On October 26, four noted fiction writers, Janet E. Cameron, Fiona Kidman, Mary-Rose MacColl, and Alice McDermott gathered for a round table discussion hosted by Stuart Woods in the York Quay Centre at the Harbourfront Centre. Just a 10-minute walk away, popular children’s and young-adult author Gordon Korman read excerpts from his new novel at the Fleck Dance Theatre. In fact, many well-established authors were having round table discussions and question-and-answer sessions all around the Harbourfront that day, as part of the annual International Festival of Authors (ifoa), the highly prestigious literary gathering held each year in Toronto.
The ifoa began in 1980 in order to: “Present the world’s most important and influential authors, and distinctive new authors, Canadian and international, in a forum that celebrates both books and writing.” The festival also seeks to give Canadian writers an international platform on which to share their work. Over the years, the festival has hosted over 8,000 authors from over 100 countries, including 20 Nobel Laureates.
While the festival receives international acclaim every year, it also prides itself on being extremely accessible to the public — particularly to youth and students interested in writing and authorship. Most events are under $20, and some are even free. Students can receive free tickets to certain events if they are willing to
call in advance.
This year’s festival took place October 25 – November 3. At first, the schedule seems daunting: 200 participants representing 19 countries will participate in a total of 77 events in just two short weeks. The Varsity explored the festival to list some of the highlights for the book-enthused student.
For those interested in great Canadian fiction, several high-profile Canadian authors were part of the lineup for this festival — Margaret Atwood spoke on October 30 with up-and-coming Canadian author Amy Loyd. Alistair MacLeod joined other panelists on October 31 to discuss the theme of beginnings when it comes to short stories.
Other interesting names included Stephen King, making an appearance on October 24, and Canadian Douglas Coupland, author of J-Pod fame. The festival even expanded itself to include guests such as George Pelecano, famous for being one of the writers of hbo’s hit series The Wire.
The festival has something for everyone, with “youngifoa” events catering to children and young adults and in-depth interviews with acclaimed authors. It represents one of the highlights of Toronto’s cultural calendar, and also marks the city as not only willing to host artistic talent, but to share it with its citizens.
