The Porto Book Fair received 231 thousand visitors between August 21 and September 6 at the Crystal Palace Gardens, a number that represents the second highest attendance in the event's history. Over 17 days, readers were able to browse the 144 exhibitors of booksellers, publishers and antiquarian booksellers on Avenida das Tías, 13 more than the previous year, and participate in over 400 hours of programming with more than 200 activities. Despite bad weather that forced the closure of outdoor spaces on days such as August 24 and 26, recovery was quick, with Saturday, August 29, becoming the busiest day since the fair moved to the Crystal Palace Gardens.
The 2025 edition was dedicated to Porto poet Inês Lourenço, who was awarded the Tília de Homenagem (Tilia Tribute). Her verses served as inspiration for conversations, roundtables, performances and exhibitions, in a program where poetry and the feminine were the order of the day. For the first time, the programming featured reputable international authors, such as Palestinian Mohammed El-Kurd, Spanish Angelica Liddell, Franco-Moroccan Rim Battal and French Marie Darrieussecq, who brought to Porto debates about memory, resistance and identity.
The programming also included the premiere of a series of conversations dedicated to dramaturgy, a craft with strong tradition in the city, and a vast children's and youth selection with 80 hours of activities and a personalized interactive notebook. For the first time, the fair's After-Hours allowed the fun to extend until dawn at Pinguim Café. Pedro Duarte, Mayor of Porto, emphasized that the 13th edition was a milestone in quality, internationalization and celebration of the life and work of Inês Lourenço, considering the fair one of the city's greatest cultural pillars. Culture Councilor Jorge Sobrado highlighted the artistic and bookselling diversity, the family offerings and the new international dimension of the event.
The next edition of the Porto Book Fair is scheduled for 2027, with new programming proposals, guests and a new honored author.
