Word Vancouver is back with 5 exciting days of author readings, workshops, entertainment, and more! From September 21st to 25th, free events and activities for all ages were held in and around the Central Branch of the Vancouver Public Library and several other locations including, The Emerald, Carnegie Centre, and Banyen Books & Sound.
Word Vancouver is a festival of reading and writing that occurs every year around the last Sunday of September. Since it’s start in 1995 under the name Word on the Street, Word Vancouver has grown from a 1-day festival to a 5-day one, with continuous expansion in the number of activities and events available. The festival’s executive director, Bryan Pyke, attributes the festival’s evolution to British Columbia’s thriving publishing industry and growing community. When asked why he felt it was important to celebrate literature in a festival like this one, Pyke explained that “Literature is not really just about literature… it’s really about ideas.” There’s so much a person can learn from literature and Word Vancouver is a great way to celebrate the contribution of literature to the fabric of the community. After all, many of the authors featured at Word Vancouver are from the lower mainland and other areas in British Columbia. “Books don’t just come from shelves, they come from people,” said Pyke in an interview with the Ubyssey. “These are the city’s stories that are being told.” Word Vancouver provides an opportunity for people to connect with their community and learn more about the incredible city they call home.
Word Vancouver kicked off on Wednesday September 21st with the 20th anniversary celebration of Poetry in Transit. Poetry in Transit is a program that enhances the city’s culture by featuring works by B.C. poets on buses and SkyTrains. Perhaps you’ve noticed some of these featured poems on your daily commute to school or work. On site there was a transit bus filled with this year’s featured poems so people could experience the poetry contributions of B.C. poets even if they were not regular users of public transportation. This year’s featured poets were also reading their works in the Sunrise Suite as part of the 5-day festival to celebrate the anniversary of Poetry in Transit.
The main festival day was be on Sunday September 25th. Support could be shown for poetry on that day by getting a poem from one of the bubble gum vending machines on site. The proceeds are to go towards funding further poetry activities at Word Vancouver. There were also be lots of family activities, author readings, and entertainment taking place at 10 different venues near the central branch of the Vancouver Public Library. There will be several activities happening on Homer Street at the Community Garden and the Suspension Bridge. Don’t forget to also check out the exhibitor’s marketplace to learn about publishing, flash fiction, Canadian literature and more. You can find a full list of exhibitors on the website for Word Vancouver. The executive director of Word Vancouver, Bryan Pyke, stresses “there is really something for everyone” at this festival and it’s completely free to attend. If poetry isn’t your thing, perhaps you’ll be interested in attending a non-fiction presentation, writing workshop, or book signing. There will also be plenty of entertainment to look forward to including cosplay and sword fighting! If you’re looking for somewhere to go during the last weekend of September, head down to Word Vancouver. There’s something for everyone to be excited about and the festival is completely FREE!
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