Vancouver Writers Fest 2025
WHEN: October 20–26, 2025
WHERE: Granville Island and in schools across the Lower Mainland
TICKETS: Go on sale to the public on September 16, with members gaining early access from September 9. Events in Theatres are $27, all-inclusive. This does not include The Alma Lee Opening Night ($40), the Literary Cabaret ($50), Food for Thought ($45), or Afternoon Tea ($55). Youth events are $12. Accessibility pricing available.
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The Vancouver Writers Fest will host more than 130 authors in 85+ events during their flagship Festival, taking place on Granville Island and in schools across the Lower Mainland from October 20–26, 2025. Tickets go on sale to the public on September 16, with members gaining early access from September 9.
“We’ve curated a wide range of events that showcase some of the best writers from across the globe, speaking to some of the most pressing topics of our time,” said Leslie Hurtig, Artistic Director of the Vancouver Writers Fest. “We invite attendees to dive into the pages of these authors’ books, and to immerse themselves in the experiences, imaginations, and histories of others. When you attend an event at the Vancouver Writers Fest, you are participating in dialogue that embraces this immersion, and opens the door to a wider understanding of the issues and diversions that occupy our minds.”
Boldly embracing dialogue on the most pressing current issues starts close to home at this year’s Alma Lee Opening Night event, Oh, Canada!, in which iconic Canadian authors Bob Joseph, Kate Beaton, Linden MacIntyre, Emma Donoghue, Canisia Lubrin, David Moscrop, Brent Butt, and Jack Wang dig deep into what it means to be Canadian, and our role in a rapidly shifting geopolitical landscape.
The Festival is also pleased to welcome this year’s Guest Curator, Canisia Lubrin, author of The World After Rain and Code Noir, the latter of which won the Carol Shields Prize for Fiction and the Danuta Gleed Literary Award this year. Lubrin emphasizes the world-altering potential ofliterature to shift perspectives and forge deeper, more inclusive connections with other people and cultures through four thought-provoking events, including: Blood in the Pen, which considers personhood, stewardship and human action in times of crisis; Verses of Transformation, which invites an impressive list of poets to reflect on a secretly drawn question posed by their peers; and Crosscurrents of History, which probes how literature intersects with pivotal moments in time to create new nodes of revelation.
Other events featured at the Festival this year include Seven Lives and One Year In Ukraine, in which historian Danielle Leavitt speaks with Booker Prize long-listed Vancouver author, Maria Reva, sharing stories from ordinary Ukrainians living through invasion; Queer Stories on the Map, in which Ziyad Saadi, Iryn Tushabe, and Mike Curato explore queerness outside of white-centric perspectives; It Runs in the Family, in which Miriam and Georgia Toews discuss with David A. Robertson what it’s like to be raised by a literary celebrity—and how an author can support their child who follows in their footsteps; and On Book Banning and Censorship, in which Ira Wells, Mike Curato, and Jeremy Tiang discuss the history and ramifications of book banning across the globe.
Not to be overlooked, the fan-favourite Lyrics Night event returns with a north of the 49th twist: Ahead By A Century, promises an evening of dramatic and often witty readings of Canadian song lyrics, followed by a dance party with some of your favourite authors.
Along with the Festival’s other iconic offerings The Poetry Bash, The Literary Cabaret, and The Afternoon Tea, Food for Thought also returns this year with coffee, light snacks and topical conversations with seven celebrated non-fiction authors in an atmosphere of TED Talks meets café social.
This year’s Youth Events include workshops, masterclasses, and discussions with bestselling and beloved children’s authors and illustrators, including Linda Bailey, Kate Beaton, Rachel Hartman, Roz MacLean, Kenneth Oppel, David A. Robertson, Melanie Watt, and Rebecca Wood Barrett.
In addition to the flagship Festival, the Writers Fest will host four special events this fall:
- Literary superstar R.F. Kuang in conversation with Michelle Cyca for a special stop on her Katabasis tour, on September 13;
- Booker Prize-winning author Arundhati Roy in conversation with Naomi Klein about her fascinating debut memoir on September 17;
- Seasoned astronaut Chris Hadfield on November 15, to discuss his new interstellar thriller, Final Orbit;
- Canadian literary icon Margaret Atwood on December 9, bringing her long-awaited memoir Book of Lives, in conversation with Carol Off.
The full lineup of events can be found on the Writers Fest website. Locals can also pick up a program guide on Granville Island, at bookstores, or at local JJ Bean locations and other venues across Metro Vancouver.
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About The Vancouver Writers Fest
The Vancouver Writers Fest is one of the largest, premiere literary festivals in North America. Now in its 38th year, the not-for-profit welcomes more than 25,000 audience members to its events year-round and during the flagship, week-long Festival in October. More than 7,000 of these patrons are students. In addition to both free and paid for on-stage author events all year round, the Writers Fest also offers a Digital Festival, podcast, and educational programming opportunities, including author visits to schools, writers in residence, and a story competition.
The Vancouver Writers Fest community holds the organization’s founding artistic director Alma Lee (1940–2025), forever in their hearts following her passing this March. Alma was a beloved presence on Granville Island, and her influence and vivacious spirit continue to be felt and honoured through the joyful celebration of the literary arts at the Festival.
