Word Vancouver, Western Canada’s largest free literary arts festival, returns this month with over 70 online and in-person literary events featuring 140 authors. The festival brings book lovers of all ages together with authors, publishers, and other industry professionals.
Word Vancouver 2022
When: Online September 16-23, in-person September 24-25, 2022
Where: Online, and in-person at Surrey Central Library and SFU Harbour Centre
Tickets:Get your free ticket online now. Your ticket is good for the entire duration of the festival. Each day you will be sent a reminder of what is coming up for that date.
Enjoy readings by emerging and established authors, attend professional development workshops and panels, and visit a diverse range of exhibitors.
All of the adult readings, panels, workshops and events will be either online from September 16 or in-person with an online (hybrid) component on Sunday September 25th at SFU Harbour Center.
All of children’s programs will be on-line from September 19-22 and in person at the Surrey Central Library on Saturday September 24th. Here are some highlights:
There will be Storytelling with Drag Queens is back in person and online. Naomi Steinberg, Goosefeather: Once Upon a Cartographic Adventurer will describe her year of performing her one woman show around the world. Crime writers Charles Demers, Noonday Dark: A Doctor Annick Boudreau Mystery # 2 (Douglas & McIntyre), Iona Whishaw, Framed in Fire: A Lane Winslow Mystery (TouchWood Editions), Sam Wiebe, Hell and Gone: A Wakeland Novel (Harbour Publishing) read from their new novels. Award winning author Kamal Al-Solaylee will talk about his book Return: Why We Go Back to Where We Come From, the tale of his journey home and those of other travellers.
Some events that interest me are Editors Aren’t (Always) Evil in-person on September 25th, having taken on the technical editing of three books so far this year myself, and online the Muriel’s Journey Poetry Awards online September 17th where my good friend Dave Olson will be doing a reading from Japan.
Offleashed, Vancouver’s largest event in support of animals, returns in person on October 15th bringing together hundreds of animal lovers to celebrate the BC SPCA’s lifesaving work.
Offleashed BC SPCA Photos submitted & credit Erich Saide
Two words: Cuddle Lounge! Offleashed will be debuting its largest Cuddle Lounge yet featuring fluffy and fuzzy rescue puppies, kitties, and other animals, and you get to cuddle them all. This approachable fundraising event, where youth can also join in, will have all the staples of a glitzy gala with a great auction and 3-course dinner.
About the Cause
Animals and their people across our province need the BC SPCA’s help every day and over the last few years, demand has skyrocketed. Floods, heat domes, COVID, wildfires, financial insecurity – the reasons for need keep increasing.
But the BC SPCA is a constant community presence, providing vulnerable animals and their guardians with critical support such as pet food banks and vet services, emergency boarding assistance, and by serving as a vital resource across the province.
Your generosity changes thousands of animals’ lives. The millions of dollars raised through Offleashed powers the BC SPCA’s essential programs: sheltering and adoptions, pet food bank and outreach services, veterinary care, wildlife rehabilitation, and summer camps and school programs for kids, to name just a few.
Your ticket is a built-in donation. Each ticket purchase covers the cost of one day of shelter, food, love and basic medical attention for an abandoned mother and her young litter of puppies or kittens. Join Offleashed on October 15th!
This Sunday is the final Vancouver Salsa Cruise of the season (sponsored by Miss604) but it’s the beginning of the Fringe Festival, the Mid-Autumn Moon Festival, and so much more. Find these events and many other things to do in Vancouver this weekend listed below:
The Fire Dragon Festival will illuminate Vancouver’s Chinatown on September 17th, celebrating and honouring all who call and have called Chinatown their home. This free community event reflects the cultural vibrancy of the neighbourhood with an exciting variety of artisan crafts, games, workshops and more.
Photo submitted
Vancouver Fire Dragon Festival in Chinatown
When: Saturday, September 17, 2022 from 11:00am to late
Where: Vancouver Chinese Cultural Centre (50 E Pender St)
Admission: Free!
The Fire Dragon Festival marks the annual Mid-Autumn celebrations unique to Vancouver’s Chinatown in an inclusive environment. It’s also a great way to explore the historic neighbourhood.
Along with a special seniors morning organized with Yarrow’s Seniors Group, the festival weekend will be filled with fun daytime activities (11:00am to 5:00pm) at the courtyard of the Chinese Cultural Centre featuring collaborations with the Chinese Canadian Museum, Elimin8Hate, The Chinatown Legacy Stewardship Group, the City of Vancouver and Government of Canada.
Festival goers can learn about the history of the Festival via an AR activation along Pender, developed in conjunction with LNG Studios and based on a photo taken of Vancouver’s first Fire Dragon Festival in 1975. The Vancouver Chinatown BIA will have their giant Mahjong tile game set up (lessons are on hand for those who don’t know how to play or need a refresher) alongside many other free activities and workshops.
Evening events (5:00pm to 7:30pm) include a public tai chi flash mob and traditional lion dance performance at Andy Livingston park.
The feature of the evening (starting at 7:30pm) will be the eye dotting ceremony of this year’s Fire Dragon. Festival goers can place lucky incense into the Fire Dragon before it is paraded along Keefer Street.
September 30th marks the second official National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a day to recognize and reflect on the legacy of residential “schools” in Canada.
If you are looking for a way to commemorate and recognize this day of active listening, and action (on top of wearing an orange shirt, which is a good start!) here are a few events in which you can participate around Metro Vancouver:
