Bardem, González Sinde, Lorenzo Silva and Jorge Volpi to appear at the 36th Fuerteventura Book Fair, “Reading opens borders”

Carlos Bardem, Elena Medel, Ángeles González Sinde, Jorge Volpi and Lorenzo Silva are among more than twenty authors who will attend the 36th Fuerteventura Island Book Fair, taking place from 15 to 18 October in the square at the Palacio de Formación y Congresos de Fuerteventura.

Lola García, president of Fuerteventura Island Council, highlighted the fair’s history: “Over 36 years, it has evolved into a leading cultural festival, with literature at its heart and a programme open to theatre, music, dance, circus and storytelling. This evolution allows us to reach different audiences and will once again make Fuerteventura a cultural meeting place.”

Culture councillor Rayco León, meanwhile, emphasised this year’s theme, “Reading opens borders”: “Literature contributes to our society not only through knowledge, but also through social cohesion, prompting us to reflect on diverse realities.”

León highlighted “the extensive programme, where we will enjoy literature and meet authors, alongside activities in other disciplines, including music, dance and circus performances. Part of the programme is also dedicated to families and schoolchildren.” The island councillor also drew attention to the contribution of the island’s bookshops, Canarian publishers and associations.

Puerto del Rosario Mayor David de Vera thanked the Island Council for “its commitment to the Fuerteventura Island Book Fair. Puerto del Rosario is proud to be a centre of culture and a meeting place for local and national authors.” He added: “Puerto del Rosario Town Council is taking part with its own stand and with a publication commemorating the centenary of Casillas del Ángel’s incorporation into the former Puerto Cabras.”

Programme

The programme also features names including Marta San Miguel, José Ignacio Carnero, Lana Corujo, Jesús Carrasco, Margarita Yakovenko, Patricio Pron, Bibiana Candia, Óscar Liam, Binta Claire, José Naranjo, Cecilia Domínguez Luis and journalist Jacobo García, winner of the 2026 Anagrama Chronicle Prize.

Mexican author Jorge Volpi will take part in a new event in the “The Writer and You” series on Sunday 18, alongside Claudia Neira, director of the Centroamérica Cuenta Festival.

The book fair will also provide a showcase for island authors to present their latest titles. This year’s participants include José Manuel de la Torre Montenegro, Aroa Suárez, Marcos Hormiga, Violeta Chacón, Francisco Rodríguez López and Manoel Ferrás Rey.

The Canary Islands Government’s Deputy Ministry of Culture will present new titles from the Biblioteca Básica Canaria catalogue on Saturday 17, including one devoted to Majorera author Josefina Plá.

This year’s programme introduces a new space for conversation and reflection, with events featuring authors, journalists and people from the worlds of culture and the book industry.

The fair will open with the first of these events, entitled “Reading opens borders”. Journalist Àngels Barceló and writer Ignacio Martínez de Pisón will discuss the theme, with journalist Nicolás Castellano as moderator.

The second discussion will feature playwright Alberto Conejero, co-screenwriter of the film “La bola negra” and author of the play “La piedra oscura”, which inspired the film by Los Javis and has been selected by Spain to compete for the Oscar for Best International Feature Film. Conejero will talk with poet Javier Vicedo Alós, director of the Marpoética festival in Marbella.

Music returns to the fair’s programme, with the show “Raíces” by Strad & Cía on Thursday 15. The following day, Mr Kilombo, one of the most charismatic artists on today’s music scene, will perform in the marquee named after Josefina Plá.

Alongside author events and book launches, the fair is once again championing the performing arts, with dance, theatre and circus productions coming to Fuerteventura after touring the country’s leading festivals, where they have won over critics and audiences.

Theatre will once again be a key part of the programme. Mexican actor Cecilia Suárez will perform “The Invincible Summer of Liliana”, inspired by the novel of the same name by writer Cristina Rivera Garza, on the stage of the Palacio de Congresos’s Sala Sinfónica.

LaBú Teatre & Cris Clown will bring theatre to family audiences with “Triplette”. Actor Irene Maquieira will perform “Coser y cantar”, an object-theatre production that brings to life the sewing tools of a woman born in 1936 who died the day before Storm Filomena brought snow.

The island’s students will discover the work of Alfonso García Ramos, the author honoured by the Canary Islands Government on Canary Islands Literature Day in 2026, through “Chantecler”, an improvised pseudonym, a show by the Clapso company.

The fair will open with “Tenet”, a contemporary circus show by Eunoia Colektiva. The Catalan company’s production has received, among other awards, the 2025 Panorama Circada First Prize, the 2025/2026 Critics’ Award for Best Circus Show and FETEN 2026’s Award for Best Contemporary Circus Show.

Nueveuno Circo will come to Fuerteventura with “Sinergia Street”. “Mahmud y no solo Mahmud”, a contemporary circus production by Punto Cero Company exploring borders and immigration, can be seen on Sunday 18 in the Palacio de Formación y Congresos’s Sala Sinfónica.

Dance returns to the square at the Palacio de Formación y Congresos with Juancaballo, winner of the 2026 Max Award for Best Male Performer. Valencian companies Migro Danza & Yapadú Artística will present “Padre Nuestro. Pasión y muerte de Federico García Lorca”, while Majorera company Mas Dance will stage “Entre líneas”.

Film, television and theatre actor Pedro Casablanc will close this year’s fair with the recital “Bécquer y Quevedo. Amor y muerte”.

The family programme includes “La isla de las cosas perdidas” by Compañía La Tendía; “El sueño de una noche de verano” by El Retablo; and “Cuentos que canté… en la sábana africana” by the Canarian duo Ali Wakhanda. It also features storytelling sessions with Margarita del Mazo and Juan Carlos Toste, as well as baby-story sessions by Badabadum.

The Story Train will once again travel through the streets of the capital, while the Literary Booths, an installation by Proyecto Cultura, will be set up in the square at the Palacio de Congresos.

The Fuerteventura Book Fair will also welcome bookshops and publishers, turning the venue once again into a meeting place for readers, authors and professionals from the sector.

Over the four days, visitors will be able to browse the latest books, discover new titles and buy works by authors and publishers from across the Canary Islands and the rest of the country.

The participation of bookshops and publishers strengthens the fair’s role in promoting reading and supporting the cultural and professional community connected with books.

The Fuerteventura Book Fair will once again extend its programme to the Manuel Velázquez Cabrera Library in Gran Tarajal on Wednesday 14 October. Burka Teatro will stage “¡VALIENTES!”. Audiences in the south of the island will also be able to enjoy the recital “El fulgor de lo efímero”, based on the poetry of Alicia Llarena. The programme includes storytelling sessions with Margarita del Mazo and Fidel Galbán.

The book fair is organised by the Island Library Centre, which comes under the Fuerteventura Island Council’s Culture Department, with support from the Canary Islands Government’s Instituto Canario de Desarrollo Cultural. The regional government’s Deputy Ministry of Social Welfare, Equality, Youth, Children and Family also takes part.