Book fair will be respite from summer heat

The upcoming Shanghai Book Fair, which will take place from Aug 13 to 19, expects enthusiastic readers to swarm to the Shanghai Exhibition Center and Shanghai Book Mall as a respite from the scorching summer temperatures.

According to Quan Heng, director of the Municipal Administration of Press and Publication, the Shanghai Book Fair has developed into an important cultural brand in Shanghai and the nation. "It is an industry fair for the publication sector and a festival for book lovers."

As one of China's most important book fairs, the event welcomed over 300,000 visitors and achieved a sales volume of nearly 50 million yuan ($6.97 million) last year, a significant 35 percent increase from 2023.

Aside from its main venue at the Shanghai Exhibition Center, the fair will expand to a second venue in the Shanghai Book Mall, a brick-and-mortar bookstore spanning seven floors at 465 Fuzhou Road. This will significantly increase the fair's floor space to an unprecedented 42,000 square meters.

Theme exhibitions, publications from Hunan, the honored guest province, and new publications from the city and other parts of China will be presented at the Shanghai Exhibition Center. A series of lectures, forums, reading promotions, book launches, and events from Shanghai International Literary Week will also take place.

The Shanghai Book Mall will optimize its presentation of books, showcase reading-related merchandise, and host a series of exhibitions featuring the subjects and characters of popular books.

Quan noted at a news conference on July 16 that last year's sales of reading-related merchandise accounted for 5.76 million yuan of the total sales. These products included badges, posters, plush toys, and more, featuring pop culture idols and beloved game characters, animations, classical literature, and goods called "guzi", which encompasses IP-related merchandise.

Guzi have become increasingly popular in the past few years, particularly among young female consumers. Organizers of the book fair consider these sales as part of reading-related services and believe they play a positive role in expanding art and creative products consumption.

Entrance to the Shanghai Book Mall on Fuzhou Road is free of charge. Visitors attending the book fair at the exhibition center must purchase tickets, and the ticket stub will offer consumers discounts and free gifts at nearby shopping facilities in Jing'an district.

Book-themed events will also take place in 46 bookstores, library cultural centers, and other facilities around the city during the fair as part of the organizers' efforts to make reading resources accessible to the public.

This year, the book fair is partnering with the Shanghai Tourism Association to launch new tour routes that take visitors to the former residences of renowned authors, landmark historical sites, and locations that mark the city's intangible cultural heritage.

A new evening marketplace will be introduced near the Shanghai Exhibition Center's fountain and in the gardens surrounding the buildings.

The fair has improved its logistics services to ensure safety for everyone, particularly children, the elderly and people with special needs. "We don't want the vulnerable exposed to the scorching sun," Quan says. Mist sprinklers will be installed as usual at the gates to the Shanghai Exhibition Center, and a team of well-trained volunteers will offer assistance and guide people promptly through special access to the fair.