VIJAYAWADA: The 35th Vijayawada Book Festival, organised by the Vijayawada Book Festival Society (VBFS), will take place from January 2 to 12 at the Indira Gandhi Municipal Stadium on MG Road in Vijayawada.
With 271 stalls and publishers from across India, the festival promises a unique experience for book lovers and cultural enthusiasts.
The event will be inaugurated on January 2 at 6 pm by Deputy Chief Minister K Pawan Kalyan. Finance Minister Payyavula Kesav and Sahitya Akademi Secretary K Srinivasarao will also attend the opening ceremony.
A highlight will be the release of a biography of former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao, published by the Sahitya Akademi. Pawan Kalyan will present the first copy to Payyavula Kesav.
The festival will also honour several literary and cultural icons. The venue is named after Pidikiti Rama Koteswara Rao, the founder of Sahiti Navjeevan Book Links, while the literary platform is dedicated to Cherukuri Ramoji Rao, founder of the Eenadu Group.
The student activities stage, Pratibha Vedika, is named after industrialist Ratan Tata.
Over the course of eleven days, the festival will feature cultural programmes and literary discussions. Among the key events are the late Narla Chiranjeevi Centenary Celebrations and a National Poets’ Conference on January 3. EMESCO will launch Mana First Reel and pay tribute to Sri Sri’s Mahaprasthanam on January 4, while January 5 will mark Arudra Sata Jayanti and a book launch by Visalandhra Publishing House.
Other notable events include a Book Lovers’ Walk on January 6, flagged off by Chief Secretary K Vijayanand, and the felicitation of Kendra Sahitya Akademi Award winner Penugonda Lakshminarayana. The festival will conclude with an awards ceremony on January 12.
The festival will also host interactive sessions like “My Favorite Book” and student activities such as elocution competitions, storytelling, drawing, and origami making.
VBFS Secretary Manohar Naidu expects over 10 lakh visitors this year and has confirmed enhanced parking facilities for a better experience. The festival is set to celebrate literature and creativity with its rich programming and tributes to literary icons.