Following an absence of 4 years, the Hastings Book Fair is set to make its return over the spring bank holiday weekend on Sunday May 28th.  For the first time, the event will be held in the iconic Observer Building in Cambridge Road, recently restored by the regeneration organisation, Hastings Commons.  The building, which appropriately started out its life as a printworks for local publisher F.J. Parsons, produced local newspapers as well as books and magazines, was once the main employer in Hastings.  It occupies a special place in the town’s history for the hundreds of families who worked there prior to its closure in 1985. The main event hall where the Book Fair will be held occupies most of the ground floor of the building and features a dedicated café which will be open for the duration of the event selling hot/cold drinks, alcohol and food.  The carefully preserved industrial heritage of the Observer Building provides a unique setting for the Book Fair with authors’ and booksellers’ stands occupying the same space where industrial printing presses once stood and produced books and trade journals.

As well as soaking up the historic atmosphere, visitors on the day can expect to find a wide variety of fiction and non-fiction books, both new and second-hand, many presented and on sale by the authors themselves, as well as sales by local book retailers, publishers, and related businesses.  Book signings will be available and throughout the event authors will be performing readings from their books and answering questions.

The event is open to all and entry is free.  The event space is well accessible for wheelchair and disabled visitors.  For families, a ticketed children’s ‘design a book cover’ challenge is on offer with tickets available on Eventbrite at £5 per ticket. Parents are welcome to attend.

The Observer Building is located just a short walk from the town centre at 53 Cambridge Road, a few doors up from ESK on the opposite side of the road; at present there is scaffolding obscuring its entrance. The Observer Building is also home to regular craft markets, details of these and the Book Fair can be found on the organiser’s, Streetwise Events website.

streetwise.events 


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https://www.hastingsindependentpress.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OB-Magazine-and-book-work-composing-room-1930-1-1024x455.jpghttps://www.hastingsindependentpress.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/OB-Magazine-and-book-work-composing-room-1930-1-150x150.jpgHIPLiteratureTop StoriesHastings Book Fair,spring bank holiday,The Observer BuildingFollowing an absence of 4 years, the Hastings Book Fair is set to make its return over the spring bank holiday weekend on Sunday May 28th.  For the first time, the event will be held in the iconic Observer Building in Cambridge Road, recently restored by the regeneration organisation,...The Hastings & St Leonards non-profit community newspaper