The event, part of the larger Boektopia festival in Kortrijk and Antwerp, brings together leading authors and comic artists with readers. Visitors can enjoy a varied program of interviews, book launches, and meet-and-greets.
Bert Cornillie, alderman for culture, emphasizes Leuven's importance as a city of books: “With its extensive library services and a diverse, high-quality range of bookstores, Leuven is a true book city. ‘Boektopia op Toer’ shows that literature thrives here, not just in books but also in conversations and encounters.”
The program kicks off on Thursday evening with a conversation at the Bib Leuven Tweebronnen between Irish writer Sebastian Barry and his compatriot and fellow author Colin Walsh, focusing on Barry's latest book The Newer World.
On Friday afternoon, Julie Cafmeyer will speak with Wendy Wauters at Standaard Boekhandel about her book Lijf der zotheid.
On Saturday afternoon, Koen Fillet and Sven Speybrouck will host a live edition of their radio program Interne Keuken, welcoming authors Ibe Rossel, Pieter Serrien, and Gerrit Verhoeven. Following this, Gino Bombeke will discuss their work and methods with graphic novelists Aimée de Jongh and Judith Vanistendael.
The festival concludes on Sunday with a discussion on beauty, art, grief, and time with American author and former usher Patrick Bringley at Barbóék in M. On the same day, in the bookstore Boekarest, Els Snick will speak with German author Julia Schoch about her new book De ontmoeting.
