The NegrOviedo festival, celebrating crime fiction, was inaugurated at the Lorenzo Rodríguez Castellano Library in Campo San Francisco. The event, which runs from 13 to 15 November, began with a meeting with writer Marta Huelves and was attended by Lourdes García, the city’s Councillor for Education, along with festival curator Susana Jódar.
During the opening, García expressed her condolences to the family of Juan José Rodríguez, known as 'Jota', and to his colleagues in the National Police, acknowledging the tragic week for the security forces. She stated, "Oviedo, and this government team, stands with you, and the heroic actions of these public servants will always be in our hearts."
García remarked on the significance of the festival, saying, "Today, we are finally realising the birth of NegrOviedo here in La Granja Library, in our beloved Campo San Francisco. This idea was proposed to us months ago, as Oviedo has a literary history embedded in its DNA. Between 15 and 20 beloved authors, including several bestsellers, will visit the city during these days."
The festival kicked off with Huelves and features numerous parallel activities, many aimed at children, such as author visits to schools, workshops for creating animated shorts, and book presentations at the Filarmónica, including one by well-known crime fiction author César Pérez Gellida.
García concluded by stating, "This three-day event will provide enjoyment for fans of this genre and complements the annual programming developed by the Education Department and the library sector, in collaboration with local bookstores, publishers, illustrators, and, of course, authors. NegrOviedo is here to stay, and we hope it will be a success, encouraging all citizens to participate in the activities outlined in the programme."
Festival curator Susana Jódar added that the meeting with Huelves would kick off discussions with reading clubs, and the afternoon would feature panel discussions and a round table with Ana Covadonga Castro, a national police officer and researcher, who will discuss the writing and documentation process. Jódar expressed gratitude to the library network for providing the space and accommodating the event, and mentioned a session with César Pérez Gellida to present his latest novel scheduled for the following day.
