VIJAYAWADA: Following popular demand, the organisers of the Vijayawada Book Festival, which was to conclude on Thursday, have decided to extend the ongoing fair at the Swaraj Maidan by another day. Bibliophiles and public can now buy books from the exhibition till 9 pm, on Friday.
The executive member of the Vijayawada Book Festival Society (VBFS) B Babjee said that the 29th edition of the event became a hit with the citizens. “We have received several requests from bibliophiles to extend the book exhibition by one more day as the (Sankranti) festival is just a couple of days away. We couldn’t say no to them,” he added.
However, the bookstall owners said that the lukewarm response to the book festival was one of the major reasons for the extension of the book festival. “We did not reach our sales targets. So, we requested the organisers,” a stall owner said.
According to the organisers, books on spirituality, philosophy topped the sales. “Also, like every year, books on self-motivation, religion and culture were hits. Academic and fiction books stand in a close second,” Babjee, who is also a publisher, said. The final details, such as the total volume of sales and revenue earned will be known only after the conclusion of the book fair on Friday.
The members of VBFS and NTR Trust, which are jointly organising the book fair as a part of the Navyaandhra Pustaka Sambaralu, said that the event would be held across the state. Meanwhile, the 29th Vijayawada Book Festival may well be the last book event to be held at Swaraj Maidan.
“We may not get to use this ground next year as the City Square project may take off. The officials have not confirmed anything as yet, but we have our doubts,” said another organiser, who did not want to be named.