LitFest Celebrates 15th Anniversary With Virtual And In-person Events

A milestone LitFest returns to Edmonton October 14-24, 2021 with virtual and in-person events for nonfiction storytellers and the readers who celebrate them.

This year's events include the launch of Omar Mouallem's Praying to the West, plus a screening of his documentary film The Last Baron at Metro Cinema. Other headline conversations include events with Jody-Wilson Raybould on her new book, The "Indian" in the Cabinet, and best-selling, Giller Award-winning writer Ian Williams on his latest book, Disorientation: Being Black in the World.

To help "hybridize" this year's offerings, LitFest has partnered with Latitude 53 to host limited capacity in-person events, and will be streaming online events from the downtown offices of partner sponsor, Devfacto.

The popular Brunch of Writers will return this year as an online "Celebrity Dish" event on October 24, featuring contributors from Hingston & Olsen's recent High Profile box set, as well as a discussion with Tom Vitale about his memoir In the Weeds, which covers his decade of experiences working with well-remembered celebrity chef, Anthony Bourdain.

Also back this year are the popular Masterclasses on writing with award-winning authors, including Richard Van Camp, Marcello Di Cintio, Rayanne Haines, and Carla Funk, as well as the always memorable Memoir Hour. LitFest also partners again with Edmonton Poetry Festival to bring intriguing poets into the program.

"The past two years have been tough for writers and festivals in general. After cancelled book tours and travel plans, we're excited to be able to once again bring people together safely for our 15th anniversary to celebrate nonfiction storytelling and thought-provoking conversations, whether it's an exciting panel of voices, a Masterclass, or an online conversation," said Fawnda Mithrush, Executive Director of LitFest.

Many LitFest events will be free or by donation, while some events, like the Masterclasses, will require a ticket purchase. Books will also be for sale onsite at in-person events, and always online through Glass Bookshop.

In-person events will be at a limited capacity, and masking and proof of vaccination will be required to attend in-person LitFest events. More info on COVID-19 protocols can be found on event ticket registration pages.

The full speaker lineup and event schedule is now available at litfestalberta.org