Who said the Dominican people are not interested in reading? The Feria Internacional del Libro Santo Domingo 2025 (FILSD 2025) proved the contrary. FILSD 2025 closed on Sunday, 5 October with record-breaking sales and attendance. That the Dominican people are avid to read and learn was apparent to all who attended.
The Ministry of Culture hailed the event as a monumental achievement, solidifying its status as the most important literary gathering in the Dominican Republic and the wider Caribbean region, El Caribe reported.
The success of the book fair says lots to the real mindset of the population in regards to cultural activities. The people responded in droves to the event that delivered comfortable air-conditioned pavilions, participation of hundreds of Dominican and international authors, and the many book and culture free activities that were available all day and night during the two weeks the leading culture event took place at the Plaza de la Cultura in Santo Domingo. Thousands were employed to assist and ensure security throughout the event, including in the designated parking areas at the Ministry of Superior Education and Unibe university.
The success marks a third year of the turnaround of the event that previously had degenerated into a market where even used clothes were being sold and was about to be completely trashed from the national agenda when President Luis Abinader and past Minister of Culture Milagros German gave it a chance and appointed genealogist Joan Ferrer at the helm in 2021.
The fair, which is certified as a Dominican Republic Country Brand, reported a stunning RD$75 million in book sales from 25 September to 4 October 2025, marking an increase of over 30% from the previous year.
The reputation gained over the past two years of the event was such that people braved the rains at the start and the difficulties in parking to attend the diverse free talks and buy books.
El Caribe reports that the 2025 edition saw a massive turnout from the public and featured a historic high of approximately 650 activities. These included an array of conferences, book presentations, workshops, recitals, theater productions, and film screenings, confirming the fair’s role as a vital hub for authors, publishers, cultural figures, booksellers, and readers of all ages.
During the closing ceremony held at the Juan Bosch Auditorium of the National Library, Minister of Culture Roberto Ángel Salcedo announced that the 28th edition of the fair will take place from 24 September to 4 October 2026.
Key takeaways from the 2025 Fair
• Democratizing reading: The Bono Libro program successfully distributed 11,045 free books to students, a key initiative aimed at broadening access to literature.
• Focus on youth and international guests: The fair was dedicated to children’s literature, with the Children’s Pavilion hosting 70 activities. The Red de Ferias y Festivales Literarios de Latinoamérica served as the guest of honor, underscoring the event’s global reach.
• Global participation: This year’s fair hosted representatives from 19 countries, featured 165 invited authors, nine fair directors, and over 370 publishing houses. Tens of thousands of students from more than 620 educational centers participated in a specially curated program.
• Business growth: The Sala de Negocios (Business Room) played a crucial role, facilitating 93 professional meetings with the participation of 29 international publishers from seven countries, establishing itself as a strategic space for the Dominican editorial system.
Bestsellers and literary highlights
In terms of sales, Eva Muñoz’s “Boss” was the runaway commercial success, with the author signing over 1,500 copies in an unprecedented mass signing event.
Among the publications of the Editora Nacional, historian and honoree of this edition, Frank Moya Pons’s “La otra historia” was the most in-demand title.
Minister Salcedo expressed his deep satisfaction with the outcomes, emphasizing the event’s superb organization, the public’s widespread participation, and the continued robust growth of the Dominican publishing sector.
The FILSD continues to shine as a platform for cultural integration and a leading regional benchmark for the creative industry and the literary world.
Read more in Spanish:
El Caribe
Ministry of Culture
El Nuevo Diario
6 October 2025