The Toronto International Festival of Authors (TIFA) is in full effect with over 100 artists and authors from 11 countries. This year’s festival is exploring the concept of “writing home” – from books and stories about the places we all call home, to the ideas, cultures and conflicts that inform what home means to us.
There are plenty of fun and interesting talks and events for everyone in the family.
For fellow bibliophiles, I have put a list of events happening at TIFA this year.
TIFA Picks
Saturday, Sep 21, 5:30pm ET (Free Event)
Discovering the Korea Canada Anthology
The Korea-Canada Exchange Program: Anthology Project which has invited Korean and Canadian writers such as Yann Martel, Kim Thuy, Kim Ae-ran and Yun Ko-eun to discover the value of transcending borders and explore the common themes of diversity and inclusion. The culmination of this multinational project will be an anthology of eight newly written short stories, available in both Korean and English, to be published in 2025.
Saturday, Sep 21, 7pm ET (Ticketed Event)
The Lost Art of Conversation
Ian Williams
Why can’t we talk to each other anymore? In these fractured, fractious times there’s never been a greater need to connect, converse and question.
Sun, Sep 22, 12:30pm ET | TIFA Kids (Free Event)
A Journey Across Generations
Join Toronto author Saumiya Balasubramaniam for her latest book, When I Visited Grandma. Maya is excited to be in India visiting Grandma, but their time together isn’t quite what she expected…
Sunday, Sep 22, 4pm ET (Ticketed Event)
Utopias, Noir and The Stories They Tell
Bora Chung and Canisia Lubrin
The two authors will share what inspired their story collections and the profound social commentary woven throughout them.
Wednesday, Sep 25, 6:15pm ET (Ticketed Event)
Finding Families in Many Forms
Gloria Blizzard and Jenny Heijun Wills
Join the two authors as they discuss their essay collections and community, culture and chosen families.
Friday, Sep 27, 7pm ET (Ticketed Event)
Toronto Poetry Slam
Dwayne Morgan and Afra Atiq
Since 2005, The Poetry Slam has featured some of Canada’s best and most engaging spoken word artists and next generation stars.
Saturday, Sep 28 & Sunday, Sep 29 (Free Event)
The Butterfly Effect
Geraldo Valério
Hear the author talk about his new book, Coco and the Caterpillars – inspired by his love of nature and all the creatures he encountered as a boy in his family garden. There will be stories and then the opportunity to create a butterfly artwork to take home.
Sunday, Sep 29, 3:30pm ET (Ticketed Event)
Voices of Fire and Resilience
Brandi Morin and Angela Sterritt
Morin’s memoir, Our Voice of Fire, and Sterritt’s Unbroken explore their remarkable journeys from adversity to acclaim. The award-winning journalists will share their experiences navigating systemic oppression, finding their purpose and the transformative power of writing.
For more information on these events, tickets and to view the full TIFA events lineup, visit FestivalOfAuthors.ca.
Photos courtesy of TIFA.
