Don’t miss these Festival events
The surprise hit of last year’s October festival, The Way We Wear is back for another catwalk. Six stylish Canadian authors will open up their closets and share stories about the clothes and accessories that define them.
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Our gala celebration of the best in Canadian fiction has found an equally fabulous stage at Mount Royal University’s Bella Theatre – and a dazzlingly warm host in The Next Chapter’s Shelagh Rogers. Don’t miss this exclusive opportunity to experience readings and conversation with the five authors vying for the 2018 Scotiabank Giller Prize. (The names of the shortlisted authors won’t be announced until Oct. 2, which only adds to the excitement.)
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The queen of true crime, Sarah Weinman, finally meets Iain Reid, the king of philosophical suspense. We hope you’ll be as excited as the Globe & Mail's Jana Pruden is to take part in a conversation and readings that are certain to chill and thrill.
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The wine poured so liberally at the 2017 edition of this event, hosted by the CBC Eyeopener’s Angela Knight, that we actually ran out of libations. (The emergency replenishment midway through the event sparked loud applause.) This year, the bar is thoroughly stocked, accompanied by four authors ready to take their sips while sharing what makes them tick.
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What makes us remember? Why do we forget? And what, exactly, is a memory? Adventures in Memory answers these questions and more. Joining us from Norway, the Østby sisters – one a novelist and the other a neuropsychogist – will take the audience on a fascinating exploration of the evolving understanding of one of our most baffling faculties. Not to be missed by those lucky enough to have attended Peter Wohlleben’s Wordfest events in 2016 (they share the same terrific publisher, indie Greystone Books).
Travel assistance provided by NORLA.
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The legendary Dionne Brand takes centre stage to discuss her latest forays into fiction and poetry, Theory and The Blue Clerk. Dionne Brand has written both fearlessly and prolifically about race, space, and the conflict between the two. In language as haunting as it is beautiful, Brand proves yet again why she is one of our country’s most important voices.
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We’ve saved the most indescribable event to close the 2018 Imaginarium: not just a reading, nor a conversation, nor a performance, but the alchemic miracle when all three art forms come together. In Split Tooth, Tanya Tagaq moves effortlessly between fiction and memoir, myth and reality, poetry and prose, and conjures a world and a heroine readers will never forget. Presented at the visually and acoustically stunning Bella Concert Hall, this will be the ultimate manifestation of the life-changing experiences we promise audiences. (This special event includes a copy of Split Tooth with your ticket (retail price: $29.95) Festival Pass holders receive a $15 discount.)
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Photos of Past Events
Wordfest featured over 150 events in last year and is dreaming big for 2018. Visit our Flickr page for photos of past events.
View Festival Photos
Recaps of Past Events
Using a platform called Storify, we’ve collected all of the social media buzz, live-tweets, snapshots and live illustrations captured during Wordfest.
Recaps of Past Events
Youth & School Programming
Over 10,000 young readers this year will experience the magic of interacting with live authors in schools and in theatres.
Learn MoreBecome a Wordy Do-Gooder
A huge thank you to all of our supporters! Wordfest relies on government funding, sponsorships from corporations and foundations, volunteer support and charitable donations from individuals like you to ensure that we are able to continue our 23-year history of sparking live experiences for readers and writers. We invite you to consider donating to Wordfest this season as we plan for another year of igniting ideas and building community – one inspiring story at a time.
