The Huelva Book Fair celebrates 50 years in Plaza de las Monjas with Pardeza, Rodrigo Cortés and J. J. Benítez
Topics Archivo Municipal de Huelva Feria del Libro de Huelva Plaza de las Monjas Universidad Internacional de Andalucía (UNIA)
The oldest book fair in Andalusia opened its 50th edition this Friday. Until Sunday, October 25, it brings together 22 stands and more than a hundred activities: presentations, signings, storytelling, workshops and a new crime fiction festival, Huelva Black.
The Huelva Book Fair turns half a century old. The 50th edition opened this Friday, October 16, in the plaza de las Monjas and will run until Sunday the 25th. It is organised by the Ayuntamiento de Huelva with the Asociación de Librerías de Huelva and the Federación Onubense de Empresarios (FOE).
The mayor, Pilar Miranda, inaugurated it by recalling that it is "the dean of Andalusia" and an event that is part of "the memories of many generations of onubenses". At the event, special thanks were given to the work of Juan Antonio García Villadeamigo, president of the Asociación de Libreros de Huelva, and of those who have sustained the fair over these five decades.
22 stands and the Espacio UNIA
The plaza brings together 22 stands from bookshops, publishers, administrations, universities and foundations. The meetings with authors take place mainly in the Espacio UNIA, that of the Universidad Internacional de Andalucía, and the signings, at the stands.
Among the names of this edition are the former footballer and writer Miguel Pardeza, who presents "Los últimos días de Alejandro Reig" on Saturday the 17th at 20:00; the professor Lola Pons, with "El dedo en los labios", on Wednesday the 21st at 18:00; Isabel San Sebastián, on Friday the 23rd at 18:00, and Paul Pen, that same day at 20:00.
The last weekend comes packed. On Saturday the 24th at 19:00, the filmmaker Rodrigo Cortés presents "Hija del cielo". On Sunday the 25th, Ángeles González-Sinde arrives at midday with "Una noche de 1947", and at 19:00 J. J. Benítez closes with "Amado Gurú".
Plenty of Huelva in the programme
The fair has a strong onubense accent. There are presentations such as "Huelva sumergida", by Paco Muñoz; "Los molinos de Huelva y su provincia", by Antonio Toscano (Monday the 19th, 18:00); "Las caras de Huelva", by Diego Lopa (Saturday the 24th, 13:00), or the biography of Juan José Oña signed by Fermín Cabanillas (Thursday the 22nd, 20:00). Ramón Llanes presents his book on the musician Pepe Roca (Wednesday the 21st, 19:00), and Teresa Suárez, "La voz de Tarteso" (Sunday the 18th, 20:00).
The onubense publishers Niebla and Pábilo have dozens of signings over the ten days. On Tuesday the 20th at 19:00, Enrique Zumalabe presents "Gramática del desorden", winner of the Premio de Poesía Juan Ramón Jiménez 2026 of the Diputación.
Huelva Black, the new feature
The big new feature is Huelva Black, a mystery and crime novel festival organised by the Diputación de Huelva and the Fundación Caja Rural del Sur. Its first session was on Friday at the Centro Cultural José Luis García Palacios, and the second is on Saturday the 17th at 18:00 in the Salón de Plenos of the Diputación.
For children, young people and schools
There are storytelling sessions almost every day, a literary cosplay contest (Saturday the 17th, 18:00), an escape room inspired by "El retrato de Dorian Gray" (Saturday the 17th, 19:00), a K-pop academy, craft workshops, a storytelling session in sign language (Monday the 19th, 19:00) and a Halloween dumpling workshop on the last Sunday. In the mornings, schools have storytelling, dramatised stories and a paper recycling activity.
On Thursday the 22nd at 17:00, the UNIA organises a "Biblioteca humana" with two writers, Anabel Domínguez and May R. Ayamonte, who will tell how writing helped them in difficult moments. That same day, at 12:00, there is a session on easy reading.
Awards and a charity stand
During the fair, the XXXI Premio Internacional de Relatos Cortos José Nogales (Wednesday the 21st, 10:30, at the Diputación) and the prize of the IV Concurso de Relatos de la Feria del Libro (Saturday the 24th, 20:00) are awarded.
The Fundación Caja Rural del Sur once again has a charity stand. Everything it raises from the sale of books will go to the Fundación "Érase una vez", which supports children with serious illnesses who spend long periods in hospital.
All the meetings at the Espacio UNIA, with their time, are in the ElOnubense agenda.