Helsinki Book Fair rejoices encounters ahead
At the long-awaited Helsinki Book Fair, you can finally buy books, follow an even richer programme than before and meet other literature friends and authors. New for this year is a performance combining music and literature, an audiobook stage and online production. Helsinki Book Fair is arranged from Thursday to Sunday, 28-31 October 2021 at Messukeskus, Helsinki.
The exhibition area has been expanded to an even larger area and the corridors have been widened. 250 companies will participate in the exhibition. All the large publishers and bookstores are involved, as well as many small publishers. There are almost 40 antiquarian shops and the Record Fair has nearly 20 stands. The book fair has a multitude of book offers and the authors even sign books at the fair. Most importantly, the book fair offers a unique atmosphere where friends of literature meet.
” We are delighted that we once again can gather around literature. This year, we have paid special attention to safety and space solutions. We also encourage visitors to come to the book fair entirely healthy and without any symptoms as well as to wear a mask,” says Tanja Pasila, responsible for the event at Messukeskus. “We have nothing to worry about, as the facilities of Messukeskus are large and the air conditioning is top notch. Friends of literature can confidently visit the book fair”.
Dialogue combines literature and music
This year, the book fair offers programme on 15 stages, one of which is the new Töölönlahti stage, which focuses on audio books. There are 900 programmes and more than 1000 performers. The programmes on the Senaatintori and Töölönlahti stages can be watched online. Some of the interviews with international guest authors will also be available online.
The book fair will feature the unique presentation Koiran työ (Dogs work) by author Pajtim Statovci and musicians Samuli Putro and Ringa Manner. The presentation has been made with the support of the Finnish Fair Foundation and can be seen only at the book fair. “Helsinki Book fair aims to create something completely unique and to increase the cultural value of book fairs. The theme of the book fair is dialogue and we want to remind you of the importance of listening, respect and equal discussion. The presentation Koiran työ is a step closer to a new kind of collaboration between music and literature,” says Programme Director Ronja Salmi. “With audiobooks, sound has become part of literature and at the same time the relationship between sound and literature has changed. Literature is also present in music. I encourage everyone to come and see this unique presentation.”
Programme Director Ronja Salmi will end her four-year Programme Directorship term this year. The presentation Koiran työ will be shown on the Senaatintori stage on Saturday 30 October at 6:30 PM.
Almost all popular Finnish authors who published books in 2021participate in Helsinki Book Fair, for instance Juha Hurme, Niillas Holmberg, Katja Kettu, Leena Krohn, Rosa Liksom, Antti Rönkä, Pirkko Saisio, Jari Tervo, Saara Turunen and Johanna Venho. This year, the book fair has a record number of reading circles where readers can discuss the book with the author. Some of the international authors will be present in Helsinki this year, but some will be at the book fair remotely or recorded. Among others, Paolo Giordano, Camilla Läckberg, José Rodrigues dos Santos, Denise Rudberg and Gustaf Skördeman, will attend the book fair.
All auditoriums of the stages at the book fair have been enlarged. Helsinki Book Fair’s largest stage Senaatintori will provide seating for 1.500 persons this year, compared to 420 previously.
KirjaKallio will arrange programme for young people for the 10th time
For the 10th time, students from Kallion ilmaisutaidon lukio will organise the Kallio stage programme for young adults. In 2012, the student Ronja Salmi, who was also the programme producer of KirjaKallio for several years, participated in the production of the KirjaKallio programme. Now the programme is produced by Marjuli Heliö. “In its tenth year, KirjaKallio’s programme sees and hears authors who have been interviewed by students already in KirjaKallio’s first year, as well as new voices in literature”, says Heliö. This year, in addition to the author interviews, the programme will also have a panel discussion of interest to young people every day at 12 noon. The themes this time are self-expression, mental health, love and the truth behind art.
For the third time, Helsinki Book Fair invites students who have started their studies this year at Aalto University, The University of Helsinki and The University of Arts Helsinki to the fair. The Book Fair also presents The Association of Finnish Nonfiction Writers’ and Äidinkielen opettajain liitto’s Navigating towards the Book – navigation for schoolchildren and secondary school students. The aim is to get young people of all ages interested in, among other things, different types of literature, and to teach them to look for information.
Finland’s largest event in the book industry
Messukeskus organises the Helsinki International Book Fair in co-operation with the Finnish Publishers Association and the Booksellers Association of Finland. This year, the programme has also been made together with Tiedetori, The Union of Finnish Writers, Kallion ilmaisutaidon lukio, Nuoren Voiman Liitto and many other operators in the book industry. The Book Fair was held in 2020 as an online event and in 2019 at Messukeskus. At that time, the fair was visited by a record number of more than 92,000 visitors.
In connection with Helsinki International Book Fair, there is the Antiquarian Book Fair, which is organized in co-operation with the Finnish Antiquarian Association. The exhibition also has a Record Fair and a Wine Village that invites the visitors to sample good wines. The event is open from Thursday to Saturday 28 – 30 October from 10 AM to 8 PM and on Sunday 31 October from 10 AM to 6 PM.
Tickets at the entrance and during the event from the web shop: adults 20 e, children, students, servicemen, unemployed, retired, group ticket (min 10 persons) 14 e/ person, family ticket 46 e, full time tickets 36 e/26 e.
Tickets bought from the web shop are eligible for the online programme also. Ticket for the online programme only 10 e. Tickets bought in advance cheaper from the web shop http://shop.messukeskus.com
NEW: You can also buy a ticket at the entrances with exercise and culture benefits.
The event is now arranged for the 21st time. Last year the event was arranged online.
More information: Information Officer Teija Armanto, Messukeskus, tel. +358 50 376 0804, teija.armanto@messukeskus.com
Programme Director Ronja Salmi, tel. +358 40 750 1019, ronja@ryovari.fi
KirjaKallio, Producer Marjuli Heliö, tel. +358 50 3397619, marjuli.helio@gmail.com
Business Area Manager Tanja Pasila, tel. +358 50 387 0024, tanja.pasila@messukeskus.com
Photos from the Helsinki International Book Fair http://mediabank.messukeskus.com
