Al Ain book festival is back

The Al Ain Reads festival will be bigger this year. Antonie Robertson / The National

A record 70 exhibitors are expected at Al Ain Reads festival next month.

The eight-day event at Al Ain Convention Centre will see an increase in floor space by 15 per cent compared with last year, Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority (TCA) said.

It will feature more than 60,000 literary, scientific, children’s and educational titles in English, Arabic and other languages, and is expected to attract book lovers from across the region.

The literary flair of Emirati writers and cultural issues will be discussed during a series of sessions in its cultural programme.

“Al Ain Reads 2015 is one of the most important book fairs in the region,” says Juma Al Qubaisi, executive director of the National Library division at TCA Abu Dhabi.

“It has succeeded in attracting quality participation from local publishing houses that are focusing greater emphasis in developing the publishing industry.”

Last year, the festival attracted 67 local publishers displaying more 55,000 Arabic and English literary and ­scientific works.

This year’s event runs from ­October 4 to 11.