The sound of pages flipping, with the chatter of visitors asking -“How much is this?” and“Do you have this in English?” - were among the questions that filled the halls of Expo Centre Sharjah on Wednesday evening, as thousands attended the opening of the 44th Sharjah International Book Fair.

As the door opened, visitors and book lovers moved through the halls browsing books, attending workshops, meeting authors, and enjoying live performances. Book lovers walked between long rows of stalls stacked with new releases, novels, and academic titles.

Band performers with painted faces, dressed in white and gold outfits, lit up the venue with colourful lights on their chests. Moving rhythmically through the centre of the hall, they entertained the crowd with lively tunes that added a festive touch to the opening day of the fair.

The fair is not just for bibliophiles, but also for young ones in the family. They pulled their parents toward the activity zones and children's corners created just for them.

Every corner of the exhibition centre offered something to see or do. Children sat on the floor sketching their favourite story characters, their hands stained with paint.

“It's not just a book fair anymore, it's more than a family tradition. A visit is a must for my family,” said Hussain Al Hosani, an Emirati, who has been visiting the fair for the last 30 years.“My children and wife are upset with me as I did not bring them today. However, they have planned to come tomorrow all by themselves,” said the bibliophile, moving his cart around the aisles.

Al Hosani remembers his younger days when he came with his parents and siblings.“When I was younger, we came here only to buy books. Now, there are art corners, live shows, and authors signing our copies. My kids love coming because it's fun and full of surprises for them.”

By late afternoon, the aisles were packed with people pushing carts, trolleys, and bags filled with books of all kinds. Visitors stopped to take photos with giant installations, and some lined up patiently to get their copies signed by authors.

'Becoming critics'

“I have been coming to SIBF for 12 years, and it keeps getting better,” said Ahmed Khaled, an Egyptian teacher living in Sharjah.“For bookworms and readers, it's like a festival. There's excitement and people who share the same love for books. The funny part is when people of the same interests meet, we become critics. I met a visitor and we started analysing a book,” said Khaled.

“But it's also a place to meet poets, attend discussions, and even discover books in languages I never thought I would read,” added Khaled.

Workshops and discussion panels were held across a few halls throughout the first day. Visitors moved between sessions carrying notebooks and tote bags as moderators and authors spoke about their work.

Stalls that stacked Arabic books were the busiest on Day 1 as many Arabic-speaking visitors queued to explore literature, novels, Islamic and history books.

“Every book fair is special, but the Arabic poetry has its own soul,” said Marwan Muhammed, a bookworm who has been visiting the fair for the last 25 years.“You come here planning to spend a few hours, and before you know it, it's evening.”

“Every year, I purchase about fifty books at the fair. On Day 1, I have about eight copies with me. I will be coming every day so that my schedule stays tight with reading until the next edition of the fair,” added Marwan.

Organised by the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), the annual event runs until November 16, bringing together more than 2,000 publishers from over 100 countries, with activities ranging from storytelling sessions to international discussions on literature and technology.

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