primary School, with “My Faithful Friend.” Among the honorable mentions were poems such as “Souls in Free Verse,” “The History of Libraries,” “Wild Horses,” and “Mission: Star Pajama,” written by students from the various participating schools.
In Poetry Category B, for students in 6th and 1st year of ESO (Compulsory Secondary Education), the main prize has been awarded to Enrique Orellana, from the Sagrada Familia School, thanks to the poem “The great tree of nature”The runner-up, “Under the Badajoz Sky,” was Ángeles Gómez Matito, from the Maristas School. Honorable mentions recognized works such as “The Mad Hatter,” “Badajoz Infinita,” and “Origin and Border,” which demonstrate the creativity and interest in literary expression among young people.
The competition jury was composed of Antonio Cid de Ribera Silva, Juan Manuel Cardoso Carballo, Julián Martín Martínez, Plácido Ramírez Carrillo, Faustino Lobato Delgado and Emilia López Vadillo, who They highlighted the high level and originality of the textsThe awards ceremony, part of the official program of the 45th Badajoz Book Fair, underlines the city's commitment to promoting reading and writing from an early age.
Looking at the program as a whole, the Badajoz Book Fair is consolidating itself as a cultural event that combines the presence of major brands, the promotion of Extremaduran authors, the graphic experimentation of the Ambigú and the involvement of educational centers in competitions and school activities. Ten days of continuous programming, extended hours, permanent exhibitions, and a constant flow of presentations and signings. They transform the Paseo de San Francisco into a space where it is easy to get lost, browse the booths and discover new stories that will continue to accompany visitors long after the lights of the fair go out.