Festive Book Week 2020 Cancelled

Festive Book Week, the biggest celebration of contemporary Hungarian literature was to be held for the 91st time this year in June. Due to the pandemic, it was postponed to September but now, organizers have canceled it for this year.

The original dream of Hungarian author Géza Supka – for publishers, writers and readers to meet and celebrate in an unceremonious fashion – turned into a five-day festival in the past years of book launches, discussions, book signings and concerts, with almost two hundred publishers offering their book to browse and buy.

The Hungarian Publishers and Booksellers Association told the Hungarian news agency MTI that a great deal of anticipation and preparation preceded the book week postponed to September, all the more so because due to the pandemic, many of the usual book events were missed both at home and abroad this year.

This year, 176 publishers and organizations applied, a record in the history of Festive Book Week. It indicates that the book industry, despite the difficult circumstances, is fulfilling its mission, to convey the diverse culture and literature to the readers.

However, following advice from the authorities, the book week will not be held this week in the original format - the prize winners will be announced online.