Mutanabi Street Friday Book Market
Fri, Jul 24 · 7:00 AM
Every Friday morning Al-Mutanabi Street closes to traffic and becomes what it has been since the 1970s: an open-air reading room. Sellers lay out stock on the ground from first light, publishers bring new Arabic titles, and by mid-morning there are poetry readings outside the Shabandar cafe. Nothing is ticketed and nothing is organised in the formal sense — you simply turn up, walk slowly, and buy what you trip over. Come before ten if you want to browse in comfort; by noon the street is shoulder to shoulder.
- Free and open to everyone, no ticket needed
- New Arabic titles direct from Beirut and Cairo publishers
- Poetry readings outside the Shabandar cafe from around 10:00
- Bookbinders in the neighbouring Souq Al Saray work through the morning
Friday morning
07:00 AM
Sellers lay out stock along the street
The street closes to traffic and the pavement disappears under books.
10:00 AM
Open poetry reading outside Shabandar
Anyone may read. Mostly Arabic, occasionally Kurdish.
11:30 AM
Publisher stalls at the Rasheed Street end
New releases from Beirut and Cairo houses at cover price.
01:00 PM
Street reopens to traffic
Sellers pack up; the cafes stay open all afternoon.
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