After 31 years in Calgary, it’s safe to say that Wordfest — an organization dedicated to celebrating books, authors, ideas and community — has carved out a corner of culture for itself in the city. And now, perhaps more than ever, we need Wordfest.
Running year-round programming as of 2018, the organization hosts roughly 80 shows a year alongside its Imaginarium Festival, which takes place October 13 to 18. Shows span all different genres and go beyond your typical literary festival programming — indeed, the use of the word “shows” suggests events that entertain, inspire and engage. Those who know what makes The Imaginarium so unique book their tickets early. And those who have yet to try a Wordfest event may find in it a breath of fresh air in a world where AI is rapidly replacing human connection during already increasingly polarized times.
“At a time when so many things are pulling us apart, it’s really vital for Calgarians to have an opportunity year-round to come together to talk about big ideas, to be part of the larger conversation going on nationally and internationally, and to leave full of human-powered delight,” says Shelley Youngblut, CEO & Creative Ringleader at Wordfest. “And that’s what, surprisingly, a book or author-focused show can do right now.”
Indeed, Youngblut’s thoughts are echoed by Ashley Casas, a local bookstagrammer and longtime Wordfest volunteer and attendee.
“Wordfest matters because [the organization] uplifts diverse voices, marginalized authors and authors you would have never known about,” says Casas. “But the interesting thing about Wordfest that differentiates it from other [literary festivals] is the connection piece. It’s more than the show. It’s more than meeting the author. It’s about connecting readers to the authors, authors to the readers, and readers to each other.”
Casas first ventured into the world of Wordfest in 2023, shortly after starting her bookstagram account @readingwiththechoob, and now leads the Bookstagrammer in Residence (BIR) program. She adds that Wordfest brings people together beyond the Imaginarium Festival — one example is the Reading in the Wild event (in partnership with the Calgary Public Library), where Calgarians are invited to read together in Central Memorial Park.
“There’s something for everyone,” explains Casas. “That’s why people should attend. We’re living in a loneliness epidemic, and Wordfest is one of those strong communities that I think anyone could be a part of.”
Youngblut notes that in addition to the community Wordfest fosters, its programming helps elevate the city as a literary destination.
“[Wordfest] brings people from all over the world to Calgary to share their best ideas, to share stories, to bring us together as human beings,” she says. “The fact that Wordfest is renowned nationally and internationally is just another feather in Calgary’s cap, and I think Calgarians both want that, recognize that, and celebrate that.”
Creative power couple Kris Demeanor and Debbie Willis are going into their third year presenting at the Imaginarium Festival as a unit for their eponymous variety show — an event that brings together seemingly disparate artists and authors while finding common threads between them. The married singer/songwriter and novelist (who met thanks to Wordfest) agree that the organization is an integral part of Calgary’s culture.
“There’s something really different about having cultural or political or literary conversations in person rather than online,” says Willis. “[Wordfest] is bringing in larger audiences, and people are showing up in real life to talk about serious subject matter. It’s a way to understand and process a really challenging and changing world that I think is valuable in this internet/social media time.”
For instance, Rollie Pemberton (also known as the rapper Cadence Weapon), will discuss his book Ways of Listening to share how algorithms, archetypes, and AI have changed our listening habits. Meanwhile, sisters Jillian and Lauren Tamaki’s show What a Pair! dives into the theme of censorship. Lauren’s book Seen and Unseen shines a light on the history, heartbreak and injustice of the 1940s Japanese-American incarceration, and Jillian’s YA graphic novel One Summer is one of the most banned books in North America.
Demeanor agrees: “There is a hunger for it. You can really see the energy in a room when everyone’s together, getting excited about an idea and a reading. There are a lot of people who love reading and have used it as a way to get exposed to a lot of different interesting work.”
Coined as Canada’s “liveliest” literary festival, this human-driven event — and by extension, organization — may also be a bit of a rebel, too.
“Having an in-person festival like this, in some ways it’s a middle finger to artificial intelligence and to social media,” says Demeanor.
Local Shows to Watch this Imaginarium Festival
Beyond the year-round programming — which includes hosting renowned writers such as Liane Moriarty, Colson Whitehead and R.F. Kuang this past September alone — this month’s Imaginarium Fest will highlight more than 50 authors over the course of 41 shows. Read on to discover local and out-of-town artists and authors worth keeping an eye on.
A Bloody Good Horror Cabaret
October 15
Featuring the bone-chilling insights of Karma Brown, Kim Fu, Vikki VanSickle, Daniel Zomparelli and the talents of Timothonius and Jane Madeleine, there is a particularly special reason Calgarians should register ASAP to attend this event — the cabaret also includes the voice of Dania Idriss, a local author who published her first book Tales of the Mountains and the Sea earlier this year.
“I’ve attended Wordfest every single year since I was 15, and I’m a big Wordfest nerd. Being a presenter there feels like I made it,” says Idriss. “It’s just such a strange feeling, though. It’s definitely a dream come true moment.”
Idriss explains that her book, which she started writing 10 years ago, started as part of her master’s thesis, which looked at folklore in the Middle East — specifically around the Levantine region. Indeed, Idriss is presently a doctoral student at the University of Calgary.
“[My thesis] combined with family stories became this short story project that ended up being my collection. It’s pretty closely tied to my own family. Oral stories and some research that I did on folklore turned into this little collection of gothic tales.”
Idriss will be joining horror and gothic powerhouses during the cabaret — a discussion certain to bring fresh perspectives to an increasingly popular genre.
A Toast to the Classics Lunch Experience
October 16
Horror isn’t the only genre making a resurgence. Between The Odyssey and The Bell Jar circulating on social media (the former in large part thanks to Christopher Nolan’s take on the epic poem) classics are making a comeback. There’s no better place to discuss that revival than at the Imaginarium Festival. Featuring the bright minds of Karma Brown, Patricia Finn, Tayari Jones, Jennifer Lambert, Catherine Leroux, Canisia Lubrin, Liz Nugent, Carol Off, Ruth Ozeki, and Stephanie Sinclair, buckle up for discourse surrounding these authors’ favourite classic titles, facilitated by Shelley Youngblut.
“There might be a book that isn’t contemporary, but you’re reading it now as if it were,” says Youngblut. “So what we’ve done is we’ve taken advantage of all these brilliant minds that are here, and they’re each going to propose a classic book and why you should read it.”
The Kris Demeanor & Deborah Willis Variety Show
October 15
The dynamic duo return for the third year to present the 2026 rendition of The Kris Demeanor and Deborah Willis Variety Show. Starring Arizona O’Neill (Opioids & Organs), Rollie Pemberton (Ways of Listening), Larissa Pham (Discipline) and Kawai Strong Washburn (The Names of the New World), this show is a recurring fan favourite, coloured by the couples’ natural wit and chemistry.
“It’s an unusual show because… it really is a variety show. Often there’ll be a poet and a novelist and someone who’s a visual artist. The show is meant to have a really unexpected guest list,” says Willis.
Demeanor adds: “There are going to be recurring themes within works that seem quite disparate. We don’t really need to shoot and horn the conversation in any particular way.”
A Celebration of Trans Storytelling
October 18
Celebrating the voices and perspectives of Gwen Aube (Missed Connections with Tall Girls), Casey Plett (On Community), Vivek Shraya (The Hystericals), Kai Cheng Thom (The Shape Shifter’s Guide to Gym Class), and local artist and graphic novelist Kat Simmers (Lily), this unapologetically queer show hosted by Pam Rocker is not to be missed. After all, trans stories and joy are essential to trans liberation.
“At a time when trans people are being vilified and we’re watching books being banned because they may have an LGBTQ+ or trans character in them, or be written by someone from those communities, we are doing a celebration of trans storytelling,” says Youngblut.
For more info and to view the full Imaginarium Fest schedule, visit wordfest.com.
