La Used Book, Vinyl and Vinyl Festival Graphic design It has become one of those weekend plans that blend culture, music, and neighborhood life in one place. What began as an alternative exchange and sales fair is now a regular event for secondhand book lovers, record collectors, and people interested in the independent graphic design.
In a completely open, participatory and free admissionThe event unfolds in the streets and iconic locations throughout the city, featuring vendor stalls, live performances, and a relaxed atmosphere perfect for both friends and family. The focus is on used books, vinyl records, and graphic design, but around this core theme emerge music, talks, exhibitions, and an audience that continues to grow with each edition.
An event celebrating used books, vinyl records, and graphic design
In its seventh edition, the festival moves to the Tandil Train StationThis setting reinforces the atmosphere of a popular and accessible gathering. Next Sunday, from 17 to 21 pm, the platforms and surrounding area of ​​the railway building will be filled with tables displaying secondhand books, record boxes, fanzines, posters, prints, and all kinds of graphic materials designed for leisurely browsing.
One of the most striking aspects is the combination between cultural market and artistic programmingThroughout the afternoon, presentations, talks, and live performances will alternate, maintaining the festive atmosphere of the event, which goes beyond mere buying and selling. The public moves among the stands, stops to listen to a talk, watches the live screen printing demonstrations, and ends the day dancing or enjoying a concert at sunset.
In addition to specialized positions in used books and vinyl recordsGraphic design plays a leading role: coversPosters, illustration, typography, and small publishing projects coexist with proposals from local visual artists. This allows amateurs and professionals in the field to share space and conversation, generating a sense of community that is often lacking in larger, more commercial events.
The organization maintains a clear idea: that the festival continues to be Free, open to the entire community And on a human scale, with a sense of closeness. The focus is less on the massive spectacle and more on the direct contact between vendors, artists, and visitors, something that is noticeable both in the way the stalls are set up and in the proximity to the public.
Cultural program: talks, music and live screen printing
Throughout the day, the train station will transform into a small cultural hub with a concise but carefully curated program. At 5:00 PM, an event is scheduled. open discussion about book publishingTaking as a starting point the publication of the Club Ferrocarril Sud Centenary Book. The presence of its author, Hugo Mengascini, opens the door to discussing local memory, archives, historical photograph and editorial design processes.
You will also be able to tour the Exhibition of the winning photographs from the Cultural WalkThis initiative invites us to see the city with fresh eyes and fits particularly well within the railway environment. The images, selected from various points throughout the city, showcase urban landscapes, architectural details, and everyday scenes that engage with the concepts of travel, transit, and public space.
One of the highlights for those involved in the graphic arts world will be the live screen printing by David PotenzoThroughout the afternoon, the artist will be offering free prints on clothing brought by the public, providing a hands-on demonstration of the technique. Simply bring a t-shirt, tote bag, or other cotton garment to take home a unique piece, printed on-site with designs created especially for the occasion.
The music segment is reserved for the final part of the day. Around 20 pm, the following is scheduled: Nelson Castro and his demons showwhich will add energy in a band format before the closing. This is complemented by the musical accompaniment of DJ Academy X, a regular at various local events, providing electronic and urban music sessions, setting the mood from afternoon until night.
To complete the experience, the canteen will be run by Paradise Beerwith drinks and snacks for those who decide to stay all afternoon. The aim is for the public to be able to move around the space without having to go outside to find anything, encouraging the Station to be experienced as a true cultural meeting point.
Children's area, fairground attractions and family atmosphere
The festivities haven't forgotten the little ones. Between the platforms and the stalls, there will be a children's space under the name "Open Air"Designed to introduce children to reading and play in a comfortable and safe environment, this program includes fun activities, stories, and creative expression exercises, making it a truly family-friendly experience, not just for adults.
The fairgoers who participate in each edition They arrive with tables and racks laden with copies of fiction, essays, comics, poetry, illustrated books, and out-of-print editions no longer available in bookstores. The used book thus gains a new life, circulates among other readers, and remains in motion within the community, moving away from the idea of ​​an obsolete object.
As for vinylsThe selection typically ranges from classic rock, jazz, and Latin American music to rare collector's items, as well as more accessible options for those new to the format. The leisurely listening experience, the ritual of examining album covers, and the weight of the physical object contrast with streaming and create a more mindful sonic experience.
Within the scope of graphic designThe fair serves as a showcase for projects of desktop publishingArtistic posters, screen prints, risographs, letterpress prints, and illustration work applied to the publishing and music industries. It's not uncommon to find covers designed for local bands, limited-edition fanzines, or small experimental publications that would hardly ever enter the mainstream commercial circuits.
The most repeated comment edition after edition has to do with the atmosphere: an environment peaceful, diverse and very friendlywhere people who are just looking for a book mingle with those who spend the afternoon chatting with designers, photographers, or musicians. That mix is, to a large extent, the hallmark of the Used Book, Vinyl, and Graphic Design Festival.
A cultural classic that is gaining popularity and continuity.
Beyond this seventh edition at the Train Station, the city has been stringing together different Used Book, Vinyl Records and Graphic Design Fair which have made it a true classic on the local cultural calendar. The 16th edition, for example, was held in the Chimera Club, at 4 de Abril street 1401, also in the afternoon, from 17 to 21 pm.
On that occasion, the fair was organized directly on the street, transforming it into a open-air cultural corridor where the stalls selling books, records, and design items were located. As is the case now at the Station, admission was free, with the announcement that the event would be canceled in case of rain, which makes sense given its complete dependence on the weather.
The continuity of these editions has allowed that various local fairground vendors They consolidate their presence, forming a stable core of projects that revolve around used books, physical music, and graphic arts. For many of them, the festival is a key space to showcase their catalog, test new ideas, or connect with readers and listeners with whom they then stay in touch throughout the year.
Over time, the event has earned a place among the most anticipated cultural events of each seasonCompeting head-to-head with concerts, film series, and art exhibitions, each edition attracts new audiences: people who come for the music and end up buying a book, families with young children for the kids' activities, and young designers who find role models and colleagues with whom to share their creative processes.
That "classic" character does not mean repetition, but a flexible structure which adapts to the neighborhoods and spaces where it takes place. The festival has shown that used books, vinyl records, and graphic design can serve as a common thread to create comprehensive, accessible, and local cultural events, whether in a train station, on a street closed to traffic, or in the setting of a social club.
With a simple formula—open-air fair, free admission, strong presence of books, records and graphic design—plus a carefully curated artistic program—, the Used Book, Vinyl and Graphic Design Festival continues to consolidate itself as a meeting point for those who value paper culture, analog sound and independent graphic design, demonstrating that, far from going out of fashion, these practices continue to find an audience and renew themselves in each new edition.
