Frankfurter Buchmesse and Frankfurt City Marketing present iconic jeepney in the city center – a stage for encounters, culture, and Guest of Honour atmosphere
From 13 to 18 October 2025, Frankfurter Buchmesse and Frankfurt City Marketing invite visitors to experience the “Jeepney Journey” at Roßmarkt. At the heart of the event is an original Philippine jeepney. These colorful vehicles, used in the Philippines as public transport and shared taxis, trace their origins back to the post-war era. Adorned with vibrant designs and personal motifs, jeepneys are an essential part of Filipino culture and stand as a symbol of creativity and improvisation.
With the “Jeepney Journey,” this vehicle becomes a cultural ambassador in downtown Frankfurt: it serves as a stage, meeting place, and interactive space where visitors and trade fair guests can come together. Readings, talks, and workshops turn the Roßmarkt into a place of exchange. Market stalls, seating, and selfie spots will surround the jeepney.
Highlights include live painting of a Filipino graphic novel, street food and live cooking sessions, karaoke, and parol workshops for children. Musical performances will feature Alyzah, Ray Lozano, the Madrigal Singers, and a karaoke competition. Discussions on literature, culture, and society will round out the programme.
“Since 1949, the Frankfurter Buchmesse has established itself as the world’s largest book fair. Since 2023, we have been working with its organizers to create a joint cultural project in the heart of the city. Our aim is to strengthen and highlight the close connection between the book fair and Frankfurt, thereby also promoting the Frankfurt am Main brand. This year, the Roßmarkt will be transformed into a colorful Filipino fiesta in honor of this year’s Guest of Honour. To this end, we have managed to acquire an original jeepney – a colorful, community vehicle that is deeply rooted in everyday life in the Philippines – for our project. In addition to a diverse musical and literary program, the jeepney will serve as a place for exchange, workshops, and cultural encounters,” says Stephanie Wüst, Head of the Department of Economics, Law, and City Marketing.
“The ‘Jeepney Journey’ brings the diversity of this year’s Guest of Honour – the Philippines – to the heart of Frankfurt: it transports the creativity and energy of our guest country from the exhibition halls into the public space and invites all Frankfurt residents and visitors to become part of the journey. This unique blend of celebration, dialogue, and cultural encounter whets the appetite for the book fair. And that is exactly what we want to achieve in cooperation with the city of Frankfurt am Main,” says Juergen Boos, Director of Frankfurter Buchmesse.
Press event on 13 October 2025, 11.00 am
On Monday, 13 October 2025, at 11.00 am, the “Jeepney Journey” will start as part of a press event at Frankfurt’s Roßmarkt. City Councilor Stephanie Wüst, Juergen Boos, Marie Yvette L. Banzon Abalos, Philippine Consul General, and Charisse Aquino-Tugade, Director of the National Book Development Board (NBDB), will be on site to present the campaign. Please send registrations and interview requests to press@buchmesse.de by October 9.
The project will be accompanied by a communication campaign that extends the “Jeepney Journey” into the digital space. Collaborations with key Frankfurt influencers will help bring the campaign to life beyond Roßmarkt.
With this, Frankfurter Buchmesse and Frankfurt City Marketing are continuing their series of joint projects, which began in 2023. Following the anniversary campaign “75 Chairs – 75 Stories” (2023) and the interactive installation “The Great Escape Room – An intriguing adventure inspired by Goethe’s Italian Journey” (2024), the “Jeepney Journey“ marks their third major collaboration. These projects have now become an integral part of Frankfurt’s cultural programme during the book fair, ensuring that Frankfurter Buchmesse can be experienced not only on the fairgrounds but also in the city itself each year.
The campaign is sponsored by the City Marketing Department in Division IV Economy, Law, and City Marketing. It is implemented by the City Marketing Department and Frankfurter Buchmesse in cooperation with the Urban Media Project agency and representatives of this year’s Guest of Honour (National Book Development Board).
