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2025 NorthWords NWT Writers Festival: 20th Anniversary

Creating literary magic since 2006

In our 20th year, the Festival will feature a diverse lineup of readings, panel discussions, writing workshops and more. 

Event Schedule

May 27

Book Launch: Book of Hope Healthcare and Survival in the North

Hosted By:
Hotıì ts'eeda
Time:
6:30pm - 9:00pm
Location:
Yellowknife Books
Cost: FREE
Book of Hope Launch

From Fernwood Publishing's website

Firsthand narratives from Northern and Indigenous cancer survivors and caregivers offer compassionate advice and insightful analysis about healthcare in rural northern communities.…

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Author(s)
Agnes R. Pascal
May 29

Gather: A Spoken Word Open Mic (All Ages!)

Hosted By:
Time:
6:30pm - 8:30pm
Location:
Yellowknife Books
Cost: FREE
Gather open mic

This is a wonderful opportunity for writers, poets, and storytellers to share their work with a captivated audience. Whether you're a seasoned spoken word artist or taking your first steps into literary events, our stage is open to all. Audience members will be surprised by readings…

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May 30

Writers Retreat

Hosted By:
Robyn Scott
Time:
9:00am - 4:30pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Rooms
Cost: $69.97
Someone writing

Register on Eventbrite

50$ for NorthWords Members, Students, Low-Income

70$ General Admission

Dive deep into a Writer’s world at the first…

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May 30

Literary Lunch Break

Hosted By:
Myranda Bolstad
Time:
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Location:
Yellowknife Books
Cost: FREE
Literary Lunch

Experience the power of storytelling at the NorthWords NWT Literary Lunch Break! Local and visiting authors will read excerpts from their published works, whisking you away from Yellowknife for a lunch time retreat. This intimate gathering is a perfect chance to connect with the voices and…

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May 30

Individual Creative Writing Mentorship Sessions

Hosted By:
Time:
5:30pm - 2:30pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Rooms E & D
Cost: $30.00
Mentorship session

2025 NorthWords NWT Writers Festival Mentorship Schedule

Register on Eventbrite

Location: The Explorer Hotel…

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May 30

FREE Writing Workshop: The Bones of Fiction with Esi Edugyan

Hosted By:
BACupNorth
Time:
5:30pm - 7:00pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Room D
Cost: FREE
BACupnorth logo

This workshop explores the craft of fiction. It is geared towards writers in all stages of their projects and their careers. The focus will be a mixture of workshopping original material and lectures covering various aspects of technique.

Esi Edugyan is the award-winning author of 3 novels…

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Author(s)
Esi Edugyan
May 30

Blush: An Evening of Erotica & Sensual Spoken Word

Hosted By:
Robyn Scott
Time:
7:00pm - 11:00pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Rooms
Cost: $25.00
BLUSH Open Mic

$25 Tickets on Eventbrite

This popular NorthWords NWT event is a saucy and titillating open mic event showcasing our guest authors Jody Chan,…

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May 31

Pancake and Pajama Party!

Hosted By:
NWT Literacy Council
Time:
9:00am - 10:30am
Location:
Northern United Place
Cost: $5.00
Lucy Tries Hockey

5$ per person; Tickets on Eventbrite

Presented in partnership with the NWT Literacy Council

Come cozy up for a fun-filled morning of pancakes and stories! Wear…

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May 31

The Story Behind the Story: Writing at the Intersection of Fact and Art

Hosted By:
Cassandra Blondin Burt
Time:
10:30am - 12:00pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Rooms
Cost: FREE
Panel Discussion at NorthWords Writers Festival

In an age of shifting narratives and evolving media landscapes, the boundary between journalism and creative writing has never been more porous—or more powerful. This panel brings together journalists and authors who blur the lines between reportage and storytelling. How do narrative…

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May 31

Workshop: From Page to Screen with Richard Van Camp

Hosted By:
Western Arctic Moving Pictures
Time:
10:30am - 12:00pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Room D
Cost: $20.00
Richard Van Camp headshot

Presented in partnership with Western Arctic Moving Pictures, From Page to Screen will focus on adapting pieces of creative writing (short stories, novels, graphic novels, etc.) into screenplays. As part of the workshop, a screening of the 2024 short film Inkwo For When the Starving…

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May 31

Book Club: Washington Black by Esi Edugyan

Hosted By:
Robyn Scott
Time:
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Location:
Yellowknife Books
Cost: FREE
Gather open mic

Meet Esi Edugyan, Giller Prize-winning novelist and author of Washington Black (2018)

Author(s)
Esi Edugyan
May 31

Stories That Carry Us: Indigenous Memoirs and Memory

Hosted By:
Richard Van Camp
Time:
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Room B & C
Cost: FREE
Panel Discussion at NorthWords Writers Festival

Memoir is more than a personal record—it’s a vessel of memory, resilience, and cultural continuity. In this powerful conversation, Indigenous leaders, writers, and knowledge keepers—Stephen Kakfwi, Katłı̨̀ą Lafferty, and Niigaan Sinclair—gather to explore the role of memoir in preserving history…

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May 31

Book Club: Through the Woods by E.M. Carrolll

Hosted By:
Yellowknife Public Library
Time:
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Location:
Yellowknife Public Library Meeting Room
Cost: FREE
E.M. Carroll self-portrait

Meet E.M. Carroll, graphic novelist and author of Through the Woods (2014) for a discussion and Q&A with other readers in the community. 

May 31

Workshop: What Is Poetry For? with Jody Chan

Hosted By:
Time:
1:00pm - 3:00pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Room D
Cost: $20.00
Jody Chan headshot

Register on Eventbrite

20$ General Public

15$ NorthWords Members

10$ Full-Time Students & Low-Income

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Author(s)
Jody Chan
May 31

Shadows in Ink: Exploring Dark Themes in Graphic Novels

Hosted By:
Jay Bulkaert
Time:
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Room B & C
Cost: FREE
panel discussion

From trauma to transformation, graphic novels have become a powerful medium for confronting the darker corners of the human experience. In this bold and visually compelling panel, artists and authors E.M. Carroll, Alison McCreesh, Royce, and Richard Van Camp delve into the creative and emotional…

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May 31

Workshop: How to Make the Truth Interesting with Niigaan Sinclair

Hosted By:
Time:
3:00pm - 4:30pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Room D
Cost: $20.00
Niigaan Sinclair

Register on Eventbrite

20$ General Public

15$ NorthWords NWT Members

10$ Full-Time Students & Low-Income

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Author(s)
Niigaan Sinclair
May 31

NorthWords NWT Authors Showcase & 20th Anniversary Celebration

Hosted By:
Jared Monkman
Time:
7:30pm - 10:00pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Room B, C & D
Cost: $20.00
NorthWords NWT Author Showcase

Join us for an evening of imagination and inspiration as we celebrate 20 years of literary magic with NorthWords NWT Writers Festival. This showcase features a series of stage readings by local and visiting authors, each sharing captivating excerpts from their latest works. Engage with the…

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June 1

Panel Discussion: Rooted in Verse: Poetry and the Natural World

Hosted By:
Amber O'Reilly
Time:
10:00am - 11:30am
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Room B & C
Cost: FREE
panel discussion

Nature has long been both muse and mirror for poets, offering language for beauty, belonging, grief, and change. In this evocative panel, poets Jody Chan, Miranda Currie, Carly Straker, and Cassandra Blondin Burt gather to share work that speaks to land, water, animal life, and our place within…

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June 1

Panel Discussion: Kunuuksayuukka: The Spirit of Winter Storms by Rose Marie Kirby

Hosted By:
Inuvialuit Communications Society
Time:
11:30am - 1:00pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Room B & C
Cost: FREE
Kunuuksayuukka: The Spirit of Winter Storms Launch in Inuvik

Kunuuksayuukka: The Spirit of Winter Storms
An Intergenerational Book Talk, Reading & Video Showcase

Join us at the 2025 NorthWords NWT Writers Festival for an evening that honours legacy, language, and the enduring strength of…

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June 1

Northern Quill Publishing Meet & Greet

Hosted By:
Northern Quill Publishing
Time:
12:00pm - 1:00pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Room D
Cost: FREE
Northern Quill Publishing

Northern Quill Publishing is a female-owned and operated company born from a shared love of seeing the North reflected in literature. Our journey began with a simple phone call, and now, here we are, starting this business as a social…

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June 1

Panel Discussion: Unearthing the Past: The Art of Historical Research

Hosted By:
Katłı̨̀ą Lafferty
Time:
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Room B & C
Cost: FREE
panel discussion

Behind every powerful story of the past lies deep research, careful listening, and a search for truth that often challenges dominant narratives. In this illuminating panel, Esi Edugyan, Lee Selleck, Michelle Swallow, and Patrick Scott/Paul Andrew come together to discuss the tools, ethics,…

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June 1

Workshop: The Dream Language of Horror Comics with E.M. Carroll

Hosted By:
E.M. Carroll
Time:
1:00pm - 2:30pm
Location:
Explorer Hotel
Cost: $20.00
E.M. Carroll self-portrait

20$ General Public

15$ NorthWords Members

10$ Full-Time Students & Low-Income

Dreams have influenced major horror ideas and imagery in Carroll’s comics, and how they translate them down to a sequential format. Participants will use a four panel square grid to distill their…

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Author(s)
E.M. Carroll
June 1

Closing Words: Telling Uncomfortable Truths: Storytelling as a Mirror to Society

Hosted By:
Jessica Davey-Quantick
Time:
2:00pm - 4:00pm
Location:
The Explorer Hotel Katimavik Room B, C & D
Cost: FREE
panel discussion

This panel delves into how authors confront challenging societal issues through their narratives. Discussions may include confronting historical injustices, exploring personal and collective traumas, and challenging societal norms. The panelists can share how their works serve as a medium to…

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