Broadway Avenue in Saskatoon was taken over by The Word on the Street Festival on Sunday, with several streets blocked off to give all readers a chance to get lost in words.
Mandy Pravda with the organizing committee said they have over 20 Canadian authors presenting at this year’s event.
“It’s so beautiful,” she said. “When it is their number one author, to be able to come down and meet them, ask them those questions that as they read the book they were wondering, and why did the character do this?”
Pravada said authors posted up in three main tents to share the inspiration behind their novels and explain the hidden deeper meanings of their characters.
“Each author brings something different,” she said. “They’ll explain their book or their past or their visions.”
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Grant Lawrence presented a chapter in his memoir, Dirty Windshields, called Amigos about his time spent touring with rock ’n’ roll band The Smugglers and the times he played in Saskatoon.
“I can read the same story in Toronto or Vancouver, but if I read it in Saskatoon, people laugh at completely different parts,” he said. “They know exactly what I am talking about.”
Lawrence said the festival’s warm welcome in Saskatoon adds to the list of special memories he has in the bridge city.
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“You can really feel like the city has gotten behind this event,” he said. “They believe in the power of the written word and believe in the power of books.”
Moose Jaw, Lethbridge, Halifax and Toronto are also home to The Word on the Street festivals.
Pravda said next year will be the 10th anniversary of the event, and they’re already on the lookout for more great Canadian authors.
“As a writer, please get involved within your community, especially if you’ve published a book recently,” she said. “We’ll find you.”
More information can be found on the event’s website.
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