The Frankfurt Book Fair has announced a "Buchmesse Kickoff Run," a 5K race along the Main River in Frankfurt, on October 8 at 5:00 p.m., to benefit classroom literacy. The run will coincide with the forthcoming Frankfurt Book Fair, which opens on October 11.
Katherine McGuire of Quirk Books and Amy Spangler of AnatoliaLit have launched a fundraising page for runners, with donations benefiting Room to Read, a nonprofit supporting children’s literacy and girls’ education. A $10 donation, the fair said, will bring 10 new books to a classroom, while $25 could send an entire bookshelf.
The idea for the event initially cropped during a lunch between Cecilia de la Campa of Writers House and Frankfurt Book Fair CEO Juergen Boos.
"The run on Sunday night is just a fun way to start a busy Frankfurt schedule and to exercise and mingle with colleagues," said Riky Stock, an affiliate for cultural projects for the Frankfurt Book Fair, who is organizing the event with Mediacampus Frankfurt executive director Monica Kolb. “Many rights managers arrive in Frankfurt on Sunday and have a full day of hotel-site meetings on the Monday before the fair starts.... Those who don’t run or jog are encouraged to watch us and cheer."
Registration is required as space is limited. For more information—both about cheering and running—please email rikystock@book-fair.com.
