Reading the room: literary fest adds more in-person events

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This article was published 19/09/2023 (1110 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

After three years of leaning heavily on virtual and online components, Winnipeg’s annual writers festival continues to add in-person events to its month-long celebration of all things literary.

“I love the feel of words in the air and conversation unfolding in real time with people. In any sort of performance context, there’s electricity between audience members and performers,” says Charlene Diehl, director of Thin Air 2023: Winnipeg International Writers Festival.

But Diehl and her team aren’t ready to close the book on the virtual aspect of the festival; rather, they have embraced what a hybrid model of in-person and online events can offer to readers.

“There’s more opportunity and more time for people to engage now — it feels like this year we are hosting a real hybrid festival. There are a lot of great events to experience for people who don’t live here — more accessibility,” Diehl says.

Thin Air 2023 kicks off Wednesday night at 7 p.m. at Kilter Brewing Co. (450 Rue Deschambault) with ForeWords, celebrating all things books. Over the course of the next month, the festival has a wide range of launches, discussions and more slated to take place both in person and online. Here’s a bit of what to expect.

Signature series

Nine of the festival’s biggest-name authors make up this year’s signature series, featuring book launches and discussions throughout the month at McNally Robinson Booksellers’ Grant Park location.

Featured authors include local literary heavyweights David Bergen and Joan Thomas, who kick off the series tomorrow and Friday with launches of their new novels (Away from the Dead and Wild Hope, respectively).

“Both David Bergen and Joan Thomas are superstars — they are writing at the top level in the country,” Diehl says while heaping praise on authors of all nine signature events, which include Casey Plett (Oct. 7), Alicia Elliott (Oct. 11), Emma Donoghue (Oct. 16) and Michael Crummey (Oct. 17).

Livres en fête

Thin Air 2023 is once again bringing a host of French-language in-person and virtual events highlighting local, national and international authors, including Lise Gaboury-Diallo, Darrel J. McLeod, Catherine Leroux and a discussion dubbed “La plume et le pinceau” (the pen and the brush) featuring Gaboury-Diallo, Amber O’Reilly and Monia Mazigh. Leroux and McLeod will be featured at events in both English and French at this year’s festival.

Afternoon book chats

A festival staple in the pre-pandemic times, organizers have brought back afternoon book chats, which pair up authors to talk about their books. This year’s book chats take place Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2-3 p.m. between Sept. 26-Oct. 12 at the Millennium Library’s Carol Shields Auditorium (251 Donald St.).

Ottawa’s Monia Mazigh and Winnipeg’s Josiah Neufeld kick off the series, which will also feature locals such as Lauren Carter, Raye Anderson and Matthew Tétrault, as well as out-of-towners including Zoe Whittall, Catherine Leroux and Michael Afenfia, some of whom will be appearing by Zoom.

“We tried to not cross over much with the signature series — we’re trying to consolidate audiences,” Diehl says. “We’re still in an audience rebuild phase, so we just can’t afford to split audiences.”

Indigenous voices

This year’s Thin Air features a deep lineup of Indigenous authors as part of the Voices in the Circle series of events. In-person/hybrid events taking place at McNally Robinson include Jordan Abel launching his novel Empty Spaces on Sept. 26 with Niigaan Sinclair; Beatrice Mosionier launching the 40th anniversary In Search of April Raintree on Friday, Sept. 29 with Katherena Vermette; and Darrel J. McLeod chatting with Jillian Horton about his novel A Season in Chezgh’un at the Niizhotay Stories event, held every year in honour of the late Theodore Niizhotay Fontaine, and taking place on Sept. 30, the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

“This is the first year we’ve been able to do Niizhotay Stories in person. Morgan Fontaine, Theodore’s wife, is going to open that with his land acknowledgement. There’s a lot of special things happening that day,” Diehl says.

On Tuesday, Oct. 10, Kilter Brewing Co. will host All Things Métis, featuring Conor Kerr, Michelle Porter and Vermette, and will also include traditional fiddling by Alexandre Tétrault and the chance to try beading with Vi Houssin.

Content from over 60 Indigenous authors from communities across Canada is also featured on the festival website under the Voices in the Circle tag.

Virtual festival hub

The festival’s website (thinairfestival.ca), launches at noon Wednesday, featuring individual author pages with readings from books as well as exclusive content available until the end of the festival.

Thin Air wraps up back at Kilter Brewing Co. on Wednesday, Oct. 18 with AfterWords, featuring the always-popular haiku death match.

Diehl sees her 21st year at the helm of the festival with a level head thanks in large part to her small but capable team.

“It’s not a one person show, that’s for sure. More than probably any other year, I really am feeling more like I’m more of a shepherd or a coach this year,” she says. “It’s more like a long, long walk now rather than a sprint or even a marathon.”

The Thin Air 2023 print program can be found at McNally Robinson and city libraries (including little free libraries) and beyond. It’s also available online alongside information on tickets and events as well as all manner of exclusive content at thinairfestival.ca.

ben.sigurdson@winnipegfreepress.com

@bensigurdson