Madrid Book Fair revenue slips to €7.26 million as Pope's visit and storms dent turnout
The 85th edition of Madrid's Feria del Libro recorded 430,845 books sold and €7.26 million in revenue through Thursday, a decline organizers attribute to the Pope's visit and forecast storms.
Provisional figures show decline
Provisional data released Sunday by the fair's organisers show 430,845 copies sold and €7.26 million in revenue as of 9 p.m. on Thursday 11 June, with around 600,000 visitors counted via mobile-phone tracking. The numbers are down from the same point in 2025, when the event recorded 450,749 books, over €7.5 million in revenue, and 604,695 unique visitors. Final figures, which will include this last weekend of activity, are due on Wednesday 17 June.
- 2025 Revenue (€)
- 7680000
- 2026 Revenue (€)
- 7260000
- 2025 Books sold
- 450749
- 2026 Books sold
- 430845
Pope's visit disrupts footfall
Fair director Eva Orúe linked the drop to large-scale events in the city, chiefly the visit of Pope León XIV, some of whose ceremonies took place just a few hundred metres from the Retiro Park venue. Many would-be visitors avoided the city centre during the middle weekend to escape mobility restrictions and congestion.
Nothing that happens in the city is alien to us. Pending the results of this final weekend, pending whether there has been a comeback, the figures we have gathered reflect the difficulties of a Fair in which many chose not to come to the city centre on the central weekend to avoid complications.
Weather threatens final day
The fair had already been at risk of an early closure on Sunday after the Spanish weather agency AEMET warned of adverse conditions. Organisers said the site would likely shut at 3 p.m., losing several hours of sales on the closing day. The full impact on revenue and attendance will only become clear when the definitive numbers are published next week.
Weekdays grow in importance
Anecdotal feedback from exhibitors suggests weekday visits are consolidating as important shopping opportunities. Buyers arriving between Monday and Friday tend to have a clearer purchase intent and browse the stands more calmly, while weekends continue to draw the largest crowds, especially around author signing sessions.
Next edition's theme announced
Looking ahead, Orúe confirmed that the 2027 edition will centre on memoirs as its thematic thread. The fair will also mark 60 years at its current home in the Retiro Park.
