Kaunas Book Fair shows strong local interest despite scheduling shifts

The Kaunas Book Fair demonstrated continued interest in physical books, with publishers and authors engaging readers through games and gifts. Local authors saw significant engagement, notably Juozas Gaižauskas, whose presentation drew a capacity crowd. While international bestsellers like Anya Niewierra’s ‘Camino’ were present, they did not reach the same level of attendance as local creators.

Due to Lithuania’s upcoming presidency of the Council of the European Union in the first half of next year, Litexpo will host related events. Consequently, the Vilnius Book Fair is scheduled for September next year, leaving the timing for a future fair in Kaunas unconfirmed.

Separately, historical practices of using books as natural presses are noted. In the past, people collected autumn leaves and dried them between heavy book pages to preserve their shape for crafts, schoolwork, or keepsakes, serving as a tactile alternative to modern digital photography.