Festival 2026 Events

October 28, 2026 • 2:30pm

Finding Inspiration and Technique in Poetry with Kate Cayley

Kate Cayley

Learn from the best in a Creative Writing Masterclass

October 28, 2026 • 2:30pm

IV Programme Awards & Keynote: James Daunt in conversation with Craig Swinwood

Featuring presentations of IVY Award and PACLA Award

October 28, 2026 • 4:00pm

Writers Collective of Canada Workshop

Join WCC for an expressive writing workshop in a shared, inclusive space

October 28, 2026 • 4:30pm

In the Company of Nature

Chloe Dalton and Melissa Harrison

Join the authors for a conversation on nature and humanity

October 28, 2026 • 4:30pm

Paris on the Brink

Mark Braude and Jane Rogoyska

Join the authors as they discuss these non-fiction titles on the City of Lights

October 28, 2026 • 5:00pm

Breaking Through Common Writing Challenges with Meaghan Strimas

Learn from the best in a Creative Writing Masterclass

October 28, 2026 • 5:00pm

Rupture / Justice: 5 Moments of Justice in Words and Music

Philippe Sands

A Performance with Philippe Sands and Gideon Zelermyer

October 28, 2026 • 5:30pm

Women, Grief & Resistance

Harriet Alida Lye and Vivek Shraya

Hear from these best-selling Canadian authors

October 28, 2026 • 6:00pm

Writers Collective of Canada Workshop

Join WCC for an expressive writing workshop in a shared, inclusive space

October 28, 2026 • 6:30pm

Villa Coco: Andrew Sean Greer

Andrew Sean Greer

Join the bestselling author for a talk on his latest novel

October 28, 2026 • 6:30pm

Loss & Laughter

Gary Barwin and Ferdia Lennon

Laughter is the best medicine

October 28, 2026 • 6:30pm

Electric Cabaret

Join us for a night of poetry and celebration

October 28, 2026 • 7:30pm

Flesh: David Szalay

David Szalay

Join the Booker Prize winning author for a talk on his latest novel

October 28, 2026 • 7:30pm

Sintering: Performances and Readings

Evelyn Araluen, Jessica Johns, Quill Christie-Peters, Alicia Elliot, Jasmin McGaughey, Bebe Oliver, Kirli Saunders, Nardi Simpson, and Jesse Wente

October 29, 2026 • 2:30pm

Thursday, October 29

Yoga & Journaling

October 29, 2026 • 2:30pm

Conjuring with Detail with Michael Christie

Michael Christie

Learn from the best in a Creative Writing Masterclass

October 29, 2026 • 2:30pm

The Cities We Leave Behind

Maria Cichosz and Alex Pugsley

Journey from Toronto to California in these two novels

October 29, 2026 • 4:00pm

Writers Collective of Canada Workshop

Join WCC for an expressive writing workshop in a shared, inclusive space

October 29, 2026 • 4:30pm

Dodge City: Patrick deWitt

Patrick deWitt

Join the bestselling author for a talk on his latest novel

October 29, 2026 • 5:00pm

Demystifying Nature Writing with Chloe Dalton

Chloe Dalton

Learn from the best in a Creative Writing Masterclass

October 29, 2026 • 5:00pm

Skylark: Paula McLain

Paula McLain

Join the bestselling author for a talk on her latest novel

October 29, 2026 • 5:30pm

And The Winner Is… The UofT SCS Creative Writing Awards

Celebrate emerging writers in the University of Toronto's creative writing program

Presentation

October 29, 2026 • 5:30pm

Small Stories, Big Worlds

Tomás Downey and Jess Gibson

Hear from these authors on their short story collections

October 29, 2026 • 6:00pm

Rupture / Justice: Historical Reckonings

Philippe Sands, Caroline Elkins, and Adam Hochschild

October 29, 2026 • 6:00pm

Writers Collective of Canada Workshop

Join WCC for an expressive writing workshop in a shared, inclusive space

October 29, 2026 • 6:30pm

Best Canadian Poetry

Hear from a selection of poets in this years anthology

October 29, 2026 • 7:00pm

Contrapposto: Dave Eggers

Dave Eggers

Join the bestselling author for a talk on his latest novel

October 29, 2026 • 7:00pm

Stories in Motion: Indigenous Forms, Genres and Possibilities

Quill Christie-Peters, Nardi Simpson, and Kirli Saunders

October 29, 2026 • 7:30pm

The Politics of Patriotism

Omer Aziz and Carol Off

Hear from these two voices on Canadian politics

October 29, 2026 • 8:00pm

10 Years On: A Celebration of Leonard Cohen

Britta Badour, Anne Michaels, Ann-Marie MacDonald, and Michael Christie

Celebrate the iconic Canadian author & musician

Presentation

October 30, 2026 • 2:30pm

Friday, October 30

Yoga & Journaling

October 30, 2026 • 2:30pm

Tea & Talk: The Table Where We Meet

Jess Janz

Enjoy tea and conversation as authors share their books, stories and inspiration with readers.

October 30, 2026 • 2:30pm

Tarot for fiction writers: The Fool, The Devil, The Moon, The Sun with Jill Dawson

Jill Dawson

Learn from the best in a Creative Writing Masterclass

October 30, 2026 • 4:00pm

The Two Roberts: Damian Barr

Damian Barr

Join the bestselling author for a talk on his latest novel

October 30, 2026 • 4:00pm

Writers Collective of Canada Workshop

Join WCC for an expressive writing workshop in a shared, inclusive space

October 30, 2026 • 4:30pm

The Bard, Rewritten

Daniel Hahn and Ann-Marie MacDonald

Hear from these authors on adapting and translating Shakespeare

October 30, 2026 • 5:00pm

Finding the Funny in Romance with Farah Heron

Farah Heron

Learn from the best in a Creative Writing Masterclass

October 30, 2026 • 5:00pm

Hidden Identities

Rune Christiansen and Tara Gereaux

Join the two authors as they discuss their latest novels

October 30, 2026 • 5:00pm

Guelph Masterclass Conversation: Marie NDiaye

Marie NDiaye

Hear from the professionals on their writing process

October 30, 2026 • 5:30pm

Stories We Inherit

Gigi L. Leung and Intan Paramaditha

Join these authors as they discuss the forces that shape characters lives

October 30, 2026 • 5:30pm

Into the Unknown

Gillian Deacon and Kim Echlin

Join for a though-provoking conversation

October 30, 2026 • 6:00pm

Writers Collective of Canada Workshop

Join WCC for an expressive writing workshop in a shared, inclusive space

October 30, 2026 • 6:30pm

Rupture / Justice: The Politics of Us and Them & the Other

Philippe Sands, Arlie Russell Hochschild, and Jane Mayer

October 30, 2026 • 6:30pm

Imagining Resistance Beyond Colonies

Quill Christie-Peters, Nardi Simpson, Jesse Wente, and Kirli Saunders

October 30, 2026 • 7:00pm

Toronto Poetry Slam

A performance & open mic you won't want to miss

October 30, 2026 • 7:00pm

Riverwork: Lisa Robertson in Conversation with André Alexis

Lisa Robertson and André Alexis

Join for a thoughtful conversation between two authors

October 30, 2026 • 7:30pm

Breaking the Mold

Cheong Ye and Jenny Jackson

A conversation on what happens when characters no longer play nice

October 30, 2026 • 8:00pm

Partita: An Evening with Barbara Kingsolver

Barbara Kingsolver

In conversation on her new novel, Partita

October 31, 2026 • 10:00am

Saturday, October 31

Global Trends in Publishing

International Visitors Programme Industry Panel, also open to the public

October 31, 2026 • 10:30am

Tea, Cake, & the Artful Life

Jill Dawson and Camille de Peretti

Start your day with tea & cake

October 31, 2026 • 11:00am

Ghosts, Secrets & The Uncanny: The Boundless Horizons of Queer Fiction

Saleem Haddad and Jordan Tannahill

Join these two best-selling authors for a conversation on Queer literature

October 31, 2026 • 11:00am

Indie Publishing: Fighting for Great Writing

International Visitors Programme Industry Panel, also open to the public

October 31, 2026 • 11:30am

Folklore & Fierce Women

Bar Fridman-Tell and Lindsay Wong

Join this talk on witchcraft of mythology from these two authors

October 31, 2026 • 11:30am

Writing Outside English and French: Language, Audience, and Recognition in Canada

October 31, 2026 • 11:30am

Writing the “Hermit Crab” Story: How to Build a Story Inside Another Form with Chika Unigwe

Chika Unigwe

Learn from the best in a Creative Writing Masterclass

October 31, 2026 • 12:00pm

Rethinking Mentorship, Opportunity, and Publishing Career Paths

International Visitors Programme Industry Panel, also open to the public

October 31, 2026 • 12:30pm

In Other Worlds

Portia Elan, Huang Chong‐Kai, and Jeremy Tiang

Join the authors for a conversation on speculative fiction across the globe and time

October 31, 2026 • 1:00pm

Who Gets to Tell the Story? Oral History Against Erasure

October 31, 2026 • 1:00pm

Lives on the Line

Jose Ando and Alex Spring

Join these two best-selling authors for a thrilling conversation on crime fiction

October 31, 2026 • 1:00pm

Writers Collective of Canada Workshop

Join WCC for an expressive writing workshop in a shared, inclusive space

October 31, 2026 • 1:30pm

Memory & Migration

Anita Rau Badami and Rabindranath Maharaj

Hear from these best-selling authors

October 31, 2026 • 1:30pm

Rupture / Justice: Truths Told in Fiction

Philippe Sands, Beata Umubyeyi Mairesse, and Gaël Faye

October 31, 2026 • 1:30pm

Thinking From Black

A conversation with The Practicing Refusal Collective

October 31, 2026 • 2:00pm

Workshop: Animal Drawing with Mark Liam Smith

Mark Liam Smith

Learn from the best in a illustration workshop

October 31, 2026 • 2:30pm

Blood on the Page

Craig DiLouie and Emily A. Weedon

Join for a thrilling conversation on slasher and vampire stories

October 31, 2026 • 2:30pm

The Places We Carry

Nyla Matuk and Ashraf Zaghal

Join for a conversation between these two Palestinian authors

October 31, 2026 • 2:30pm

Literature in Translation

Daniel Hahn and Jeremy Tiang

Join these translators for a panel on the craft

Reframing History: Who Gets to Tell the Story?

Join the bestselling author for a talk on his latest novel

Rebel English Academy: Mohammed Hanif

Mohammed Hanif

Learn from the best in a Creative Writing Masterclass

Rustling Through the Dilly Bag: Finding Poetry from Memory with Evelyn Araluen

Evelyn Araluen

Join WCC for an expressive writing workshop in a shared, inclusive space

Writers Collective of Canada Workshop

October 31, 2026 • 3:30pm

Rupture / Justice: An Unfinished Reconciliation

Philippe Sands, Jesse Wente, and Mayo Moran

October 31, 2026 • 4:00pm

Home Sweet Haunted Home

Jessica Hamilton and Sophia Hannan

There's always something lurking around the corner

October 31, 2026 • 4:00pm

Arab Voices, Memory, and the Next Narrative in the Global Diaspora

Saleem Haddad, Nyla Matuk, Hind Shoufani, and Ashraf Zaghal

Hear from Arab writers on this panel

October 31, 2026 • 4:30pm

The Price of a Better Life

Randy Boyagoda and Priya Guns

Join for a conversation on wealth, class, immigrant families

October 31, 2026 • 4:30pm

Motherline

Marie NDiaye and Amanda Peters

Hear a conversation on womanhood and being a mother

October 31, 2026 • 4:30pm

Workshop: Illustrating with Jackie Morris

Jackie Morris

Learn from the best in a illustration workshop

October 31, 2026 • 5:00pm

The Abyss: Jeyamohan

Jeyamohan

Join the bestselling author for a talk on his latest novel

October 31, 2026 • 5:30pm

Secrets & Legacies

Zak Jones and Salha Obaid

Join the bestselling authors for a talk on their latest novels

October 31, 2026 • 5:30pm

All Times: Indigenous Futurity through Story

Alicia Elliot, Jasmin McGaughey, and Bebe Oliver

October 31, 2026 • 5:30pm

The Small Ones: Nazanine Hozar in Conversation with John Irving

Nazanine Hozar and John Irving

Join the 2026 Giller long-listed author for a conversation

October 31, 2026 • 6:00pm

The CanLit Canon at 100: Who Gets In, Who Gets Left Out?

October 31, 2026 • 6:30pm

Wonder in the Wild

Chen-Fu Hsu and Mark Medley

Join these two authors in their pursuit of the unknown

October 31, 2026 • 7:30pm

Tea, Cake & The Ties that Bond Us

Téa Mutonji and Chika Unigwe

Join the two authors as they discuss their latest novels

November 1, 2026 • 11:00am

The View from the Future: Who Gets to Write What Comes Next?

November 1, 2026 • 11:00am

Beyond Butter Chicken: Making the Immigrant Culture Palatable

November 1, 2026 • 11:30am

Creating Vivid Characters with Shyam Selvadurai

Shyam Selvadurai

Learn from the best in a Creative Writing Masterclass

November 1, 2026 • 11:30am

Roots & Routes

Jamaluddin Aram and Raoul de Jong

Join the two authors as they discuss their latest novels

November 1, 2026 • 11:30am

Writers Collective of Canada Workshop

Join WCC for an expressive writing workshop in a shared, inclusive space

November 1, 2026 • 12:00pm

Bright Machines and Dark Stars

Canisia Lubrin and Hind Shoufani

Join these two poets as they discuss grief and art

November 1, 2026 • 12:30pm

Rupture / Justice: Paradise Lost? What is Gained?

Philippe Sands and Robert Moor

November 1, 2026 • 12:30pm

The Typing Lady: Ruth Ozeki

Ruth Ozeki

Hear from the best-selling author on her latest collection of short stories

November 1, 2026 • 1:00pm

Writing Between Jobs: Immigrant Writers, Precarious Work, and the Struggle to Create

November 1, 2026 • 1:00pm

An Insider’s Guide to Publishing

In association with Humber Polytechnic’s Professional Book Publishing program

November 1, 2026 • 1:00pm

Yearning as the Antidote to Despair

Evelyn Araluen, Quill Christie-Peters, Alicia Elliot, and Bebe Oliver

November 1, 2026 • 1:30pm

Some Assembly Required

Glenn Dixon and Terry Fallis

Find the humor in humanity

November 1, 2026 • 1:30pm

Birds of a Feather

Jackie Morris, Mark Peck, and Emily Rondel

For the bird-lovers

November 1, 2026 • 2:00pm

Sex, Crime & Happily Ever After: How Women Took Over the Bestseller Lists

November 1, 2026 • 2:00pm

Finding Your Life’s Narratives Arc with Bonny Reichert

Learn from the best in a Creative Writing Masterclass

November 1, 2026 • 2:30pm

How Revolutions Begin: Scott Anderson in conversation with Janice Stein

Scott Anderson

Join the bestselling author for a talk on his latest prize-winning work

November 1, 2026 • 2:30pm

Guelph Masterclass Conversation: Raoul de Jong

Raoul de Jong

Hear from the professionals on their writing process

November 1, 2026 • 2:30pm

Reading in the Age of Distraction

A panel on the recent Atlantic article, moderated by Ira Wells

November 1, 2026 • 3:00pm

The Shape of Becoming

Mona Høvring and Joseph Kertes

Join the bestselling authors for a talk on their latest novels

November 1, 2026 • 3:00pm

Crafting a Compelling Pitch With Pete Crighton

Pete Crighton

Learn from the authors in one of our workshops

November 1, 2026 • 3:30pm

Cross Borders: Canada, America and the Midterms

David Shribman

Hear from the journalist on Canadian-American relations

November 1, 2026 • 4:00pm

Critical Conversations

Housing Inc.: Leilani Farha

Leilani Farha

Conversation on the 2026 CBC Massey Lecture

November 1, 2026 • 4:00pm

The Dark Side of Devotion

Petra Hůlová and Lee Heejoo

Hear a thought-provoking conversation from these two international authors

November 1, 2026 • 5:00pm

East West Street: A Song of Good & Evil

Philippe Sands

A performance based on the best-selling book