In the middle of the big week of Sant Jordi All those involved have already prepared the preparations so that the two protagonists, books and rosesshine again on the streets of eastern Catalonia April 23rdin which it is sensed as the ‘diada’ of full recovery after the practically forgotten pandemic, and in which the surprising rain of 2022 is not expected.
Although bookstores have been able to set up stands in front of their establishments since Friday, the star day is this Sunday, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.the only day on which the 10% discount that the law establishes, and that will coincide with the Barça-Atletico Madrid matchwhich will begin at 4:15 p.m.
foreigners and politicians
But there an authentic squad of writers will be deployed who, instead of the ball, will hit the pen or the pen to sign in the 213 stands allocated to it, 43 more than last year. However, this Sant Jordi will not have too much presence of foreign authors, among which will be the Swedish duo Camilla Läckberg and Henrik Fexeus, John Boyne from Dublin, Mathias Malzieu from France and Robin S. Sharma from Canada.
Instead, and a reflection of the pre-election boil, Yes, Barcelona will experience an invasion of politicians: the Vice President of the Government Yolanda Díaz, the leader of the PP, Alberto Núñez Feijóo, the ministers Félix Bolaños (Presidency), Miquel Iceta (Culture), José Manuel Albares (Foreign Affairs), Irene Montero (Equality) and Joan Subirats (Universities), and the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida.
more exhibitors
The operation organized by the Book Chamberwhich brings together the unions of publishers, booksellers and distributors, will result in an 11.5% increase in stalls, which have gone from 287 in 2022 to 320 in 2023. The exhibitor space also grows by 17%, with 3,294 square meters.
We will have to wait for the subsequent balance to see if the expectations of the sector in terms of sales are met. Last year, those of 2019 were exceeded by 1.5% and a turnover of 22.5 million euros was reached.
the superblock
In Barcelona, although the popular festival will also be decentralized in areas in Les Corts (Pau Romeva / Joan Güell), in the Rambla del Poblenou; in the Orfila square, in Sant Andreu, or in the Sarrià square, it will have a great clear epicenter. The successfully tested formula will be repeated in 2022 in a literary and pedestrian superblock perimeter around Paseo de Gràcia, from Gran Via to Diagonal, and from Pau Claris to Balmes. Wheeled traffic will only be allowed on the cross streets of Mallorca, Valencia and Aragó.
This ‘superilla’ will also extend to the north, with stands from Gran de Gràcia, between Travessera and els Jardinets, and to the south, recovering the Ramblescentenary symbol of the ‘diada’, to the Plaza Reial.
Comic, children’s and fantasy
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In the Plaza de Catalunya, as in 2022, there will only be stands in front of the bookstores that have a store. Also on Rambla de Catalunya, where there will also be stands for associations and entities, as well as at the southern end of the Rambles.
This Sant Jordi will also continue to strengthen other axes, such as Paseo de Sant Joan and Paseo de Lluís Companys, known as ‘geeky triangle’, which for the last six years has been devoted to children’s books, comics and illustration, and fantastic and science fiction literature.