Wordfest’s Imaginairium festival returns for its 31st year to rewrite how people experience text-to-speech events.
From Oct. 13 to 18, attendees can watch as the roster of 60 writers bring their work to life through an array of conversation-starting performances happening downtown at the Memorial Park Library and Central Library.
Wordfest CEO Shelley Youngblut said some of the 41 shows are already sold out and credited this to the wide variety of material from authors who will be available to meet and greet with audiences of all ages and backgrounds.
“There’s something for everyone,” she said.
“This is not your grandmother’s festival. Although one of the things that we delight in is the idea that you can have younger Calgarians and older Calgarians…they’re in the same room having the same experience, and that’s very rare right now.”
Whether it’s nonfiction, horror, comedy, or romance, Youngblut said attending the shows is a chance to expand your mind and sense of community in a way that doesn’t feel like being back behind a desk.
“We’ve never had anyone come to our shows that hasn’t been delightfully surprised,” she said.
“You do not have to read the book to come — this is not school. All you’re doing is coming with an open mind.”
Youngblut explained that while Wordfest has always prioritized highlighting Canadian writers, this year’s event has gone a step further to emphasize this amid today’s geopolitical climate, with 90 per cent of the scheduled authors calling the true north home.
“It’s not a dramatic change at all,” she said.
“Canadians have amazing stories to tell, and we want to be the connector between that writer and that audience in the most exciting experience possible.”
Beverages and merchandise will be offered at performance venues. Tickets and festival passes are available for purchase online on Wordfest’s website.
