Don Quijote Reading Marathon

Badajoz will open its 2026 Book Week with a public reading marathon of *Don Quijote* on April 23, tying the city’s program to Spain’s annual Book Day observance. (elperiodicoextremadura.com) The program runs from April 23 to 26 at the Museo de la Ciudad Luis de Morales and is organized by Badajoz City Hall’s culture department with the city museum. Councilor José Antonio Casablanca said the schedule is aimed especially at young readers, while remaining open to schools and the general public. (elperiodicoextremadura.com) The XIX reading marathon of *Don Quijote de la Mancha* is scheduled for April 23 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. at the museum. Local coverage described it as one of the most established events on Badajoz’s cultural calendar. (elperiodicoextremadura.com, radiointerior.es) The rest of the week broadens the format beyond a single classic. On April 24, publisher Aristas Martínez stages “El cuento entre canciones,” mixing storytelling and live music with Rui Díaz and Mercedes Trigo in the museum cloister at 8:00 p.m. with free entry until capacity is reached. (elperiodicoextremadura.com) On the morning of April 25, the museum will host “World Book Day 2026,” organized by the Kids&Us academy in Badajoz, with English-language sensory storytelling and collaborative games from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Organizers require advance registration because of expected demand. (elperiodicoextremadura.com) The city closes the program on April 26 with “El tiempo en sus manos,” a family card-game activity designed by the Asociación Amigos de Badajoz to introduce younger participants to local history. Municipal libraries are also extending activities into neighborhoods and outlying districts, according to local reports. (elperiodicoextremadura.com, radiointerior.es) The timing follows a long Spanish link between April 23 and Cervantes. UNESCO marks April 23 each year as World Book and Copyright Day and says the date is meant to celebrate books as a bridge across generations and cultures. (unesco.org) That makes the Badajoz schedule part of a wider April pattern in Spain: local institutions use Cervantes, public readings and children’s programming to turn Book Day into a city-level civic event, not just a publishing holiday. In Badajoz, the anchor is still the marathon reading — a communal return to *Don Quijote* before the rest of the week shifts to songs, games and family activities. (unesco.org, elperiodicoextremadura.com, radiointerior.es)