The Book Country Festival in Kyiv
Held from April 23 to 26 at the VDNG exhibition center in Kyiv, the Book Country festival suffered over 350,000 UAH in losses due to severe weather. A powerful storm, bringing heavy rain, hail, and strong winds, damaged parts of the event's infrastructure. Despite these challenges, the festival drew more than 71,000 attendees who showed remarkable enthusiasm.
Exhibitors at the event included:
- 103 publishing houses
- 15 bookstores
- 18 independent authors
A total of 507 events took place. According to organizers, 77% of visitors bought over 85,000 books, generating more than 32 million UAH in total sales. The average spending per person was around 1,000 UAH. The average age of attendees was 28, with 46% attending a book event for the first time.
Notable Guests and Participants
Prominent figures at the festival included writer Yuriy Andrukhovych, Minister of Youth and Sports Matviy Bidnyi, screenwriter and director Pavlo Ostrikov, singer Jamala, and comedian Vasyl Baydak. Women made up 82% of the audience, while 86% of participants were residents of Kyiv.
Kyiv was battered by rain, hail, and gusty winds that lasted for days. Yet Book Country pressed on: booths held firm until the end, books were shielded under rain covers, and lines for events persisted even as temperatures dropped.
Festival press service
The festival also attracted visitors from various Ukrainian regions, including Kyiv, Lviv, Chernivtsi, Zhytomyr, Dnipropetrovsk, Chernihiv, and Khmelnytskyi. The next Book Country festival is scheduled for September 17-20, 2026, at VDNG.
Book Country's significance goes beyond its impressive attendance and sales figures—it has become a key platform for cultural exchange and promoting reading among younger generations. Despite the adverse weather, the festival showcased the resilience of both organizers and attendees, who rallied to support literature and culture in Ukraine. The upcoming event is expected to draw even more participants and visitors, potentially boosting the country's book industry further.
The Book Country Festival's success comes amid various challenges in the literary scene, such as the recent controversies surrounding prominent authors. For instance, Ukrainian writer Vitaliy Kapranov faced exclusion from the Book Arsenal Festival, highlighting the complexities within cultural events. As the literary community navigates these issues, the resilience shown at the Book Country Festival underscores the importance of supporting literary initiatives and fostering public interest in reading.