St. Petersburg International Book Fair May Attract Over 400,000 Visitors

The St. Petersburg Book Salon, the most diverse book fair in Russia, is expected to attract about half a million visitors this year and hundreds of exhibitors from across the country and abroad from May 19-22, organizers said

ST. PETERSBURG (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th May, 2022) The St. Petersburg Book Salon, the most diverse book fair in Russia, is expected to attract about half a million visitors this year and hundreds of exhibitors from across the country and abroad from May 19-22, organizers said.

"About 150 events are scheduled within the salon, including conferences, roundtables, lectures, seminars, competitions and quizzes, book presentations and master classes. In total, it is planned to attract more than 400,000 visitors," a statement read.

The 17th edition of the the international book fair will include virtual and physical sessions in cooperation with local and international cultural institutions and organizations.

The event will take place for the second time at a prime location in St. Petersburg's Palace Square. New formats and platforms, including a separate block for children's literature, will be set up.

The 2022 edition of the salon will commemorate 350 years since the birth of Peter the Great, the Year of Folk Art and the Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Peoples of Russia, and 130 years since the birth of Soviet writer Konstantin Paustovsky, as well as 140 years since the birth of one of the most popular Russian children's poets Korney Chukovsky.

According to St. Petersburg Vice-Governor Boris Piotrovsky, Russian publishers and authors should and will be supported in the current "difficult economic situation."

"The organizers decided to waive the fee for exhibitors this time around. I also want to remind you that the salon is free to visit," Piotrovsky said.

One of the most visited attributes of the salon is expected to become a special mailbox which will be placed in a public space designed in the form of a giant electric lamp. Guests and residents of Russia's "Northern capital" will be able to send a postcard directly from the exhibit that will be delivered free of charge to anywhere in the country. The postcards will have children's drawings based on Chukovsky's works printed on them.

The event is aimed at popularizing reading books in Russia and promoting Russian literature abroad.� Not only Russian writers but also foreign guests are expected to take part in the fair, the organizers said.

In addition, the program of the event includes many artistic performances. In particular, the organizers have decided to clash in a poetic battle poets from Moscow and St. Petersburg on Friday.