This month’s cancellation of Leipzig Book Fair points to the shifting outlook for various major book publishing events as COVID-19 vaccination timelines remain unclear.
Image: LB, Ulrich Koch
Leipzig: ‘With Great Sorry and a Heavy Heart’
In what feels immediately like d
éjà vu, Leipzig Book Fair’s cancellation this month of its planned physical fair is a reminder that for all the promise of vaccinations and progress in combating the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic, the international publishing trade show and book fair circuit remains unsure of its calendar.
The announcement from Leipzig Book Fair’s organizers had a forlorn tone, reading, “It’s with great sorrow and a heavy heart that we must inform you that this year’s Leipzig Book Fair, scheduled for May 27 to 30, will not take place. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic, the current measures and restrictions on travel, as well as the associated planning uncertainty for exhibitors and program participants, make it i