The opening weekend of Boektopia, the annual book festival in Kortrijk, drew a record number of visitors, according to the organisers.
On Saturday morning, dozens of book enthusiasts queued early to be among the first to enter. Sunday also attracted large crowds, resulting in a higher turnout than the festival’s opening weekend last year.
Lore Vanaudenhove, Boektopia’s new director, expressed her delight at the strong start. “We worked for months towards this moment, so it’s wonderful to see so many people finding their way to Boektopia,” she said. “This is just the beginning, and we hope to maintain this positive trend.”
Last year’s event set a record with 53,600 visitors, and the organisers are aiming to match or surpass that figure this year.
The festival’s presentations have also proven to be highly popular, with three times more attendees this weekend compared to the same period last year. The number of sessions remains the same, but organisers noted the growing interest in engaging with authors through talks, discussions, and panels.
Boektopia continues at Kortrijk Xpo until Sunday, 2 November.
