2026 Alberta Literary Awards – Now Open for Submissions!
The Writers’ Guild of Alberta (WGA) is preparing to celebrate another successful year with the 2026 Alberta Literary Awards. Writers from across Alberta and their publishers are invited to check out and submit to this year’s award categories. The deadline for submissions to the Alberta Literary Awards is December 1, 2025. *Update: During the Canadian Union of Postal Workers strike please make other arrangements to send in your books by courier or drop them off in-person at the WGA offices. Our fall office hours are 10:00 AM –
WGA Office Closure – September 1, 2025
The WGA Offices will be closed for Labour Day weekend. We will return to the office on September 2nd, 2025 with our regular schedule. Please note that office visits are currently by appointment only. In the meantime, you can email our office and we will do our best to reply in a timely fashion when we return. Have a great weekend, and see you in September!
Pub Night & Open Mic Fall Kickoff (Edmonton)
Wednesday, September 177:00 PM – 9:00 PM MTRooster Bar and Kitchen10732 82 Ave NWFREE Have you been working on your future masterpiece all summer? Are you ready for your audience of one to grow? Then join us at our monthly pub night and open mic, and as a special treat learn about the many literary festivals and communities that are hoping to see YOU at their events this fall! Members from the Edmonton literary community such as LitFest, Stroll of
Horizons Writers Circle: Back to Back Writing Workshops (Edmonton)
Wednesday, September 24, 20255:00 PM – 6:00 PM (Workshop 1)6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Workshop 2)Ortona Armoury9722 102 St NWEdmonton Join the Horizons Writers Circle in Edmonton this fall for one (or both!) of our back to back workshops with writer and community member Ryan Lacanilao! There are more workshops to come this fall, so if you can’t make it be sure to check back again in the future. Workshop 1: The Lost Art of Letter Writing Let’s write letters!
Poetry Parlour and Open Mic (Calgary)
Tuesday, September 16th, 20257:00 PM – 9:15 PM MTPachamama Soul Flavour Emporium #2110, 380 Canyon Meadows Drive SECalgary FREE We’re back and we’ve missed you! Join host Ashley Frerichs to launch of the fall season of Poetry Parlour, our monthly open mic & reading series. Open mic sign-up starts at 7pm. There are limited slots available and will be filled on a first come, first served basis. In September, we are excited to welcome wonderful poet Sholley Powell. About the Featured Reader Born and raised in Winnipeg and
Connections Brewing: A Monthly Pub Night (Calgary)
Tuesday, September 9th, 20256:00 PM – 9:00 PM MTLast Best Brewing & Distilling607 – 11th Ave SWDownstairs in the beer roomCalgaryFREE Come ready to mingle and network with the Calgary literary community! Program TBA. No registration is required. This event is open to members of WGA and/or AWCS. Street parking is free after 6pm, and it is a 7 minute walk from 4th street c-train station.
Under 30 Write Nights (Edmonton and Calgary): September 5, 2025
Friday, September 5th, 2025 7:00 PM MT Edmonton: Block 191210361 Whyte Avenue NW Calgary: Element Café 331 17 Ave NW FREE! Do you work better together than alone? Are you looking for a casual drop-in to sit and (maybe) get some writing in? Are you under 30 and looking to meet peers and writing friends? Then please join us for a fun self-guided writing session, where you can work amongst like minded peers, and inspire each other to start writing (or continue to write)! Grab
2026 ALBERTA LITERARY AWARDS: CALL FOR JURORS
Deadline: September 19, 2025 The Writers’ Guild of Alberta is calling all readers and writers to join our awards juries this season. This is an opportunity to be “in the room” when the 2026 finalists and winners are chosen. The awards season is an important time on the literary calendar. In 2026, the WGA will present awards in ten categories, plus the city book prizes. We could not do this without the hard work and deliberation of our jurors. We
Queer Writers’ Collective Meeting (Edmonton)
Wednesday, August 20th, 20255:00pm – 7:00pm MTRooster Bar and Kitchen 10732 Whyte AveEdmontonFree to attend Queer Writers’ Collective gives a space for Edmonton’s queer writers to gather and build support networks. Meeting on the third Wednesday of the month at Rooster Kitchen & Bar in Edmonton, we are open to all writers looking to connect with and uplift queer voices. Our meetings go from 5 PM to 7 PM and include writing discussion, activism, and support through the publishing journey.
Meet Me in the Middle (Lacombe)
Sunday, September 28th, 202512:00 PM to 3:00 PMBlindman Brewing3413 53rd Avenue, Lacombe, ABFREE Please join us for a special event roughly midway between Calgary and Edmonton! We really want to see more connections between Alberta writers outside of the two city centers and what better way to do it than to meet in the middle?! There will be complimentary snacks, an open mic, and an opportunity to socialize with fellow writers from around the province! Hosted by Wendy McGrath. About
Controversy @ Noon 2025 — Banned Books: What Next? — August 26, 2025
Tuesday, August 26, 202512pm – 1pm MTOnlineFree (Registration Required) Book banning across the country continues to concern the Canadian literary community, especially in Alberta where certain books are slated to be pulled from school shelves this Fall. What do these types of bans mean for writers and for readers, now and in the coming months? Years? What calls to action might help prevent the banning of books in the future? Join our panelists and experts as they explore the ramifications
Stroll of Poets Festival 2025
STROLL OF POETS FESTIVAL 2025 SEPTEMBER 5 – 7, CALGARY About the Festival | Our Curators | Open Mic Sign-Up | Volunteer | The Schedule | Special Sneak Peek Gatherine of Words | Drag Brunch Kick-Off | FREE Poetry Workshop with Sheri-D Wilson | After Party: A Hip Hop, Poetry and Musical Extravaganza About the Stroll of Poets Festival Stroll of Poets is a non-profit organization that was first based in Edmonton after being founded in 1991. Shortly afterwards, a Calgary
Gathering of Words: Graphic Novel & Comic Books (Calgary)
Friday, August 8, 20254:30 PM to 6:00 PMCentral Library800 3rd Street SEUnder the Arch (outside the front doors)FREE, register here. Please join us for this WGA collaboration with the Calgary Public Library on their series, Gathering of Words! This special event will highlight graphic novels and comic books, featuring readings and a Q&A with local authors R. Overwater, Kat Simmers, and Teresa Wong! Hosted by Ashley Frerichs. More details on registration will be available soon on the Calgary Public Library website here. About the