Jerez de la Frontera opens a new edition of its quintessential literary event: from this Wednesday, October 1, the Cloisters of Santo Domingo become the epicenter of the book with more than 70 activities that combine presentations, workshops, signings, storytelling, shows and music.
Under the slogan ' Without reading there is no legacy ', the book fair was created with the aim of promoting reading and facilitating encounters between authors, bookstores, publishers, and audiences of all ages. The City Council is coordinating a program that also forms part of Jerez's bid to become the European Capital of Culture 2031.
A program with a vocation for encounter
The official opening is scheduled for 17:30 p.m. , kicking off a busy program across the various spaces of the Cloisters. The program combines established names with emerging voices, offering activities for families and adults, and featuring simultaneous events in several rooms.
Among the new features at the start is the opening of five exhibitions linked to literature and the publishing world, visible throughout the fair in different rooms of the Cloisters of Santo Domingo, which reinforces the cultural character of the venue.
The local government emphasizes that the offering positions the fair as an essential meeting point for readers and book professionals, in coordination with bookstores, publishers and entities that add their own activities to the general program.
Day by day: this is how the agenda looks like
Wednesday 1 October
After the ribbon cutting at 17:30 pm , the parallel events begin in the rooms and outdoor patio, with literature, workshops and music.
- 18:00 – Presentation of “The vaccine against folly” (José Antonio Marina) with Paco Reyero, in the Refectory Room.
- 18:00–20:00 – Visit of animated characters for children.
- 18:30 PM – Children's Workshop “Writing through time”, in the Upper Floor Gallery.
- 19:00 PM – Workshop and presentation of the book project “The art of illustrating Caballero Bonald”, in Sala De Profundis II, with the collaboration of the Caballero Bonald Foundation.
- 19:00 PM – Magic show “The Magic Library”, in Sala Cerchas.
- 20:00 – Presentation of "Victoria" (Paloma Sánchez-Garnica, Planeta Prize 2024) with Arantxa Cala, in Sala Refectorio.
- 21:00 PM – Concert by Ana Chrisman, poetic tribute with flamenco harp, in the outdoor patio.
Thursday October 2
The morning is dedicated to the educational community, while the afternoon brings together high-profile presentations , workshops, and shows.
- 11:00 and 12:00 – Performances of “The Knight of Argonid” (Teatro Estudio Jerez), in Refectory.
- 11:30 – Workshop binding for adults, in Sala De Profundis II.
- 17: 00 - “Kill Ferdinand VII”, by David Fernández Fernández, presented by Rafael Navas.
- 18: 00 - “The master plan”, by Javier Sierra, with the collaboration of Adrián Otero, in Sala Refectorio.
- 18:30 – Workshop illustration with Marina Armario, in the Upper Floor Gallery.
- 18:00–20:00 – Visit of animated characters.
- 19:00 – Presentation of “Local cuisine for today’s people” (Mikel López Iturriaga) with Eugenio Camacho, in Sala De Profundis II.
- 19: 00 - “Claustrophonic Tales”, with Pepe Maestro, in the outdoor patio.
- 20: 00 - “Change in a Hundred Words”, by Fernando Jáuregui, with Paco Reyero, in Sala Refectorio.
- 21:00 PM – Concert “Reading, cinema and music” with the Symphonic Band of the Neojarillense Musical Union, in the outdoor patio.
Friday October 3
The day combines school activities, recognition of libraries and an afternoon full of literature, puppets and music.
- 11:00 and 12:00 – Performances of “The Knight of Argonid”, agreed with educational centers.
- 11:30 – Workshop binding for older children, in the Refectory (Sala De Profundis II).
- 13:00 – Recognition ceremony for the best school libraries of the municipality, in Refectory.
- 17:00 PM – Storytelling for inclusion “The rooster who wanted to be a mother”, with Antonio Mariscal, in Sala De Profundis II.
- 18: 00 - “The Black Hand”, by Daniel Corpas, with Adrián Otero, at Sala De Profundis II.
- 18:00–20:00 – Visit of animated characters.
- 18:30 PM – Children's Workshop “Creative Writing: Words in Play”, in the Upper Floor Gallery.
- 19:00 PM – Meeting “The Romance Novel According to Cherry Chic and Violeta Reed”, moderated by Noemí Mendoza, in the Refectory Room.
- 19:00 PM – Literary Puppets "The cat with boots", La Gotera de Lazotea company, at Sala Cerchas.
- 20: 00 - “World War II Diaries of Manuel Chaves Nogales”, edited by Yolanda Morató, with presentation by Paco Reyero, in Sala De Profundis II.
- 20:30 PM – Roundtable “Literature and Cinema”, organized by Ateneo Siglo XXI, in the Refectory Room.
- 21:00 PM – Concert “Poets of the Border”, with Javier Salmerón, in the outdoor patio.
Saturday October 4
The weekend arrives with awards ceremonies, puppet shows, workshops, and big names; a day of high attendance and a variety of formats.
- 11:00 – Children's Poetry Contest Awards Ceremony “Verses on the fly. Poems to the sparrow”, in the Refectory Room.
- 11:30–13:30 – Visit of animated characters.
- 11:30 – Musical storytelling with Zolfa, by Almudena Fuentes, in the outdoor patio.
- 12:00 – Presentation of “Every single day”, by Ignacio Arrabal, in Sala De Profundis II.
- 12:15 – Workshop “Haikus: verses in three steps”, in the Upper Floor Gallery.
- 12:30 PM – Literary Puppets "Don Quixote", Little Goblins company, at Sala Cerchas.
- 13:00 PM – Activity “Walking in autumn with a book in tow”, by Agustín García Lázaro, in the Refectory Room.
- 17:00 PM – Roundtable “Writing from a place of social commitment”, with Paco Lobatón, Alicia Domínguez and Javier López Menacho (moderated by Carmen Saiz), in the Refectory Room.
- 18:00 – Literary tribute to Antonio Gallardo on the centenary of his birth, organized by the Municipal Library Network, in Sala De Profundis II.
- 18:00–20:00 – Continuation of the visit of animated characters.
- 18:30 – Workshop family illustration, with Alberto Belmonte, at the Planta Alta Gallery.
- 19:00 – Presentation of “The clan”, by Carmen Mola, in the outdoor patio.
- 19:00 PM – Literary Puppets "Red Riding Hood", El Jinete Verde company, at Sala Cerchas.
- 20: 00 - “Time and silence”, by Margarita Martín Ortiz, in the Refectory Room.
- 21:00 PM – Concert “Sailor on land”, with Clara Montes singing Rafael Alberti, in the outdoor patio.
Sunday October 5
The closing event maintains the family-friendly focus in the morning, alternating presentations , music and workshops, and culminates with a date with musical memory.
- 11:00 – Presentation of “Beloved Charlotte”, by Marta Robles, in the Refectory Room.
- 11:00 – Educational concert “Sung Tales”, with Unconditional Education, in the outdoor courtyard.
- 11:30–13:30 – Visit of animated characters.
- 11:30 PM – Children's Workshop “Draw your Gatotrastadas comic”, with Enrique Carlos Martín, at the Planta Alta Gallery.
- 12:00 PM – Activity “The couplet: Everything we are”, directed by Carmen Moreno and Josefa Parra, at Sala De Profundis.
- 12:30 – Musical storytelling with Alberto Mateos and “The Jellyfish Tamer”, in the outside patio.
- 13:00 – Presentation of “Manolo Sanlúcar. The eternal mark of a genius”, by Juan Manuel Suárez Japón, with José María Velázquez-Gaztelu and the Caballero Bonald Foundation, in the Refectory Room.
Exhibitors, collaborators and schedules
The exhibitors' area brings together bookstores, publishers and cultural entities such as Casagato Librería , Col&Col Ediciones, Con M de Mujer Editorial, Ediciones Altazor, Editorial Cazador de Ratas, Escape Book World, Editorial Fundación Anselmo Lorenzo, Peripecias Libros, Tierra de Nadie, Grupo Bujalamé, Henko Ediciones, Librería Agrícola, Alavera, Buen Pastor, Casa del Libro, Laberinto, Luna Nueva, Luna Vieja, Sociedad Cultural Jerez-Tombuctú, Sociedad Literaria and Sociedad Literaria Sherlock Holmes, among others.
The organization also has the collaboration of entities such as the Pie de Página Cultural Association , Ateneo de Jerez, Ateneo Siglo XXI, Bodegas Álvaro Domecq, Centro Andaluz de las Letras, Centro de Profesorado de Jerez, Carbis, Consejo Regulador, Delegación Territorial de Desarrollo Educativo y Formación Profesional, Diputación de Cádiz, Editorial SM, Escuela de Arte de Jerez, Fundación Ana García de Cuenca, Fundación Caballero Bonald and Intermón Oxfam.
The opening hours confirm time slots adapted to all audiences: Wednesday, October 1, from 5:00 p.m. to 10:30 p.m .; Thursday 2, Friday 3 and Saturday 4, from 10:30 a.m. to 17:00 p.m. and from 22:00 p.m. to 14:30 p.m.; and Sunday 17, from 22:30 a.m. to 14:00 p.m.
Detailed information for each day and any updates can be found in the official program , which includes rooms, times and participants for all activities.
With this event at the Cloisters of Santo Domingo, the city reinforces its literary profile with top-level authors , proposals for family audiences and a calendar that invites visitors to stroll among books, conversations and music over five days.