MOOSE JAW — The Saskatchewan Festival of Words (FoW) returns to Moose Jaw this July with a stacked lineup of readings, workshops, performances, and panel discussions — and organizers say this year’s programming is as diverse and engaging as ever.
Running July 17 to 20, the annual literary festival will bring together more than 50 events and dozens of Canadian authors and poets across four days at several downtown venues.
“We have some panels that we’re really excited about,” said Amanda Farnell, FoW operations manager. “We’ve got one talking about romance writing, one talking about monsters and demons and darkness, and we’ve got one talking about maritime history and why we’re so interested in shipwrecks and things like that. (There are) lots of different things coming up.”
Thursday, July 17
The festival opens Thursday morning with writing workshops for all ages and interests, with events held at the Moose Jaw Centre for Arts and Culture (MJCAC) and Moose Jaw Public Library (MJPL).
Starting 9 a.m. at the MJCAC, a fiction writing workshop with Richard Van Camp will explore lessons he’s learned over 30 years as a full-time author. Entry is $35 and registration is required.
Also starting at 9 a.m. at the MJPL, Terry Fallis will explore humour in writing in the Herb Taylor Room, followed by a youth-focused session called “Kids Ink” with Kristy Jackson in the South Reading Room. Entry is $35 for the Fallis event and is free for Kids Ink.
At 10 a.m., families are invited to gather on the MJPL front lawn for “Storytime for Little Ones” with Karl Subban. This one-hour event is free to attend.
Afternoon sessions begin at 1 p.m., with two concurrent events in the library’s Herb Taylor Room: Iona Whishaw will lead a workshop on writing historical fiction, while Jennifer Whiteford hosts the Great Big Book Club discussion of her novel “Make Me a Mixtape,” moderated by Angie Abdou. Entry for both is $35 with registration required.
At 6 p.m., the Mae Wilson Theatre will host “From Page to Screen” — a film screening of adaptations of Van Camp’s work followed by a live interview. Entry is $13 or included in the festival pass.
At 8:30 p.m., the theatre will host “Readception,” a showcase of readings by six authors. Entry is $25 or included in the festival pass.
The evening wraps up at 9:30 p.m., with a free reception hosted by the Saskatchewan Writers’ Guild in the MJCAC lobby.
Friday, July 18
From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., reading sessions take place across five rooms in the MJPL. Each session is 50 minutes long, with multiple authors per time slot. Entry is $10 per session unless otherwise indicated.
A few free events are available Friday morning, including the Hyland Session at 10:10 a.m., featuring Chimwemwe Undi and Peace Akintade, sponsored by the South Saskatchewan Community Foundation’s Larry Wilson Fund.
At 1 p.m., an online “Teen Read Out” will be streamed, sponsored by SGI.
At 4 p.m., the Mae Wilson Theatre hosts a live interview with Saskatchewan author Guy Vanderhaeghe, moderated by Angie Abdou. Entry is $17 or included in the festival pass.
At 6 p.m., Bobby’s Place will host a fish-and-chip dinner and literary trivia night. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Entry is $35 and not included in festival passes.
The day ends with “Famous Last Words” at 8 p.m. at the Mae Wilson Theatre — a poetry showcase produced and hosted by Sean McGarrigle. Poets from across Canada, including Saskatchewan poet laureate Peace Akintade, will compete in a lighthearted format with improvised prompts. Entry is by donation.
Saturday, July 19
Saturday includes another full slate of reading sessions in the morning and early afternoon, followed by two major events and a celebratory performance to close the evening.
Reading sessions run from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. across five rooms at the MJPL, following the same structure as Friday. Highlights include the Saskatchewan Book Awards reading at 10:10 a.m., featuring Guy Vanderhaeghe, Sheri Legris and Judith Boan in the Art Museum Theatre.
At 4 p.m., the Mae Wilson Theatre hosts “Going Down in History,” a one-hour panel featuring authors Eve Lazarus and Ken McGoogan discussing shipwrecks and maritime mysteries, moderated by Amanda Farnell. Entry is $17 or included in the festival pass.
At 5 p.m., the MJCAC lobby will host the Thistledown 50th Anniversary Celebration, featuring author readings and light refreshments. This event is free to attend.
At 8 p.m., FoW presents Clerel Live, a full concert by Montreal-based musician Clerel, sponsored by Casino Moose Jaw. Entry is $50 or included with the festival pass.
Sunday, July 20
Sunday programming shifts to the Cosmo Senior Citizens Centre for a relaxed and reflective morning of food and themed 50-minute panels.
At 9 a.m., attendees are invited to a catered breakfast.
At 10 a.m., “Love Languages” will explore the themes of romance writing with Terry Fallis, Hudson Lin and Jennifer Whiteford, moderated by Angie Abdou.
At 11:10 a.m., the final panel, “The Monster Within,” will delve into internal darkness and fantastical horror with K.J. Aiello, Brandon Reid, and John Elizabeth Stintzi. All Sunday events are included with the festival pass or available for $35 each.
For the full schedule, ticket prices, and registration details, visit FestivalOfWords.com.
