Reading in the Wild

Reading in the Wild

Wordfest and Calgary Public Library are excited to announce the return of Reading in the Wild, Calgary’s outdoor Read-A-Thon! Imagine our city's most beautiful inner-city park bursting with people of all ages enjoying the simple pleasure of reading outside. This free event is for everyone—children, teens, seniors, friends, neighbours, colleagues, even well-behaved dogs. Readers of all ages are welcome to bring a blanket and book (or borrow one on site!) to read amongst fellow readers in the wild.

This all-ages community event takes place on June 24 in Central Memorial Park, home to Alberta’s oldest library. Opened in 1912 with funding from Andrew Carnegie, it is now a still-thriving national historic site as well as Wordfest’s year-round performance space, where we connect the world’s best writers with the world’s best readers.  

You can bring your current read or we’ll supply the magic: Choose from a specially curated selection from the Library's collection, organized by age and interests, which you are welcome to check out at any time from the fabulous Memorial Park Library staff. Don’t have a library card? You can sign up for a free one on the spot! 

In addition to reading outside (this is more than enough entertainment for some of us!), the event will also feature live music along with the following opportunities for engagement: 

• Live music by Calgary-based string duo Solatido
• Complimentary Dog-Friendly Village Ice Cream for our four-legged companions!
• And complimentary Village Ice Cream for the first 200 humans!
• Samples of Wild Folk's tasty zero proof canned cocktails
• Letterpress printing on The Sprawl's mobile pop-up press
• Calgary Public Library will have family-friendly games that can be signed out from their outdoor circulation desk
• Persuasion Photography's David Kotsibie will be roaming the park to capture this unforgettable group reading experience.
• Be sure to tag @Wordfest with #ReadingInTheWild in your own photos and our social team will share far and wide

This event is FREE but please RSVP to receive event updates and opportunities to maximize your Reading in the Wild experience with special offers closer to the event.