Kids gather at the Children's Activity Tent during Word on the Street.  (Courtesy of Word on the Street)
Arts & Life News Briefs

Toronto’s annual Word on the Street festival set to arrive at new Harbourfront home

Toronto's annual literary festival brings together word lovers of all kinds

By Marwa Mohkam Sheikh on .

The time for bookworms to crawl out of their literary nests is finally here.

On Sept. 27 Toronto will host Word On The Street, the city’s annual book and magazine festival that will run from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Kids gather at the Children's Activity Tent during Word on the Street.
Kids gather at the Children’s Activity Tent during Word on the Street. (Courtesy of Word on the Street)

Held in September of each year in Toronto, Kitchener, Lethbridge, Saskatoon and Halifax, the festival is Canada’s premiere celebration of the literary sphere. It was first introduced in Toronto in 1990 and served as an inspiration for the cities that followed.

The festival initially took place on Queen Street West in downtown Toronto, then shifted to Queen’s Park in 2004, and has once again made a change in scenery, setting up camp at The Harbourfront Centre this year.

Now entering its 26th year of existence, the event is an opportunity for readers and writers to come together and share their love for literacy. This year the festival is hosting over 200 Canadian writers and authors, and has activities that range from book readings, to author discussions and spoken word performances. The best part of all: the one-day event is completely free.