The first Christmas Bookfest, a new holiday season book festival, will be held between December 15 and 23 on the ground floor of the new National Library building, close to Piata Unirii.  Visitors will be able to purchase books and Christmas gifts such as tea, coffee, accessories, music, hand painted ornaments and cards, sweets and more.

Some of Romania's publishing houses, such as Humanitas, Curtea Veche, All, Rao, Longman and Corint will be present at the Bookfest with discounts, especially on children's books.

A festival of stories for children and grown-ups, organized by the Ministry of Culture and National Heritage and the Ion Dacian National Operetta Theatre will be held at the same time.  Both children and adults will be welcome at the theater performances and workshops featuring local performers.

A flamenco guitar concert, called Alquimia and part of the Hibernal de Chitara Festival will also take place on December 15 at 19:00, in the atrium of the National Library.

Bookfest is the biggest book event in Romania and has run for eight years. This year, the public had the opportunity to meet leading figures of contemporary French culture such as Bernard Pivot and Michel Houellebecq. Around 90,000 visitors passed through the International Book Fair Bookfest 2012 (May 30-June 3, 2012).

Ioana Toader, ioana.toader@romania-insider.com

(photo source: Photoxpress.com)