WOTS festival online this year

By Sulz, Dave on September 16, 2020.

Assorted related activities leading up to main event Friday, Saturday

LETHBRIDGE HERALD

The Lethbridge Public Library’s annual The Word On The Street festival – in virtual format this year – is coming up Saturday and Sunday, but the week features a number of lead-up events taking place online.

This year marks the library’s 10th year hosting its annual award-winning literary event, and while things look a little different than was initially anticipated because of the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers are happy to still be able to bring the annual celebration of literacy, storytelling and the literary arts to the community in a digital way.

“Though we’ve had to make some adjustments, I’m very glad we’re able to still go ahead with the festival this year,” Elisabeth Hegerat, festival organizer and Manager: Community & Economic Advancement at Lethbridge Public Library, said in a news release. “It may look and feel a bit different this year, but we have created a festival that represents the diversity of our community, is accessible to all ages, and most importantly is lively and fun!”

Online festival activities kicked off Monday with the B-93.3 and 95.5 Virtual Escape Room, which continues to Sept. 26. Starting today and also continuing to Sept. 26, the Global News Lethbridge At-Home Scavenger Hunt offers more virtual fun for participants.

Also today, Pride Fest presents Drag Story Time for Everyone with special guests Killa Watt and Francheska Dynamites, and today and Thursday features the Comics Program with Teresa Wong, Sam Hester and Eric Dyck, presented with the support of the Allied Arts Council of Lethbridge.

Friday morning will offer the CVS Midwest Tapes Kid’s Program featuring Susin Nielsen, Richard Van Camp, Jeremy and Hermoine Tankard, and Eric Walters. Friday afternoon offers the Lethbridge Herald Teen Program featuring Tom Ryan, Bethany C. Morrow, Nafiza Azad and Courtney Summers.

The main Word On The Street programming starts Saturday and includes the Canadian Heritage Adult Program featuring Virginia Bordeleau and Susan Oriou, Gil Adamson, Shane Chartrand, Jennifer Cockrall-King, Cheryl Foggo, Robert J. Sawyer and Lethbridge author Danika Stone.

Saturday’s lineup includes the Canada-wide The Word On The Street Double-Header, starting with a regional mystery tour with Lethbridge author D.K. Stone and St. John’s writer Kevin Major. Then, Carol Rose GoldenEagle and Andrea Gunraj discuss their characters’ journeys through loss, intergenerational trauma, healing and recovery.

The fun extends into next week, Sept. 22-Sept. 26, with the Indigenous Artists Series featuring Hali and Faye Heavy Shield, Amber Weasel Head, Jamie John Kehewin, Sheena Potts Mai’stoistowaakii (Crow Pretty Woman) and Richard Van Camp.

All program events will be online via Zoom, and online ordering will be available through the festival bookseller, the University of Lethbridge Bookstore.

“Even though we’re online, the festival is a great chance to meet a favourite author or discover someone new,” said Hegerat. “The heart of the festival stays the same. It is a literary festival celebrating the written and spoken word. There really is something for everyone.”

For the full festival schedule visit thewordonthestreet.ca/

lethbridge.

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