Charity book fair in Canberra attracts record crowds
Record crowds have flocked to the Lifeline Book Fair in Canberra, which is expected to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars for charity.
On Friday more than 4,000 people attended the fair, with several thousand more people expected to attend the three-day fair over the weekend.
The event is in its 42nd year and raises funds for Lifeline.
More than 250,000 books have been put up for sale and every book was donated by members of the public.
The fair is run three times a year and raises close to $1 million, which is half of the annual operating costs for Lifeline.
Carrie Leeson is the CEO of Lifeline Canberra and said the response from the public was overwhelming.
"We've broken every record we've achieved in the past. Attendance, attendance per hour and attendance per day," she said.
"The sales and the funds raised has exceeded that of previous book fairs.
"The reputation of the event grows each year, the quality of the books improves, the donations we receive."
Volunteer Cedric Bear is responsible for the rare and valuable books up for sale at the fair.
He has credited the growth in attendances to the variety of the books on offer.
"They come year after year because they know they can get the books that they cannot get elsewhere," he said.
The most expensive book up for sale is a book on French impressionists for $3,000.
