Things are coming together well for Lethbridge’s first Word on the Street festival, Sept. 25 dow
ntown. Lethbridge will be joining this nation-wide celebration of the written word which is also taking place in Saskatoon, Toronto, Vancouver, Halifax and Kitchener.
There will be a variety of activities, music and vendors set up downtown to recognize the importance of reading and writing in modern life.
“We have 35 authors and the music stage is also full,” said organizer Colette Acheson. Numerous musical acts including John Wort Hannam, Karen Romanchuk, Shocked Standards, Jean Greer McCarthy, the Necessities and Edmonton bluesman Marshall Lawrence will be performing.
“ It’s a pretty diverse line-up,” she said.
There will also be a variety of authors speaking including mystery author and playwright Gail Bowen who writes the Joanne Kilbourne mysteries, Red Deer based young adult novelist Sigmund Brouwer, there are also poets like Medicine Hat’s Niq Beat and Calgary poet Rosemary Greibel, teen author Intissar Louah and many more.
“We have everything to people writing about gardening to fiction,” she said.
Toronto born, Regina based writer Gail Bowen is best known for writing the the popular Joanne Kilbourn mystery series, as well as a “labour of love”— the Charlie D series which surrounds late night radio talk show host Charlie D and is written for people with literacy difficulties.
She will be reading from two different upcoming works “Shadow Killer,” the third Charlie D book due out in September, which explores the issue of prostitution, and “Kaleidoscope,” the thirteenth Joanne Kilbourn mystery due out in April.
“Joanne Kilbourn has sold well. Series’ tend to as people tend to become invested in the characters,” Bowen said of the success of the Kilbourn series.
“Another thing people like is that Joanne has aged, though I’ve fudged it a bit. When she started (in 1990’s Deadly Appearances ) she was 43, now she’s 57. And now she’s married again to a paraplegic Zach Shreve, who is interesting to write because t
hey are so different. It’s a nice balance,” she said. She said having a strong supporting cast of characters helps her come up with ideas for Joanne Kilbourne.
She is both surprised and pleased with Kilbourn’s popularity.
“If I had to do it again, I wouldn’t have made her a political science professor, because it stretches credibility (how many sticky situations she finds herself in) but I set her in the academic world, which is a world I knew. If I had to do it again I would have made her a journalist or something, but it’s too late now,” she said.
“When I started writing, I envisioned four Joanne Kilbourn mysteries, which is pretty arrogant considering how difficult it is to get one mystery published,” she said.
“In the new book, some pretty bad things happen to Joanne. It takes place in north-central Regina, which, if you read Maclean’s magazine, is one of Canada’s worst neighbourhood. She sees some things. And like me, she tends to be quite naïve,” she said adding it isn’t difficult to change gears when she writes Charlie D stories.
“ The publisher emphasized the most important thing is not to talk down to people. Because Charlie D is a radio host, there is so much dialogue and I’m using a lot of Grade 4.5 language. I’m not using a lot of $10 words. There is a lot of intimate material they talk about,” she said.
The Word on the Street has a radio show on CKXU 88.3 FM dedicated to promoting the event by featuring local personalities speaking about their favourite books and why reading is important to them.
“We’ve had people like mayor Rajko Dodic and mayor Bob Tarleck, Rick Casson, Sheila Nyqist and Dori Rossiter. It’s been really gratifying to have so many people come out for the show to support this,” she continued.
There will also be two children’s tents featuring children’s activities like a bouncy tent and face painting.
University of Lethbridge English instructor Jay Gamble, who has been an instructor at the univeristy since 2007, is excited to be doing double duty at World on the Street. He will not only be reading from his up and coming book of experimental poetry “The Book of Knots,” which explores the use of nothingness in language, but he will also be launching the second issue of Whetstone magazine.
“ It looks fantastic,” he said. He said numerous University of Lethbridge students have contributed as well as a fair number of contributors from outside southern Alberta.
“The last issue went over well. We’re almost sold out of our second printing. We’ve been recycling the money we make from it into the next edition,” he said.
He is also looking forward to his 15-20 minute spot to read from his upcoming work “Book of Knots.”
“The first section,‘Bond’ is a one sentence paragraph. It’s grammatical, but it goes on and on and on. The second section ‘Gagged’ is noun-less.
“ There are no nouns it it. It is not only a challenge to write, but to listen to as well,” he said.
He is looking forward to being part of Word on The Street.
“‘I was part of Word blow out in Calgary when I was part of the community there.
“It’s just fantastic to see so many local authors and see what they are doing,” he said.
“I’ve enjoyed watching this community develop. It’s developed quite a bit since I got here.”
Author Gail Bowen loves being part of Word On The Street events.
“I was also involved with a Word on the Street in Calgary. They also have Wordfest, which is a lot more focused. People have to buy tickets. Word on the Street is a lot more informal. It’s something like Taste of Lethbridge, where you go and get a taste of 50 different books,” she said.
A version of this story appears in the Fall 2011 edition of Downtown Magazine
All day events:
Bouncy castle (donated by the YWCA)
Face painting
Meet Clifford the Big Red Dog
SAAG: Newspaper collage craft – all ages
University of Lethbridge Art Gallery: Art activity – all ages
Family Center:
Make your own book, create and decorate your own book – all ages.
Galt Museum: a short historical activity inspired by books from the children’s department
Helen Schuler Nature Centre – Nature inspired learning and activities
Lethbridge Medieval Club - dressed in armour and fancy costume, periodically dancing and doing fighting demonstrations
Special events in the children’s tent:
1:00 – Sigmund Brower reading and signing
1:30 – Object Manipulation Club presentation
2:00 – Andrea Beck reading and signing
2:30 – Spanish game
3:00 – University of Lethbridge Singers
3:30 – Andrea Beck reading and signing
4:00 – Dave Poulsen reading and signing
4:30 – TAG Board games
11:00-11:15
Main Stage — Shocked Standards
Tent Stage — Whetstone Launch
Rock Circle picnic tables — Jim Hole - Gardening
Most Vocal Poetry tent — Open Mic
Teen Zone — Jay Gamble creative writers group
Children’s Tent Main — Val Rainey
Patio Entrance — LCI Dance
11:15 - 11:30
Main Stage —Shocked Standards
Tent Stage — Whetstone Launch
Rock Circle picnic tables Jim Hole - Gardening
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Open Mic
Teen Zone — Jay Gamble creative writers group
Children’s Tent Main — Val Rainey
11:30-11:45
Main Stage — Jolene Draper
Tent Stage — Whetstone Launch
Rock Circle picnic tables — June Flannagan
Most Vocal Poets —Open Mic
Teen Zone — Intissar Louah
11:45-12:00
Main Stage — Jolene Draper
Tent Stage —Neil McKinnon
Rock Circle picnic tables — June Flannagan
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Open Mic
Teen Zone — Intissar Louah
Patio Entrance — Sudanese dancers
12:00-12:15
Main Stage — Curt Young & Jamie Medicine Crane
Tent Stage —Jean Greer McCarthy
Rock Circle picnic tables — Darren Neuberger
Most Vocal Poets Tent — First Nations - Rachel
Teen Zone — SKYPE- Erin Bow
(12:05-12:20) Children’s Tent
Main — Val Karen Bass
Patio Entrance — Sudanese dancers
12:15-12:30
Main Stage —Curt Young & Jamie Medicine Crane
Tent Stage —Jean Greer McCarthy
Rock Circle picnic tables —Darren Neuberger
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Dance Troupe
Teen Zone — SKYPE- Erin Bow
Children’s Tent
Main — Val Karen Bass
12:30-12:45
Main Stage —Karen Romanchuk
Tent Stage —Angie Abdou
Rock Circle picnic tables —Barb Galler-Smith
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Carl Brave Rock
Teen Zone — Skype - Y.S. Lee (12:35-12:50)
Children’s Tent Main — Hoodoo Martial Arts
12:45-1:00
Main Stage —Karen Romanchuk
Tent Stage —Angie Abdou
Rock Circle picnic tables —Barb Galler-Smith
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Sean Lennon
Teen Zone — Skype - Y.S. Lee
Children’s Tent Main — Hoodoo Martial Arts
1:00-1:15
Main Stage — Sherri D Wilson
Tent Stage —Toastmasters
Rock Circle picnic tables — Panel - Trends on Reading
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Gordon Tolton
Teen Zone — Skype - R.J. Anderson (1:05-1:20)
Children’s Tent Main —Sigmund Brower
Patio Entrance — Camera Giveaway
1:15-1:30
Main Stage —Sherri D Wison
Tent Stage —Toastmasters
Rock Circle picnic tables —Panel - Trends on Reading
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Ken Sears - Mr Sunshine
Teen Zone — Skype - R.J. Anderson
Children’s Tent Main — Sigmund Brower
Patio Entrance — MLA Greg Weadick
1:30-1:45
Main Stage — Shaela Miller
Tent Stage —Gail Bowen
Rock Circle picnic tables — Barb Howard
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Rosemary Griebel
Teen Zone — Skype -Natale Ghent (1:35-1:50)
Children’s Tent Main — Object Manipulation Club
Patio Entrance — Bridget Pastoor
1:45-2:00
Main Stage —Shaela Miller
Tent Stage —Gail Bowen
Rock Circle picnic tables —Belinda Crowson
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Rosemary Griebel
Teen Zone — Skype -Natale Ghent
Children’s Tent Main — Object Manipulation Club
2:00-2:15
Main Stage — Necessities
Tent Stage —Michael Sikorsky
Rock Circle picnic tables —Belinda Crowson
Most Vocal Poets Tent —Richard Stevenson
Teen Zone — Skype -Raina Telgemeier (2:05-2:35)
Children’s Tent Main — Andrea Beck
2:15-2:30
Main Stage —Necessities
Tent Stage —Michael Sikorsky
Rock Circle picnic tables —Terra Wright Many Chief
Most Vocal Poets Tent —Richard Stevenson
Teen Zone — Skype -Raina Telgemeier
Children’s Tent Main — Andrea Beck
2:30-2:45
Main Stage —Marshall Lawrence
Tent Stage —Betty Jane Hegerat
Rock Circle picnic tables —Susan Calder
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Richard Stevenson
Teen Zone — Skype -Raina Telgemeier
Children’s Tent Main — ¡Vamos! Spanish-English Storytime with Aurora
2:45-3:00
Main Stage —Marshall Lawrence
Tent Stage —Betty Jane Hegerat
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Richard Stevenson
Teen Zone — Skype -Raina Telgemeier
Children’s Tent Main — ¡Vamos! Spanish-English Storytime with Aurora
3:00-3:15
Main Stage — John Wort Hannan
Tent Stage —Ali Riley
Rock Circle picnic tables — Leslie Carmichael
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Val Rainey -
Childrens Teen Zone — Skype - Maryrose Wood (3:05-3:20)
Children’s Tent Main — U of L singers
Patio Entrance— NIA Dance Demonstration
3:15-3:30
Main Stage —John Wort Hannan
Tent Stage —Ali Riley
Rock Circle picnic tables — Leslie Carmichael
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Brian Tyson
Teen Zone — Skype - Maryrose Wood
Children’s Tent Main — U of L singers
Patio Entrance — NIA Dance Demonstration
3:30-3:45
Main Stage —Jazz trio HB03 - After 230
Tent Stage —Michael Kusugak
Rock Circle picnic tables — Anne Sorbie Most
Vocal Poets Tent — Sean Lennon
Teen Zone — Skype - Don Calame (3:35-3:50)
Children’s Tent Main — Andrea Beck
Patio Entrance — Bhutanese dancers
3:45-4:00
Main Stage —Jazz trio HB03
Tent Stage —Michael Kusugak
Rock Circle picnic tables —Anne Sorbie
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Haiku Workshop - Richard Stevenson
Teen Zone — Skype - Don Calame
Children’s Tent Main — Andrea Beck
Patio Entrance — Bhutanese dancers
4:00-4:15
Main Stage —Smoke Stacks
Tent Stage —Brenna Lowrie
Rock Circle picnic tables — Panel - Breaking Into
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Haiku Workshop - Richard Stevenson
Teen Zone —Gail De Vos - Storytelling
Children’s Tent Main — Dave Poulsen
Patio Entrance — Global Drums
4:15-4:30
Main Stage —Smoke Stacks
Tent Stage —Brenna Lowrie
Rock Circle picnic tables —Panel - Writing
Most Vocal Poets Tent — Jay Gamble
Teen Zone — Gail De Vos - Storytelling
Children’s Tent Main —Dave Poulsen
Patio Entrance — Global Drums
4:30-4:45
Rock Circle picnic tables — Mike McCready
Most Vocal Poetry Tent — BJ Smith - Cowboy Poetry
Teen Zone — (TAG doing games in Kids Tent)
Children’s Tent Main — TAG board games
4:45-5:00
Rock Circle picnic tables — Mike McCready
Most Vocal Poetry Tent — BJ Smith - Cowboy Poetry Teen Zone
— (TAG doing games in Kids Tent)
Children’s Tent Main — TAG board games
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