Babell Literary Festival returns to Porto in 2028

The Babell Literary Festival is set to return to Porto in 2028, occurring biennially and maintaining its funding model, as announced by commissioner Rui Couceiro at an international literary congress in Lisbon. The first edition, held in June, was primarily funded by Pedro Pinto, president of Livraria Lello, with a total investment exceeding three million euros. Couceiro highlighted the festival's unique ticketing model, which involved purchasing books from local bookstores, benefiting both readers and shops. Despite some issues with simultaneous interpretation, the festival achieved a 95% satisfaction rate among attendees. The event attracted over 400,000 participants and generated an estimated economic impact of 54.1 million euros.