"2022 Kaohsiung Reading Festival: Library on the Left, Bookstore on the Right" is held from Sep. 24 to Oct. 30 at the Main Library of Kaohsiung Public Library (KPL) and Bleu & Book Bookstore. During the event, there are markets, lectures, book fairs, music and movies every weekend, from day to night! The Deputy Mayor of Kaohsiung City, Shi Zhe, came to experience the book fair on the first day of its opening, accompanied by Wang Wencui, the Director of Kaohsiung Cultural Bureau, Lin Yi-cheng, the Acting Director of KPL, Chang Tieh-chi, the coordinator, and Tsai Shan-shan.  They show Shi Zhe a tour and design concept of the event, conveying the imagination of reading and daily construction with Frank Huang and Hung Chien-Che, the curators of the “Harbor Book Fair” and the “Meadow Book Market”. In addition to expressing his gratitude to the publishers, curators, and market staff, Shi Zhe also hopes that the public and readers can visit KPL and Bleu & Book Bookstore to experience the city's powerful reading amusement park and the most beautiful cultural heritage and reading power of this harbor city.

The "Harbor Book Fair" is located on the 1st floor plaza of the KPL’s Main Library. Various independent bookstores and publishers from all over Taiwan are invited to participate. This year, the "Harbor Book Fair" gathers more than 30 publishers to exhibit their most well-known and best-selling books. The participating publishers include Hsinex International Corp., Sanmin, the Independent Publishers Association of Taiwan, Avanguard Publishing House, Fang Cun Cultural and Creative, Aichi Books, Taiwan Interminds Publishing Inc./Starmoon, and many other local and Taiwan-based booksellers.

The "Meadow Book Market", located between the Main Library and the conference hall, is designed by La Rue, a well-known marketplace brand from Cianjhen District of Kaohsiung, and was established by Hung Chien-Che and Xu Yu-xiang  in 2017. After the opening of the event, more than 70 handmade and food and beverage brands from south-central Taiwan are displayed from 1:00 pm to 8:00 pm for two consecutive weekends (Sep. 24--25 and Oct. 1-2). In addition to Taichung and Tainan style food and beverages, Ding Shan meatballs from Taichung and Honest Bakery from Tainan, there are Kaohsiung food and beverage brands, such as Mr. Jason Egg Pancakes, Xian Xian Mei Dai Zi and OneGu Glutinous Oil Rice. Cultural and creative brands from Kaohsiung, such as Brown Bottle and Zhi Zhi Zha Ji, are not absent. From handicrafts to dining, they construct a lifestyle and integrate reading into daily life.

The high-profile book "King of Bread" is designed by Rika Eguchi, the artistic director of Dentsu Group, Japan, who has designed album packaging for pop stars and costumes for Olympic athletes. In recent years, she has made her first foray into picture book creation with the "King of Bread" series, whose toast shape has broken readers' imagination of picture books. She will come to Taiwan from Japan to share her creative ideas in her daily life and how to turn her "likes" into creations at 2:30 p.m. on October 8 and 9. The Kaohsiung City Head Office shares the creative ideas that pop up in daily life and how to turn "personal interests" into creations.

The Kaohsiung Reading Festival also launches the "Bagging the Lecture" activity, which takes advantage of the recent trend of the most popular Ology Reading Bag at KPL. Readers can redeem an Ology reading bag at the service desk on the 3rd floor of the Main Library.

The first 20 readers who attend the designated sessions from September to October and register will receive a rewards card. After attending the designated sessions of the Kaohsiung Reading Festival with the rewards card and having the card fully stamped, they can borrow 10 books during the redemption period with the rewards card and redeem an Ology reading bag at the service desk on the 3rd floor of the Main Library.

In addition, all guests who stay at TAi Urban Resort during the Kaohsiung Reading Festival can borrow one book or more from KPL and get a free cup of designated drinks at Bleu & Book at TAi Urban Resort. They can return the book at KPL or Bleu & Book to complete the most romantic "reading hyperlink".

The opening day of 2022 Kaohsiung Reading Festival attracted many readers.

The opening day of 2022 Kaohsiung Reading Festival attracted many readers.

Kaohsiung City Deputy Mayor Shi Zhe visited the Kaohsiung Reading Festival on the first day of its opening.

Kaohsiung City Deputy Mayor Shi Zhe visited the Kaohsiung Reading Festival on the first day of its opening.

Kaohsiung Reading Festival opened today. From left, Coordinator Chang Tieh-chi, Curator of Double-Grass Frank Huang, APUJAN Artistic Director of APUJAN Apu Jan, and Chief Curator Tsai Shan-shan.

Picture books attracted the attention of many parents and children.

"King of Bread" by Rika Eguchi was very popular onsite.

The Deputy Mayor of Kaohsiung City, Shi Zhe, (3rd from right) visited on the first day of the Kaohsiung Reading Festival, accompanied by Wang Wencui, the Director of Kaohsiung Cultural Bureau (2nd from right) ,and the coordinator, and Tsai Shan-shan (2nd from left).