Speaking at a press conference on Sunday evening, Cid revealed that more than 740,000 visitorsattended the literary fair over ten and a half days, including a preview event held on 12 June. That figure marks a 23% rise from the 2023 edition, which welcomed around 600,000 attendees. Over 6.8 million books were sold – also up 23% – averaging more than nine books per visitor.

“If you’re ever disappointed in Brazil, go to the Biennial,” said Cid, quoting editor Matinas Suzuki during a panel on sustainability. “It’ll remind you of what we’re capable of.”

Held across an expansive 130,000 square metre venue – 40,000 square metres larger than the previous edition – the Biennial was orchestrated once again by SNEL and global events giant GL Events. Tatiana Zaccaro, director at GL Events, praised the spirit of collaboration behind the event’s success: “It’s only possible because publishers embrace our ideas and challenges. Everyone plays a part.”

Publishers Reap the Rewards of a Literary Boom

Exhibitors reported historic sales figures, with some doubling their revenue from 2023. HarperCollins Brasil led the surge, followed by Globo Livros with a 70% increase, and major imprints Companhia das Letras and Record both reporting growth around 65%. Other notable performances came from Sextante and Arqueiro (up 60%), Intrínseca and Ediouro (45%), and Rocco (59%).

TikTok and the ‘Pré-Estreia’ Effect

For the first time, the Biennial opened a day early with a TikTok-backed “Pré-Estreia Bienal para Você” – a special preview attended by 10,000 people. The initiative set the tone for a festival that increasingly blends literature with interactive, immersive experiences.
Highlights included The Fantastic Library, a whimsical space for young readers, and Reading in the Heights, a literary-themed Ferris wheel. Other standout attractions included the Paper Excellence Story Labyrinth, Rio Estácio’s Biennial Escape, and Shell’s Beyond the Page Square, a new outdoor hub designed to connect diverse literary communities. These installations collectively drew over 130,000 visitors.

Over 1,850 Authors and 1,200 Hours of Content

The Biennial’s cultural offering was vast, with more than 1,850 national and international authorsparticipating across panels, autograph sessions, and publisher-curated events. A staggering 1,200 hours of programming explored themes from Afro-Brazilian literature and romantic fantasy to religion, feminism, and the digital content creator boom. The spectrum ran from classic figures like Machado de Assis to contemporary voices like Ailton Krenak.

Democracy and Literacy in Focus

Cid also underscored the Biennial’s civic and educational role, highlighting initiatives such as the Academia Editorial Júnior and the Rio International Publishers Summit, both linked to Rio’s designation as UNESCO World Book Capital. The event welcomed thousands of students from public schools, many of whom received vouchers to select and buy their own books – a gesture he said “empowers young readers with choice and ownership.”

“The Biennial is the crown jewel of Rio’s year as World Book Capital,” Cid concluded, “but it doesn’t end here. The work continues with the Biennial in Schools project, bringing the joy of reading to classrooms across the city.”