The Moscow Book Week festival will return to the Russian capital from September 26 to October 4 with more than 150 events scheduled across the city. Organisers confirmed the dates and program outlines of the major urban cultural gathering in a statement provided to news site Lenta.ru.
More than 60 participant organisations are taking part in the citywide initiative, which is taking place for the third time in Moscow. The participating venues span publishing houses, independent bookstores, municipal libraries, art museums, neighborhood bars, coffee shops, and local cinemas.
The wide-ranging festival schedule features author book presentations, group reading sessions, guided city excursions, walking tours, and film screenings. Program organizers have also arranged open house days at commercial printing plants and publishing offices, alongside international video conference calls connecting readers with foreign authors.
The culmination of the week will be an independent book fair featuring partner organisations and publishing houses from across the literary sector. Organisers stated that starting this year, the festival is establishing itself as an official platform to launch new publishing projects and literary ventures.
Unusual festival activities and public events
Reflecting on the growth of the event, the festival press service said that last year's gathering demonstrated how books have moved beyond traditional shops to integrate into the daily lives of city residents. Representatives added that the publishing industry is now pooling its collective energy to create new formats for public engagement with literature.
This year's program introduces several unexpected activities designed to attract diverse audiences across the capital. Among the new additions are a book rave organized by the Vitok project, a book-themed standup comedy performance, a public book run event, and a competitive chess tournament.
In another unique programming choice, the cultural project Delai Kulturu will host a party dedicated entirely to poorly written books. Participants at the event will present lighthearted reviews and critiques using digital slide decks created in Microsoft PowerPoint.
Exclusive release by Ad Marginem publisher
To coincide with the festival, Moscow independent publishing house Ad Marginem is issuing a special edition of The Librarian's Mission by renowned Spanish philosopher José Ortega y Gasset. Founded in the 1990s, the press is known for publishing works on philosophy and cultural theory. The newly printed text contains the welcome address delivered by the Spanish thinker to delegates attending the Second Congress of the International Federation of Library Associations in Madrid in 1935.
Bibliophiles can obtain an exclusive free copy of the book on September 25 during the publisher's anniversary celebration. The special giveaway takes place one day before the main Moscow Book Week festival opens across the capital.
