Head to the Secret Handshake Gallery for “Life Inside the Unknown,” an exhibit of visual art by bill bissett author of th book uv lost passwords 1, and Hart Broudy. The gallery is open Monday to Friday from 1–5 p.m. EDT and on Saturdays from 2–5 p.m. EDT.

Life Inside the Unknown
Secret Handshake Gallery
301–360 College Street
Toronto, ON
July 11–October 3, 2026

The brand new play The Tao of the World by Jovanni Sy is having its world premiere this summer at the Stratford Festival! Inspired by William Congreve’s The Way of the World and Kevin Kwan’s Crazy Rich Asians, The Tao of the World is a Restoration comedy for modern times, a hilarious, bawdy romp that asks what it means for things to return to normal. The Tao of the World looks at love, class differences, queer identities, and power.

For more information and to purchase tickets, click here.

The Tao of the World at the Stratford Festival
Tom Patterson Theatre
Stratford, ON
August 2–September 26, 2026

Frances Koncan, author of Space Girl: A Cosmic Comedy, and Dave Deveau, author of Cissy, are two of the writers who will be present at the Opening Night of Word Vancouver. For more details, click here

Opening Night of Word Vancouver: Introducing Our Guest Curators and Their Guests
Vancouver Public Library Central Branch, Alice MacKay Room
Vancouver, BC
September 10, 2026
6:30–8:00 p.m. PT

Danielle LaFrance features at Planet Earth Poetry alongside Kate Rogers. LaFrance will be reading from their new book of poetry Verbal Violence. Verbal Violence unravels, dissects, and shreds the language of the professional managerial class. For more details, click here.

Danielle LaFrance at Planet Earth Poetry
Russell Books
Victoria, BC
September 18, 2026
Doors are at 7 PM PT, readings begin at 7:30

Weyman Chan, author of the forthcoming poetry collection A Child’s Seance is one of the poets performing at the 2026 Stroll of Poets Festival! Catch Weyman and a host of other fantastic poets at this wonderful morning event. For more details, click here.

Curated Reading by Bob Stallworthy
Stroll of Poets Festival
Bookshop at Esker
1011 9th Avenue SE, 4th Floor
Calgary, AB
September 19, 2026
9:45 a.m. MT

andrea bennett, author of the berry takes the shape of the bloom, is on the panel for Pitch Perfect, a Word Vancouver event. For additional information, click here.

Pitch Perfect
Sunroom/Gallery, UBC Robson Square
Vancouver, BC
September 19, 2026
11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. PDT

Author of allostatic load Junie Désil is one of the poets on the panel of Awkward Questions, Honest Answers, a Word Vancouver event. Learn more here.

Awkward Questions, Honest Answers
Sunroom/Gallery, UBC Robson Square
Vancouver, BC
September 19, 2026
12:30–1:30 p.m. PDT

Elee Kraljii Gardiner, author of sometimes, forest, is one of the authors performing at Between Forest and Future as part of the Word Vancouver festival. Find more details here.

Between Forest and Future
HSBC Hall, UBC Robson Square
Vancouver, BC
September 19, 2026
3:30–4:30 p.m. PDT

Author of Save Your Prayers – Send Money, Jónína Kirton, is one of the authors conducting the workshop It’s Complicated: The Art of Compassion When Writing About Others at Word Vancouver. Further information can be found here

It’s Complicated: The Art of Compassion When Writing About Others
Room C215, UBC Robson Square
Vancouver, BC
September 19, 2026
2:30–3:30 p.m. PDT

Frances Koncan, author of Space Girl: A Cosmic Comedy, is moderating the event Songs and Stories as part of Word Vancouver. For additional details, click here.

Songs and Stories
Room C400, UBC Robson Square
Vancouver, BC
September 19, 2026
12:30–1:30 p.m. PDT

M.A.C. Farrant (author of Jigsaw, My Turquoise Years, and more) is one of the authors speaking on the panel The Work of Noticing, a Word Vancouver event. See additional details here.

The Work of Noticing
Room C400, UBC Robson Square
Vancouver, BC
September 19, 2026
2:00–3:00 p.m. PDT

Jónína Kirton will be reading at the Poetry in Transit 2026/2027 launch event at Word Vancouver. One of the poems from her latest book Save Your Prayers – Send Money has been selected for this year’s program. For further details of the event, click here.

Poetry Bus! at Word Vancouver
Poetry Tent, UBC Robson Square
Vancouver, BC
September 19, 2026
2–3:30 p.m. PT

Rob Budde is launching his new book Panax at Commercial Street Cafe at 2 p.m. PT! Accompanying Budde is special guest reader Catriona Strang who will be sharing work from her forthcoming collection, What If I Sang Flower of Scotland? Attendance is free! Hope to see you there.

Panax Launch
Commercial Street Cafe
Vancouver, BC
September 20, 2026
2 p.m. PT

Scott Jackshaw, author of Stigmata, is one of the authors who will be at the Back to School Book Bash: Mix and Mingle with Rhode Island Authors fundraiser to help get books and school supplies to Rhode Island libraries and schools.

For more information and to get tickets to this fundraiser, click here.

Back to School Book Bash: Mix and Mingle with Rhode Island Authors
Rhode Island Center for the Book
Ochre Court Mansion
Newport, Rhode Island
September 23, 2026
5:30–8:00 p.m. EDT

Hajer Mirwali, author of the award-winning book of poetry Revolutions, is one of the poets reading at the Trillium Book Award Poetry Finalists event at Word on the Street Toronto on September 26! More information can be found here.

Trillium Book Award Poetry Finalists Reading
Word on the Street Toronto
Toronto, ON
September 26, 2026
12:30–1:15 p.m. EDT

Author of th book uv lost passwords 1 bill bissett is speaking on a panel at the THIN AIR Festival alongside Patrick Friesen and Laurie D. Graham. Enjoy readings and a Q&A period with these three talented writers. For more details, watch this space.

THIN AIR Festival
The Forks Market Event Space
Winnipeg, MB
October 3, 2026
2:30–3:30 p.m. CDT

Mercedes Eng (cop city swagger, Prison Industrial Complex Explodes, and more) is the featured poet at Vancouver Poetry Slam. For more information, click here.

Mercedes Eng at Van Slam
Enabling Arts
Vancouver, BC
October 5, 2026
8:00 p.m. PT

A production of the musical _The Heart_ based on Maylis de Kerangal novel Mend The Living (translated into English by Jessica Moore) runs this autumn at the Laura Pels Theatre. To learn more about the production and to purchase tickets, click here.

The Heart
Laura Pels Theatre, Harold and Miriam Steinberg Center for Theatre
New York, NY
October 8–December 6, 2026

Join Jenn Ashton, the author of Growing My Way Home, for an online reading and discussion about her book presented by the Vancouver Island Regional Library, Nanaimo Harbourfront branch. For more details and to register, click here.

Virtual Launch of Growing My Way Home
Online from the Nanaimo Harbourfront Branch of the Vancouver Island Regional Library
October 8, 2026
6 p.m. PT

In their off season, 4th Line Theatre is featuring the forthcoming play The Undeniable Accusations of Red Cadmium Light by Drew Hayden Taylor in their fall salon reading series! During this series, three plays are selected and presented in a different and intimate local home. Alongside the staged reading, food and drink will also be provided.

For more information, watch this space.

4th Line Theatre Presents: The Undeniable Accusations of Red Cadmium Light at the Fall Salon Reading Series
Millbrook, ON
October 15, 2026
7:00 p.m. EDT

Frances Koncan, author of the brand new play Space Girl: A Cosmic Comedy, is one of the writers and instructors participating in the Vancouver Writers Fest event UBC Night Class. For additional information about the event, click here.

UBC Night Class
Vancouver Writers Fest
Performance Works
Vancouver, BC
October 21, 2026
8:00 p.m. PT

The Vancouver Writers Fest has announced the lineup for the annual Poetry Bash and we are thrilled to see Jordan Abel (Un/inhabited, The Place of Scraps, and more) and Vancouver poet laureate Elee Kraljii Gardiner (sometimes, forest) among the readers! For more details, click here.

The Poetry Bash
Vancouver Writers Fest
Performance Works
Vancouver, BC
October 22, 2026
8:30 p.m. PT

Join us at the Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall for the Talonbooks fall 2026 launch! Help us celebrate this season’s authors and books. Here’s the lineup! It’s going to be an amazing evening.

Celebrate the release of A Child’s Seance by Weyman Chan, Grace of Centuries by Hope Anderson, notes from recently by Chris Turnbull, and Panax by Rob Budde. The launch will be hosted by the author of dream / arteries, Phinder Dulai!

The Martha Lou Henley Hall is a fully accessible venue. A parking lot is available in the alley between East 3rd Avenue and East 4th Avenue. Drinks and light refreshments will be available. Hope to see you there!

Talonbooks Fall 2026 Launch
Martha Lou Henley Rehearsal Hall
Vancouver, BC
November 6, 2026
Doors open at 7:00 p.m., readings begin at 7:30 p.m. PT