Canada’s Largest Literary Festival Returns in Celebration of the Written Word

Word On The Street offers opportunities to connect with authors, publishing houses

A woman stops by one of the hundred of exhibitors' booths at The Word on the Street Toronto, 2015 (Kent Robinson).

TORONTO—The Word On The Street, Canada’s largest annual book and magazine festival, returns this year with a newfound confidence in the literary word.

Toronto, the flagship festival, is celebrating 27 years at its latest location at Harbourfront Centre on Sept. 25.

“The Word On The Street is certainly a unique event on a global scale and has emerged as one of the most important driving forces in Canada’s publishing market,” says Justin Lauzon, the festival’s marketing and communications coordinator.

Lauzon notes that the festival has become “one of the largest literary celebrations in the world,” with more than 450 programmed events featuring 650 authors, workshop presenters, and arts performers, as well as over 600 book and magazine exhibitors in 2015 alone.

Child Painting at the Children's Activity Tent, Word on the Street, Toronto 2015. Samantha Falco