By Hana Woodbridge
The Bixi stands have been reinstalled, yesteryear’s garbage has emerged like a contemporary art exhibit, and finally—after months and months of bitter, Montreal cold—people are lazing about in the city’s parks. It’s Spring, folks—Plateau Astro has proclaimed it!
For those among us who have had our nose in a book all winter long or have been feverishly writing something we call a passion project, it’s time to resurface—there are simply too many wonderful literary events happening this Spring!
Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival
Forget hibernating and come celebrate poetry month at the Blue Metropolis International Literary Festival from April 24 to April 27, with virtual events beginning on April 14. This year’s theme—“Time, Tree, Page”—asks us to reflect on our relationships with literature and the natural world. The festival will include more than 120 events (you can find the festival schedule here). While there are far too many awe-inspiring events to list in entirety, here are a few that I am particularly looking forward to (of course I’ve already bought my pass, and you can too).
At 11:30am on April 26, poets Cristina Rivera Garza and Rachel Eliza Griffiths will be in conversation at Hôtel 10 (in Salle JAG). They’ll be discussing “the elements that shape the New World and a poet’s search for meaning and expression based on their latest works about the body.” If I were you, I wouldn’t miss the opportunity to be in a room with these talented and evocative writers (RSVP here). As well, Garza will be receiving the Premio Metropolis Azul award the same day at 5:30pm at Hôtel 10 (in Salle JAG) followed by a reading of her poetry in French (RSVP here).
In line with this year’s theme, Peter Wohlleben, winner of the Blue Metropolis Planet Literature Prize, will be taking part in an interview. It will be held at 1pm on April 26 at Hôtel 10 (in Espace Godin). Wohlleben’s focus on the intelligence and interconnectedness of nature—particularly trees—is especially vital in our current political and environmental climate. Have you ever wondered how trees communicate and form relationships? Go to Wohlleben’s interview and find out! Better yet, grab a copy of his book from a local bookshop and do a little research beforehand.
Another event you’ll kick yourself for missing is “Up and Down the Fast Red Road” where poet Liliana Ancalao (from the Ñamkulawen Mapuche community), Blackfoot novelist Stephen Graham Jones (Pikunis), and Anishinaabe scholar Niigaan Sinclair (Peguis First Nation) will discuss language and literature across their distinct territories and traditions. This conversation will take place at 8:30pm on April 26 at Hôtel 10 (in Espace Godin). Worth noting as well, Jones will be receiving the Blue Metropolis First Peoples Prize for his extensive body of work on April 27 at 11:30am also at Hôtel 10 (in Espace Godin).
Other noteworthy events: Salman Rushdie will be awarded the Blue Metropolis Grand Prix Award at 7pm on April 26 at Hôtel 10 (in Salle JAG); Anne Michaels and Kev Lambert (accompanied by their translators) will be talking about the art of translation at 11:30am on April 26 at Hôtel 10 (in Salle Jardin); and Anne Michaels will also be in conversation with Rachel Eliza Griffiths at 1pm on April 26 at Hôtel 10 (in Salle Saint-Laurent)—they will be discussing the relationship between writing and time.
Readings and Performances
Yolk Literary—an absolute Montreal institution—has begun hosting an event they call Two Readers and Music. If you’d like to get a sense of just how magical these events are, you can read the Montreal Fiction Prize award winner Zoe Lubetkin’s “Literary House Party: notes on yolk’s Two Readers and Music” or attend the event yourself! The next iteration will take place on April 11 with readings from Eva Crocker and francesca ekwuyasi, and music by Althea Sully Cole. Make sure to keep your eyes on Yolk’s Instagram to RSVP because the line-up is stacked, and the spots are limited! There will also be another one in May so stay tuned!
Yolk will also be hosting Pop-Up Poetry on April 5 at the Time Out Market in downtown Montreal. Have you ever dreamed of having a poem crafted just for you? Now’s your chance! Yolk team members will be there to write you a custom tailored poem (free of charge). They’ll also be selling copies of Yolk and merchandise.
Another Montreal institution you’ll love is Accent Open Mic which recurs on the first and third Sunday of the month at 8pm at Bar La Marche à Côté on the Plateau. These events are primarily run by Cactus Press’ editor in chief Devon Gallant—check out the list below to see their upcoming events, featured readers, and open mic themes (a reminder that you can always read off-theme!):
- April 6: Lantern Magazine launch (featuring readings by Max Peerless, Claire Sherwood, Harper Ladd, Liana Cusmano, Cassandra Pegg, and Laura D’Angelo)
- April 20: Weed (featuring John Emil Vincent and Maia R. Becerra)
- May 4: Diatribes (featuring Jen Colclough and Erin Stanley)
- May 18: Cactus Press Spring Launch Party (featuring Carolyne Van Der Meer’s Birdology, Hillary Langford Taylor’s Dendron, and Carlos A. Pittella’s Propersitions)
- June 1: Ekphrasis (featuring Olive Andrews and JM Francheteau)
- June 15: Scolion (featuring H. Nigel Thomas)
Cactus Press will also be hosting the launch party for Jerome Ramcharitar’s forthcoming full-length poetry collection The Riddle of Three Crimson Doors in early Summer (you can get a feel for his work here). Make sure to follow @accent_open_mic and @cactuspresspoetry on Instagram to keep up to date with their events!
Bookstore Events
With the 25% tariff on books that’s being implemented on April 2, your local, indie book sellers need you more than they ever have. Make sure to stop by Librairie Pulp Books, Drawn & Quarterly, De Stiil, Encore, L’Euguélionne, Librairie St. Henri, and Argo Books when looking for your next park read! Fellow book lovers, please weigh in on the tariff situation here—if you’re uncertain of the tariff codes, don’t worry, Pulp Books has done the research for you! Alex Nierenhausen, owner of Pulp Books, also partook in an interview with CTV News about the impact of tariffs on local booksellers and you can watch here.
Every Wednesday at 7pm, De Stiil hosts Page/Break—an hour of uninterrupted, wine-fuelled, collective reading time. You can bring your own book or read one from their shelves (don’t sleep on their recommendations). The $5 entry fee comes with a gratis glass of wine (or non-alcoholic bevvy) and the hour is followed by some bookish mingling. Note that you have to surrender your phone at the door and take some much-needed reprieve from digital life! The event is popular so make sure to show up to the bookshop a bit early to secure your spot.
De Stiil will also be hosting the launch of “Dark Matter: Women Witnessing/Dreams Before Extinction” on April 6 from 4pm to 6pm. Dark Matter is a collection of essays, poems, and artworks by 67 women around the theme of devastation. The editors of the literary magazine as well as a handful of local contributors (Kim Zombik, Yehudit Silverman, and Lise Moisan) will be in attendance!
Pulp Books in Verdun also has some interesting literary events coming up this April! On April 2, they’ll be hosting the Just Crime Book Club, focusing on Evidence of Things Not Seen by James Baldwin. April 7 will be an instalment of Massey Mondays where Andrew Bell facilitates a discussion on one of the five lectures from the series. And, on April 8, they’ll be hosting the launch of Rachel Deutsch’s The Mother: A Graphic Memoir. Make sure to follow them on Instagram and RSVP to their events here!
On April 3, Pulp will be hosting “Flowers: The Poetry Showcase” where fourteen of Sephanie Bolster’s graduate students will read from poems they’ve been working on. If you’re looking for a way to support local, attending bookstore events is a surefire way to do it! Doors open at 6:30pm and readings start at 7pm. Included in the line-up are Headlight Anthology poetry editor Alana Dunlop and Yolk poetry editor Ennie Gloom—two incredibly talented writers!
Also on April 3, Argo Bookshop will be holding a reading with Iranian-Canadian cartoonist Dariush Ramezani for his new book Life is Beautiful—a 50-page comic featuring conversations between a deer-headed person and a sheep. And, on April 24, Argo will be hosting Book Talk: Fred Anderson in Conversation with Leila Marshy. They’ll also be hosting a book club on April 30 where they will be discussing Han Kang’s The Vegetarian as well as translation more broadly! Check out their events page to RSVP for these upcoming events.
Last but certainly not least, Librairie Saint-Henri Books will be hosting a book launch for Jean-Philippe Baril Guérard’s You Crushed It on April 10—a witty exploration of love, insecurity, and the corrosive power dynamics of stand-up. Guérard and his translator Neil Smith will both be there to answer any questions you might have. It’s free to attend the event and you can RSVP here! The bookstore will also be hosting a free book club for Toni Morrison’s Tar Baby on April 16 that you can RSVP to here. If you needed an excuse to read some of Morrison’s work, this is it!
Are you a mood reader and don’t know what to pick up next? Head to Librairie Saint-Henri on April 26 for BookMatch. You’ll be prompted to fill out a questionnaire to get paired with your perfect book. To sweeten the deal even more, the $35 cost comes with two glasses of wine, some snacks, and a $10 gift card. Don’t miss out on the chance to find your next favourite book and hang out with fellow book lovers! You can pick up your tickets here.
Though not held at a bookstore, Pulse Mag will be hosting the launch of their first issue at Système on April 17 from 6pm to 10pm. Stop by to grab a drink and a copy of the issue (tickets not necessary)! This is a wonderful chance to get a taste of what’s happening in Montreal’s literary scene.
Open Books, Open Minds Conference
On April 23, the Association of English-language Publishers of Quebec (AELAQ) is hosting Open Books, Open Minds, a one-day professional development conference geared toward the book publishing industry in Quebec and beyond. The day will start with a keynote address from Dan Wells, founder of Windsor-based book publisher Biblioasis. Ensuing panels will explore AI in the book industry and international exports, with a concluding conversation around how publishers can establish and leverage relationships with librarians across the city. Coffee and lunch will be provided, and the programming will be followed by wine and cheese.
The conference is set to take place at the Centre Culturel Georges-Vanier in Saint-Henri (the building is accessible to those with reduced mobility). This event is open to the public and has three pricing tiers available on a pay-what-you-wish basis—you can RSVP here. Make sure to be timely as there are limited in-person spots! However, please note that everything will be live-streamed via Zoom as well.
Montreal’s literary scene is more vibrant than ever! Head to Accent Open Mic to read your poem that’s been sitting in an unmarked folder on your desktop. Immerse yourself in Montreal’s burgeoning Anglo literary community at Two Readers and Music. Stop by De Stiil for a glass of wine and some much needed reprieve from the digital world. Spring is springing and the literati are waiting for you!
Hana Woodbridge (she/they) is a literary artist based in Tiohtià:ke/Montreal. Her work has been featured in Vallum, Soliloquies, and the Encore Poetry Project. She has an MA in Media Studies and great taste in music.
Illustration by Katie MacLean.