2nd Annual St. Lawrence Writer’s Festival

The St. Lawrence Writers Festival returns for its second year this weekend, from September 10–13, bringing an outstanding lineup of Canadian authors, poets, and literary personalities to Brockville.

Held primarily at Arts Hub Brockville, 32 Park Street, transforming Arts Hub Brockville into a vibrant centre of literary discussion, creativity, and intellectual exchange.

The festivities commence this Thursday evening with national best-selling author Waubgeshig Rice (Moon of the Crusted Snow, Moon of the Turning Leaves), and the return of Wayne Johnston (new release: The Novice of Holloway Hall) and Terry Fallis (The Marionette) in conversation with Rod Carley.

Friday afternoon features award-winning author Gary Barwin (new release: The Comedian’s Book of the Dead), new releases from area writer Heidi Reimer (What We Found Instead), Heidi von Palleske (The Lost Queen), Hollay Ghadery (The Unravelling of OU), and Catherine Bush’s 2025 critically acclaimed short story collection SKIN.

Audiences are in for a treat Friday evening with best selling Newfoundland author, the imitable Donna Morrissey (new memoir: Tell It to the Water), in conversation with acclaimed Calgary writer, Ali Bryan.

Start your Saturday with a Poetry panel (featuring Brockville-born Carolyn Van Der Meer, Kim Fahner, Kingston’s Armand Garnett Ruffo, and Ottawa poet Margo LaPierre) followed by a Romantasy panel with three of Canada’s hottest romantasy writers (H. Leighton Dickson (new release: Ship of Spells), Shade Lapite (debut release: Goddess Crown), and Kelley Armstrong (new release: An Ordinary Sort of Evil.

Do you want to know how the publishing industry works? Attend Patricia Westerhoff’s “How to Get Published in Canada” lunchtime workshop, followed by a Historical Fiction panel featuring Giles Blunt (new release: Bad Juliet and author of the Cardinal TV series now on Netflix), Donna Morrissey (Rage the Night), Lucy Black (new release: The Quilting of Scars), and Frances Boyle (new release: Skin Hunger). The afternoon concludes with an eclectic Contemporary Fiction Panel featuring Russell Smith (new release: Self Care), Governor-General award-winning playwright Judith Thompson’s debut novel In Crow’s Field, Giller nominated Dennis Bock’s new release Strangers at the Red Door, and Darlene Madott’s new release Closing Ceremonies and Dying Times).

One of the festival’s most popular events returns this year – a Saturday night cruise with 1000 Islands and Seaway Cruise Lines! This year’s cruise takes a romantic turn as it transforms into “The Love Boat!”

On Sunday, the festival isn’t going to the dogs, but it is going to the cats — Hilton the rescue Tabby to be purr-cise. Join us for the Cat Meow’s brunch followed by the book launch of The Great Catsby by Hilton, a catification of the F. Scott Fitzgerald classic (adapted/translated by award-winning humour writer Rod Carley and illustrated by Quebec-based illustrator Juliette Miron). Join Hilton and friends in conversation with Terry Fallis (free event).

Other featured authors include Carolyn Bennett, Celia Godkin, Daniel Goodwin, Lois Lorimer, Michael Mirolla, Emily Weedon, and Ron Zajac.

For more information please visit: https://www.stlawrencewritersfestival.ca/