The Village of Sarmede during the International Book Fayre Exhibition

The International Children Books Illustration Exhibition opens its doors for six weeks every year at Sarmede, my home town, gathering the usual crowd of fans and supporters from various parts of the country.

The Town Hall with flags from participating countries

The Exhibition used to be held in the Town Hall of the village which has permanent mural illustrations done by the  artists at different stages in the formation of this event.

If you are to go into The Registry Office you may find kitties walking along the path in a locked embrace or a tiger sitting on top of the radiator.

Or a leopard walking beside you down the steps.

The New Art Gallery

The Exhibition now has its own Art Gallery next to the Town Hall.

Such illustrations are also protracted unto the walls around the village. Sarmede has claim to the title of “The Fairy Tale Village”.

Guest artist EMILIO URBERUAGA from Madrid signs children books he has illustrated.

This little lady has found someone to talk to.

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All illustrations are the originals that have been published to illustrate children’s books, some translated in various languages.  We keep a stock of them in our bookstore and are sold during the period of the exhibition.

Alongside the Exhibition we have theatre productions attended by children from a wide spectrum of schools around the area and beyond, which entertain and enlighten children of all ages.

There are also craft laboratories scattered around the village where children can make objects in keeping with each year’s theme and alternate with the theatre shows, thus making it a day’s school outing to remember.

For two weekends, usually in October, the village closes all its entrances and becomes a “Fairy Tale Village” visited by thousands of children and adults alike… Even if it is raining…

SOME ILLUSTRATIONS

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