By Staff
October 2nd, 2023
BURLINGTON,ON
BurlLITFest – now that is an acronym.
It is the Burlington Literary Festival Lineup and it is back!
Last year’s headliner events filled up in a flash, so literature lovers should mark their calendars for October 18th when registration for 2023’s free festival opens. The celebration of authors, books, and creativity runs the full month of November.
Olympian-turned-broadcast- journalist, Perdita Felicien.
This year’s BurlLitFest is chock-full of Canadian literary talent. Featured speakers include beloved actor and author, R.H. Thomson, acclaimed historical fiction author, Jennifer Robson, Olympian-turned-broadcast- journalist, Perdita Felicien, and bestselling writer, Alicia Elliott, to name a few.
“We are excited to bring such a wide range of writing talent and experience to our book-loving community this
year,” says Burlington Public Library CEO, Lita Barrie. “Our festival is all about finding delight in the written word, connecting with others, and learning something new.”
Further highlights include an intimate writer’s workshop with a bestselling memoirist, a lively and entertaining evening with four local crime novelists, and thought-provoking presentations by writers tackling a range of timely and relevant social justice topics including the climate crisis, the plight of migrant workers, and how artificial intelligence is changing the publishing industry.
And new this year, the Library is offering a series of writing workshops just for kids taught by popular Burlington children’s authors!
The festival caps off with the popular BurlLITFest Open Mic event where amateur writers can share their work on stage.
All events are free to attend, and a Burlington Public Library Card is not required. Visit bpl.on.ca to register.
Event Lineup
This year’s festival includes a combination of in-person and virtual programming. Registration opens on October 18 at noon. All events are free, and a Burlington Public Library card is not required to attend.
R.H. Thomson
Vicki Delany
Author Talks
Women of Crime with Melodie Campbell, Vicki Delany, Jennifer Hillier & Hannah Mary McKinnon, November 8
R.H. Thomson with Ian Brown, November 9 Historical Fiction with Jennifer Robson, November 13 Climate Justice in So-Called Canada, November 14
Cozy Mystery Queen, Melodie Campbell, November 15
Why Representation Matters in Writing with Sarah Raughley, November 16 In Conversation with Alicia Elliott, November 20
Art of Screenwriting with Chandler Levack, November 22
The Truth About Migrant Work with Gabriel Allahdua, November 23 Author & Athlete Perdita Felicien, November 26
Is AI the End of Real Authors? with Navneet Alang, November 27 BurlLITFest Open Mic, November 30
Writing Workshops for Adults
The Writers Room with Brian Henry, November 2, 9, 16, 23, 30 Writing a Memoir with Impact with Samra Zafar, November 7 Journaling for Creativity & Wellness with Lynda Monk, November 21
The Aspiring Author’s Guide to Self-Publishing with Karl Mamer, November 26
Kids have incredible imaginations – teaching them how to get down on paper is a lifetime gift.
Writing Workshops for Kids
From Idea to Story with Sylvia McNicoll, November 4 Draw with Feeling! with Jennifer Faria, November 11
Prescription for Descriptions with Jennifer Maruno, November 18 Writing in Rhyme with Lana Button, November 25
Finish Strong! How to Write Endings with Jennifer Mook-Sang, November 26
Library Speakers Consortium Partner Events
Tune in to top authors from around the world at live virtual events presented by BPL’s digital resource, Library Speakers Consortium. Guest authors appearing this month include actor John Stamos, poet Joy Harjo, and dystopian novelist Naomi Alderman.
