"The mission of the Festival is to enhance quality of life by stimulating literacy through bringing readers of all ages together with writers of local, national and international stature in events that are accessible and populist in nature."
WordFest: Banff-Calgary International Writers Festival is a six-day literary festival that takes place annually in the Calgary, Banff and the Bow Valley region. The 13th annual WordFest takes place October 14-19, 2008.
The Festival attracts more than 12,000 individuals each year and is considered amongst the top three literary Festivals in Canada.
WordFest features more than 75 writers from the local, national and international stage and hosts more than 65 events.
WordFest presents the First Calgary Savings Book Rapport Programme, a highly popular educational program bringing students together with popular children's authors to encourage a love of reading and writing. In 2007, close to 6,000 students participated in 43 events with 20 authors during Festival time.
The Festival brings both marquee names and new authors. Past authors include: Margaret Atwood, Roch Carrier, Austin Clarke, Douglas Coupland, Timothy Findley, Richard Ford, Nancy Huston, Roddy Doyle, Tomson Highway, Tom King, Alistair MacLeod, David Adams Richards, the late Mordecai Richler, and Guy Vanderhaeghe.
The Festival presents an eclectic series of events, including: readings, poetry, spoken word, musical cabaret, current events, youth and Francophone programming and conversational-style discussions.
WordFest also hosts an average of three to four off-festival events during the year and works year-round to bring authors into the classrooms of at-risk youth.
The Festival was established in 1996 as a project of The Banff Centre, the Calgary Public Library, Mount Royal College and the Writers' Guild of Alberta.
Festival events are held primarily at Calgary's Vertigo Theatre Playhouse and Studio, The Banff Centre, as well as The Glenbow Museum, The Central Library and the Art Gallery of Calgary and other locations in Calgary and Banff.
WordFest attracts audiences from all over the province as well as southern British Columbia; over 12,000 patrons attended WordFest events in 2007.
Passes are available exclusively through the Festival office at 403.294.7462 and are available at early bird prices until September 3rd. Calgary & Banff passes (entry into all Calgary and Banff events) are $100. Calgary passes are $70 and Banff passes are $40. (Passes exclude special events). Passes include entry into all events, excluding special events.
Single tickets go on sale September 3rd and are available at wordfest.com, the WordFest office at 403.294.7462, Ticketmaster at 403.777.0000, or The Banff Centre Box Office at 403.294.7462,
WordFest Board of Directors
Leonard Castro, Chair
Allan Gibson
Caireen Hanert
Gillian Lawrence
Linda Shea
Joanne Stalinski
Enzo Vicenzino
WordFest Executive
Anne Green, Festival Director
Jodi Guttman, Book Rapport Manager
