After nearly folding earlier this year due to funding issues, Wordstock Sudbury Literary Festival returns for its 12th edition Oct. 24-25 at Place des Arts in downtown Sudbury.
Wordstock Sudbury will include workshops for writers and an open mic, panel discussions featuring notable authors, a poetry slam and the launch of a Silent Reading Club.
A full lineup of events is not yet available on the festival’s website, however.
This year’s programming connects books and writing to the urgent conversations of today under the theme of “Survival” — a timely exploration of how stories help us navigate the complexities of the world around us.
“This year’s festival is a turning point,” says Dinah Laprairie, current chair of the board of directors.
“With the support of our community, we’re reimagining what a literary festival needs to be for Sudbury. Wordstock Sudbury 2025 is a celebration of survival — of literature, of community and of creative expression.”
Festivalgoers can expect readings, conversations and interactive activities that invite audiences to connect with authors from across Canada and Northeastern Ontario. For writers, the festival offers professional development opportunities and chances to build their literary networks.
The 2025 Festival Planning Committee encourages everyone to save the date.
“Tell your book club, spread the word, and subscribe to the newsletter,” said Nancy Daoust, local writer and committee chair. “Headliners will be announced soon, and tickets go on sale shortly.”
The festival is made possible through the support of the City of Greater Sudbury, Access Copyright and Ontario Arts Council, and sponsors including the Rotary Club of Sudbury, Financial Decisions, Sudbury Credit Union, Manitoulin Transport, Laurentian University Faculty of Arts and numerous other businesses and individual donors — as well as the commitment of volunteers who stepped forward to bring the festival to life.
Sign up for the Wordstock newsletter online here.