The Banff Centre’s feature readings filling Station Blow-Out! and more
Teen and young adult authors James McCann and kc dyer bring their Chocolate and Chat tour to Calgary this week. They’ll be speaking about their own novels answering questions about writing teen fiction and autographing copies of their own books. They bring the chocolate and you bring the chat. McCann and dyer will be at Pages Books on Kensington on Friday July 11 at 7 p.m.
The summertime version of Kirk Ramdath’s Passion Pitch open mic Poetry in the Park has its second event this week. Poets meet in the park to read their work in a casual sunny and fun environment. Come to share your work or to check out others’. The next gathering will be held Saturday July 12 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. in Riley Park.
The Banff Centre’s conversation series continues with Marni Jackson’s talk Atwood in the Attic (Poets in the Lane): Stories from the Early Squirrelly Days of CanLit. The winner of multiple National Magazine Awards Jackson will be offering her memories of the “basement beginnings” of CanLit in the 1960s focusing on the early days of Canada’s House of Anansi and its publication of Margaret Atwood and Michael Ondaatje. Jackson speaks at 8 p.m. on Monday July 14 at the Rolston Recital Hall in The Banff Centre. The event is free and is presented as part of the 2008 Banff Summer Arts Festival.
The following week The Banff Centre will feature readings by the eight writers who have been participating in its Literary Journalism program. The work ranges from Richard Poplak’s piece on Palestinian hip hop to Jeff Warren’s investigation of the “ocean minds” of dolphins and whales. The readings will take place at 8 p.m. on Monday July 21 also in the Rolston Recital Hall at The Banff Centre.
Lastly keep your calendars open for filling Station’s fourth annual Calgary Blow-Out! running from July 31 to August 2 with a special earlier “throw-down” flywheel a week early on the 31st. The festival will be held at the Calgary Opera House (1315 Seventh St. S.W.) and features a special set of Canadian sound poetry (with Jordon Scott Christian Bök and Ian Sampson ) a number of other excellent readings by current Calgarians ( Sheri-D Wilson Aritha Van Herk Chris Ewart and Andrew Wedderburn to name a few) and writers with connections to the city such as Jason Christie and Craig Boyko who both studied at the University of Calgary. The festival will also feature a small-press book fair. The full lineup and details will be available next week.
