Almaty has opened its city book fair KitapFest as part of City Day celebrations, bringing together literature and readers, according to infohub.kz.
On the first day of the two-day cultural event at Arbat Square, residents and visitors had the chance to immerse themselves in the world of literature, meet writers and discover new books.
This year, more than 60 publishers are taking part in the fair, presenting new and selected titles across various genres and fields. Visitors can not only choose books that interest them but also meet domestic authors, talk with them and discuss their work.
On the first day of the fair, literary meetups are being held with well-known poets and writers. Participants share their thoughts on creativity, the importance of reading culture and contemporary reader preferences, and answer guests' questions.
During the meetup, writer and playwright Alisher Rakhat congratulated Almaty residents on City Day and noted that KitapFest is an important cultural platform that every year brings together readers and writers, as well as the literary community and city residents.
Almaty residents who visited the fair are also showing great interest in the books on display and the meetups with authors.
"Today I came to the book fair on purpose. There are many books of different genres here, and I have already found several that I liked. It was especially interesting to meet domestic authors and hear about their works directly from them," said Asylzhan Bauyrzhanuly, a student from Almaty.
Almaty regularly implements projects aimed at increasing interest in reading and strengthening the connection between readers and the literary community. The KitapFest book fair has become one of these cultural initiatives. Such events help develop reading culture, popularize domestic literature and enrich the city's cultural life.
Recall that the city book fair KitapFest is being held on September 19–20 from 10:00 to 18:00 at Arbat Square. Almaty residents and guests are invited to visit the fair and take part in its program.