Literary Events - Canada

Book Festivals, Writers Conferences and other literary events - Canada

Alberta

AB BC MB NB NL NS ON QC SK NT

Banff Centre Mountain Film and Book Festival

We’re bringing films and stories of adventure and exploration from around the world to our newly renovated Jenny Belzberg Theatre at Banff Centre for Arts and Creativity in Banff, Alberta. ...

When: October

    Where: Banff AB

Edmonton Poetry Festival

The Edmonton Poetry Festival is staged annually in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Hundreds of word artists from Edmonton and across the country come together to celebrate written and spoken verse. ...

When: April

    Where: Edmonton AB

InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship Fall Conference

InScribe Christian Writers’ Fellowship sponsors and hosts a three-day conference every year in September. Fall Conference gives writers an opportunity to come together for inspiration, motivation, and to learn more about the craft of writing. Each year InScribe is pleased to feature a seasoned aut...

When: September

    Where: Calgary AB

Litfest Alberta

LitFest is a celebration, a moveable feast of nonfiction. We don’t just sit around and read books (although we do that too). At LitFest, books about real life come off the page. Avid readers connect with writers through a series of live events, great conversations, and exciting gatherings for ...

When: October

    Where: Edmonton AB

StarFest: St. Albert Readers Festival

STARFest Readers Festival has events and conversations to connect with every reader, with bestselling, award-winning authors bringing comedy, drama, thrills and chills, romance, fantasy, and history. ...

When: September

    Where: St. Albert AB

When Words Collide

When Words Collide is an annual non-profit festival designed to bring readers and writers together in a celebration of the written word. Up to 10 tracks of programming, beginning at 1 PM on Friday and running through 5 PM Sunday, offer informational, educational, and social activities covering a wid...

When: August

    Where: Calgary AB

Word on the Street Lethbridge

Since 2011, The Word On The Street Lethbridge has proudly hosted a wide and diverse range of literary talent from across Canada. This signature event in southern Alberta presents established and emerging authors, storytellers, workshops,and other online activities. It may look and feel a bit differ...

When: September

    Where: Lethbridge AB

Wordfest Imaginarium

Calgary’s top destination for connecting audiences with the world’s best writers. Discover our artists through an exceptional range of experiences — from talk-show style conversations, variety shows, storytelling and more. Wordfest’s Imaginarium features authors and literary star...

When: October

    Where: Calgary AB

Writers’ Guild of Alberta Conference

We know that a writer needs to reflect, imagine, try things out, listen, go deep, get into flow--be in solitude. But writers also need time and space to meet one another, share experiences and knowledge, meet with an editor to see if they’re on the right track, and to grow professionally. This...

When: June

    Where: Edmonton, Calgary, Fort McMurray, and Lethbridge AB

British Columbia

AB BC MB NB NL NS ON QC SK NT

Arts & Words

The Arts & Words Festival in Gibsons, BC, is a creative collaboration celebrated over four days. It’s an annual event organized by the Sunshine Coast Writers and Editors Society. The festival includes literary and open mic readings, an art exhibition, live music, writing and art workshops, a p...

When: August

    Where: Gibsons BC

Cherie Smith JCC Jewish Book Festival

The Cherie Smith JCC Jewish Book Festival is one of Vancouver’s leading cultural and literary events, attracting a large and varied audience of over 5,000 people of all ages....

When: February

    Where: Vancouver BC

Denman Island Readers and Writers Festival

Denman Island, a small Gulf Islands community of 1200 people between the coast of British Columbia and Vancouver Island, hosts the Denman Island Readers and Writers Festival in July every summer. The festival is a four-day event comprised of workshops, evening panels, solo readings and paired readi...

When: July

    Where: Denman Island BC

Elephant Mountain Literary Festival

The Elephant Mountain Literary Festival is a reader's and writer's festival that showcases some of Canada's best literary luminaries alongside talented local writers, with live events, panel discussions, and workshops. ...

When: September

    Where: Nelson BC

LiterASIAN

LiterASIAN is a spotlight on Asian Canadian literature, history, and culture. Readings, workshops, panel discussions, and bookfair. ...

When: May

    Where: Vancouver BC

North Shore Writers Festival

Nestled between the towering, white-capped North Shore mountains and the deep blue waters of the Burrard Inlet, the North Shore Writers Festival brings Canadian authors and readers together to celebrate Canadian literature....

When: April

    Where: Vancouver BC

Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts

Join Canada’s longest-running summer gathering of Canadian writers and readers, featuring established literary stars and exciting, new voices, with opportunities for writers and readers to mingle amidst Rockwood’s heritage gardens. ...

When: August

    Where: Sechelt BC

Surrey International Writers’ Conference

The Surrey International Writers’ Conference is the most comprehensive professional development conference of its kind in Canada. SiWC offers writers in all genres - from beginners to experts- the opportunity to hone their craft. ...

When: October

    Where: Surrey BC

Vancouver Island Children’s Book Fest

BookFest is a wonderful, fun-filled day for children and adults alike. Renowned authors and illustrators come from across Canada to present their work, tell stories about their creations and lives, and inspire youth through literature and art....

When: April

    Where: Nanaimo BC

Vancouver Writers Fest

The Vancouver Writers Fest turns reading into a community experience, bringing people together to share thoughts, explore ideas, and witness brilliant conversations. All of the Festival venues are located on Granville Island. ...

When: December

    Where: Vancouver BC

Verses Festival of Words

The mission of the Verses Festival of Words is to celebrate the transformative power of words - written, spoken or sung; to engage diverse groups in cutting-edge, live performances as both audience and participants; to present influential artists from both the oral and literary traditions, and to en...

When: April

    Where: Vancouver BC

Whistler Writers Festival

This is an annual event in Whistler, which WWS started in 2002. It is a multi-venue, multi-artist, multi-day event. The program includes short seminars on various topics, a Masters workshop series for new and emerging writers on various topics of craft (e.g., writing the young adult novel, travel wr...

When: October

    Where: Whistler BC

Wine Country Writers’ Festival

The Wine Country Writer’s Festival, located in Penticton, B.C. combines your love of the written word with the beauty, inspiration, and stunning backdrop that is the South Okanagan. ...

When: September

    Where: Penticton BC

Word on the Lake Writers Festival

A major literary event bringing together writers, readers, editors and publishers in an exciting & stimulating three day festival....

When: May

    Where: Salmon Arm BC

Manitoba

AB BC MB NB NL NS ON QC SK NT

Prairie Comics Market

Prairie Comics Market is a free to attend one-day market in Winnipeg celebrating the best in comics creation on the prairies! This market will provide a space for creators of comic content, including artists, writers, craft-makers and publishers, to interact with fans, promote their material, sel...

When: October

    Where: Winnipeg MB

Thin Air: Winnipeg International Writers Festival

Each September, the Winnipeg International Writers Festival welcomes writers from Canada and around the world for a week of readings, lectures, interviews, conversations, book launches, and other events. With programming for adults and children, in English and in French, in the city and outside the ...

When: September

    Where: Winnipeg MB

New Brunswick

AB BC MB NB NL NS ON QC SK NT

Frye Festival

The Frye Festival is Canada’s only bilingual international literary festival and the largest literary event in Atlantic Canada. The Frye Festival offers the best of local, Canadian and international authors, including children’s authors, graphic novelists, storytellers, poets, playwrights, spoke...

When: April

    Where: Moncton NB

Newfoundland

AB BC MB NB NL NS ON QC SK NT

Ochre Fest

A weekend of Newfoundland books, music, art and food in Conception Bay, anchored at Ochre House Retreat....

When: July

    Where: Ochre Pit Cove NL

Sparks Literary Festival

Unique in the St. John's area, the SPARKS Literary Festival features emerging and established Newfoundland writers in a variety of genres, along with featured visiting writers, reading from their work and participating in informal discussions. The SPARKS Literary Festival was founded in 2...

When: April

    Where: St John's NL

Winterset in Summer

Come and join Newfoundland and Labrador authors along with literary figures from across Canada and other countries in a weekend of readings, conversation, and music at the Beaches Arts and Heritage Centre in Eastport. ...

When: August

    Where: Eastport NL

Writers at Woody Point

The Writers at Woody Point literary festival in Woody Point, Bonne Bay, Newfoundland had its inaugural season in 2004. The festival is organized and presented by Friends of Writers at Woody Point and, each year, has played to sold-out audiences. ...

When: August

    Where: Woody Point, Bonne Bay NL

Nova Scotia

AB BC MB NB NL NS ON QC SK NT

Afterwords Literary Festival

The AfterWords Literary Festival brings the best international, Canadian and Atlantic Canadian writers together in Halifax ...

When: November

    Where: Halifax NS

Cabot Trail Writers Festival

Every fall, as the Highlands blaze with autumn colour, writers and readers from across the country may be found in the heart of Cape Breton for a three-day celebration of the written word. Here, at the Gaelic College in St. Ann’s Bay, we put aside all pretension for a sincere and wholehearted cele...

When: October

    Where: Sydney NS

Funny Pages

Canada’s only festival devoted to books that crack kids up. We believe humour can introduce even the most reluctant reader to the joy of books - and even the most reluctant writer to the joy of putting a smile on someone’s face. Through Funny Pages, we want to see low literacy rates laughed righ...

When: April

    Where: Halifax NS

Hal-Con

Since 2010, this community-focused conference has brought some of the biggest names in the sci-fi, fantasy and gaming world to Halifax, Nova Scotia. Halifax is the hub of the Maritimes and we think it’s the perfect backdrop for Atlantic Canada’s biggest sci-fi, fantasy and gaming convention. ...

When: November

    Where: Halifax NS

Lunenburg Lit Festival

The Lunenburg Lit Festival is a celebration of storytelling on the South Shore. There’s no better way to get inside a storyteller’s head than have them read to you. We’re very excited to be one of the only live and in person literary events of the season. Join us this fall to enjoy world...

When: September

    Where: Lunenburg NS

Port Medway Readers' Festival

Founded by Philip Slayton and Cynthia Wine, the festival was launched to introduce celebrated Canadian authors and emerging writers to a beautiful part of the world and so their friends, neighbours, and community could meet and hear from authors firsthand. The festival brings readers and writer...

When: July

    Where: Port Medway NS

Read by the Sea

Read by the Sea is a summer literary festival featuring readings by outstanding Canadian authors. The three-day festival includes WordPlay, a fun-filled mini festival for children of all ages; OnWords, a brand new event for middle-grade and young adult readers; Wordstock, a series of literary and st...

When: July

    Where: River John NS

Territories

AB BC MB NB NL NS ON QC SK NT

NorthWords NWT Literary Festival

A summer literary festival in Yellowknife that would support northern and Aboriginal writers by allowing them to share the stage with established writers from southern Canada. ...

When: May

    Where: Yellowknife NT

NT Writers Festival (NTWF)

The NT Writers Festival (NTWF) is a four-day festival that emphasises Australia’s cultural and linguistic diversity, bringing people together to share story, language and culture. Held annually, the festival’s location alternates between Darwin and Alice Springs. Events range from pitch sessions...

When: June

    Where: Darwin/Alice Springs NT

Ontario

AB BC MB NB NL NS ON QC SK NT

1000 Islands Writers Festival

The 1000 Islands Writers Festival is our unique celebration of the power of storytelling through words, music and art in the charming historic town of Gananoque, Ontario. ...

When: April

    Where: Gananoque ON

Alice Munro Festival of the Short Story

The Alice Munro Festival of the Short Story is an annual three-day festival that features workshops, readings, onstage presentations, and community events that celebrate emerging writers and short fiction....

When: June

    Where: Wingham ON

Bookfest Festival du Livre Windsor

BookFest Windsor is an annual literary festival by Literary Arts Windsor. Join us for a stellar & diverse lineup of authors from across Canada! Celebrate our 20th year of presenting the best in contemporary literature. All online and easily accessible. ...

When: October

    Where: Windsor ON

Burlington Literary Festival

During this month-long celebration of literature, we welcome authors, celebrate books, and (virtually) visit with local and national literary treasures....

When: November

    Where: Burlington ON

Can*Con

Can*Con is Ottawa’s conference for readers and writers of Speculative Arts & Literature. ...

When: November

    Where: Ottawa ON

Canadian South Asian Literary Festival

The Canadian South Asian Literary Festival is the first festival to celebrate the legacy of South Asian thinkers and writers in Canada's literary landscape. The festival features writers from across South Asia who will participate in conferences and read from their latest works. The festival a...

When: August

    Where: Brampton ON

CANSCAIP Packaging Your Imagination Conference

For almost 40 years, CANSCAIP has hosted Packaging Your Imagination (PYI), a highly regarded professional development conference. Canada's community of writers, illustrators, performers and publishers for young people gather for an inspiring day of learning, business and networking....

When: October

    Where: Toronto ON

Eden Mills Writers’ Festival

Founded in 1989, the Eden Mills Writers’ Festival is a nationally acclaimed literary event, treasured by book lovers and authors, and widely respected by Canada’s literary community. Our mandate is to inspire, enlighten and enchant by presenting a literary festival that provides stimulating, tho...

When: September

    Where: Eden Mills ON

Festival of Literary Diversity (FOLD)

The Festival of Literary Diversity is Canada’s first festival for diverse authors and storytellers, held in historic downtown Brampton. The FOLD provides one-of-a-kind events for kids and adults that engage readers, inspire writers, and empower educators by highlighting important and underrepresen...

When: April

    Where: Brampton ON

FOLD Kids Book Festival

Celebrating a diverse array of Canadian children’s literature through events specifically designed for kids, families, and educators. ...

When: November

    Where: Brampton ON

Forest of Reading Festival of Trees

The Ontario Library Association’s (OLA) Forest of Reading and the Festival of Trees occupy places of prominence in Canada’s literary landscape. The Forest of Reading is Canada ’s largest recreational reading programme of its kind. Every year, more than 250,000 Ontario children read and vote f...

When: May

    Where: Toronto ON

gritLIT - Hamilton’s Readers and Writers Festival

gritLIT was established in November, 2004, by Hamilton writer and writing teacher Krista Foss. It started as a small, intimate festival, with readings taking place in the Staircase Theatre. Over the past seven years, gritLIT has evolved into a larger-scale and wider-reaching endeavor. It has spread ...

When: April

    Where: Hamilton ON

Kingston WritersFest

Kingston WritersFest, a charitable cultural organization, brings the best of contemporary writers to Kingston to interact with audiences and other artists for mutual inspiration, education, and the exchange of ideas that literature provokes. Through readings, performance, onstage discussion and m...

When: September

    Where: Kingston ON

Lakefield Literary Festival

In commemoration of Margaret Laurence, Catharine Parr Traill, Susanna Moodie and our community’s ongoing literary heritage, the Lakefield Literary Festival showcases Canadian authors and promotes the joy of reading and writing among children and adults. Our festival is curated by a program committ...

When: July

    Where: Lakefield ON

MASC Young Authors & Illustrators Festival

Students in grades four to eight are invited to sign up for a day of literary activities including artist presentations and hands-on master classes, working with a professional author or illustrator of their choice. Bring your imagination. Leave inspired!...

When: February

    Where: Ottawa ON

Motive Crime and Mystery Festival

Canada’s newest and largest Crime & Mystery Festival. From dark family secrets, to true crime, to paranormal plotlines, MOTIVE’s in-person events spotlight many of the year’s most anticipated crime and mystery releases, followed by book signings. ...

When: June

    Where: Toronto ON

Ottawa International Spring Writers Festival

Ottawa’s Festival of Ideas since 1997. We believe that a love of reading and learning should be nurtured throughout our lives and that literacy is a birthright. Whether offering writing workshops to the homeless, hosting a Nobel Laureate, organizing our biannual literary celebrations or bringing a...

When: May

    Where: Ottawa ON

Sharp Words Book Fair

The book fair will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with almost 30 vendors, representing independent publishers like Book*hug, a new press based out of Six Nations, Wilfrid Laurier University Press, Between the Lines (a social movement press started in 1977), small comic publishers like Black Eye Books, ...

When: February

    Where: Hamilton ON

Telling Tales Festival

We are proud to host a festival, produce a reading list and more, where homegrown Canadian authors, illustrators and storytellers are spotlighted and given the opportunity to connect with fans and new audiences. ...

When: September

    Where: Burlington ON

The Book Drunkard Literary Festival

Literary festival capturing the wonderment of the written word and praising its ability to intoxicate, transport and transform....

When: September

    Where: Uxbridge ON

Toronto International Festival of Authors

The Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) is Canada’s longest-running literary festival, a charitable cultural organization. It presents the finest of Canadian and international writers, artists and thinkers across the range of literary genres from fiction to non-fiction, poetry to play...

When: September

    Where: Toronto ON

VERSeFest

VERSeFest is Ottawa’s annual International Festival of Poetry. Built on a mandate of fostering creative crossroads and community, we feature English and French poetry of all traditions, styles, and forms. Since 2011, we have showcased the best local, Canadian, and international poets performing in...

When: March

    Where: Ottawa ON

Wild Writers Literary Festival

A weekend celebration of literature, with panels, conversations, writers' craft classes and mentorships, and a chance to allow established and emerging Canadian writers to share their writing and expertise with literature lovers. ...

When: October

    Where: Waterloo ON

Word on the Street Book Fair Toronto

The Word On The Street is a national celebration of literacy and the written word. Each September, in communities coast to coast, the public is invited to participate in hundreds of author events, presentations and workshops and to browse a marketplace that boasts the best selection of Canadian book...

When: September

    Where: Toronto ON

Words Fest

During the first weekend of November each year, Words brings the Southwestern Ontario region together for a celebration of creative ideas, artistic expression, and cultural diversity. Words features emerging and established writers from London, Canada, and beyond, showcasing new works and provocativ...

When: November

    Where: London ON

Wordstock Sudbury Literary Festival

Wordstock Sudbury Literary Festival is an intimate three-day celebration of the literary arts. The festival features some of Canada’s most celebrated authors, poets, playwrights, and songwriters. Wordstock Sudbury creates opportunities for vital conversations that challenge assumptions, explore di...

When: November

    Where: Sudbury ON

Write! Canada

Write! Canada is an annual three-day meeting of Christian writers that takes place in Guelph, Ontario. Write! Canada offers an opportunity for writers to attend seminars, speak with literary agents and meet Christian publishers. ...

When: September

    Where: Guelph ON

Quebec

AB BC MB NB NL NS ON QC SK NT

ACQL Annual Conference

Founded in 1975 in the wake of Canada’s official ratification of multiculturalism, the Association for Canadian and Québec Literatures has, over more than 45 years, emerged as Canada’s premier association for showcasing multilingual and transnational research in Canadian and Quebec literatures....

When: June

    Where: Montreal PQ

Blue Metropolis Montreal Literary Festival

Blue Metropolis Foundation is a not-for-profit and charitable organization founded in 1997 that brings together people from different cultures to share the pleasure of reading and writing. The Foundation produces multilingual literary activities, such as the Blue Met International Literary Festival,...

When: April

    Where: Montreal PQ

Knowlton Literary Festival

The Knowlton Literary Festival, a three to four day festival held each October, involves the community in celebrating English language literature, particularly that written by fellow Canadians. The Festival includes presentations by published writers from across Canada and beyond, including author i...

When: October

    Where: Knowlton PQ

Montreal YA Fest

Montreal and Quebec’s only festival of its kind that brings authors of the Young Adult genre from across North America for a full-day interactive event....

When: May

    Where: Montreal PQ

Wakefield Writers Festival

Writers Fete is one of the most anticipated cultural and literary events in the region. We work purposefully to build a linguistically diverse program that showcases local and national francophone, anglophone, ethnic and indigenous literary talent....

When: May

    Where: Wakefield PQ

Saskatchewan

AB BC MB NB NL NS ON QC SK NT

Saskatchewan Festival of Words

The Saskatchewan Festival of Words (established in 1996) is a registered charity and non-profit organization that holds an annual literary festival the third weekend in July with 60+ events over 4 days in and around historic downtown Moose Jaw. The festival showcases literary talent from all over Ca...

When: July

    Where: Moose Jaw SK

Yukon

AB BC MB NB NL NS ON QC SK NT

Yukon Writers Festival

In 1990, a number of organizations joined together to merge the Young Authors’ Conference (YAC) and the National Book Festival into the more far-reaching Yukon Writers’ Festival. The goal was to highlight Canadian literary arts in the Yukon. While the main events are held at the Whitehorse publi...

When: May

    Where: Whitehorse YK