Literary Arts - Events - Word on the Street

Held outdoors, in the street, Word on the Street is an annual literary festival that aims to bring book lovers outside, enticing casual passers-by while promoting literacy in general. The Calgary version of this increasingly national celebration of books and readings takes place in the large, outdoor terrace of the Eau Claire Market.

The event began in Toronto in 1990 and spread to Vancouver and Halifax. In 1998, it arrived in Calgary and most recently, the event has taken over the streets of Kitchener, Ontario. This literary holiday is usually held on the same day near the end of September in all of the participating cities. The festival offers reading of prose and poetry and also scores of displays from publishers where the book-hungry public can purchase the work they have just heard or other work they previously were not exposed to. There are usually around 50 local and national publishers at the Calgary event offering books and magazines. Libraries, literacy and other literature-based organizations are also present.

In its first year in Calgary, over 50,000 people attended the event and heard 50 authors speak. Since then, writers such as W.P. Kinsella, Fred Penner, and Ken McGoogan have graced the festival's stage. Over the years, the festival has succeeded by attracting a great deal of corporate sponsorship. Companies from national media conglomerates to local beer makers have sponsored tents and helped turn Word on the Street into a beloved community affair.