The Iloilo Mega Book Fair (IMBF) will be in its 6th year and has lined up activities starting April 27 until April 30, 2023 at the Iloilo Festive Mall. This year’s theme is "Pagtib-ong sa Rehiyon/Celebrating the Regions."
Noel Galon, UP Visayas faculty and the project director of IMBF, envisioned the fair to showcase "books written in the Kiniray-a, Hiligaynon, and Aklanon languages annually and gather all creatives and content producers of Western Visayas."
This year’s event, which is co-organized by Kasingkasing Press, UP Visayas - OICA, Hubon Manunulat, Book Latte, National Book Development Board, JCI, DOT Region VI, ILOMOCA and Iloilo Festive Mall, will launch books that highlight regional works published in English and Hiligaynon with the intention of incorporating visual artworks into the fair, engaging in "performative literature" and displaying literary works through performance arts.
Atty. Raymundo Pandan Jr., a 2022 Palanca awardee, will be this year’s keynote speaker at the opening program. The Iloilo drag queen and cosplay community will be featured, indicating that the IMBF is not just a celebration of books but also of local artistry. This will display local colors, local narratives, and local initiatives that will capture the theme of this year’s IMBF.
Many more activities are scheduled and everyone is invited to attend the events.
