Booklovers bag a bargain at Bookfest

It is estimated over 150,000 Brisbane book lovers flocked to the Convention Centre at the weekend searching through over 2million books on 4km of tables to snap up a bargain.

The Lifeline Bookfest is held in Brisbane twice a year and the January 2010 Bookfest marks its 24^th year raising funds to assist Lifeline in delivering programs and support to the local community.

It was expected sales from the opening weekend had raised a total of $700,000 and Bookfest coordinators were confident of reaching their goal of raising $1.5million by the time doors close on January 24.

“The success of the Bookfest events manage to blow me away every year. We exceeded our budget last year and made almost 17 per cent more than the 2008 events,” Bookfest Coordinator Mr Roy Firth said.

“The Lifeline Bookfest is a win-win event for Brisbane – there are bargains to be found for everyone, the money raised goes back into the community, and the event itself creates a community.”

The event, however, would not be as successful without the support of the 600 volunteers it takes to run the 9-day event.

First time volunteer Ms Sara Griffin said she had been a long time visitor to the Lifeline Bookfest and always looked forward to the event for cheap and quality books.

“It is great to be experiencing Bookfest from the other side of the fence this year,” she said. “I believe in the work that Lifeline do in the community and hope they reach their fundraising goal this year.”

The January 2010 Bookfest runs daily (8:30am-5pm weekdays and 8:30am-8pm weekends) until January 24 at the Brisbane Convention Centre, South Brisbane For more information log on to www.lifelinebookfest.com