
Pub Night & Open Mic (Edmonton)
With a frosty start to the new year, the Writers’ Guild of Alberta is hoping to see some brave faces as our Edmonton Pub Night returns on January 21st! We know that you’ve been writing, and we’d love to hear from you. Wednesday, January 21st, 20267:00 PM – 9:00 PM MT Rooster Bar & Kitchen 10732 82 Ave (Whyte Ave) EdmontonFREE As always, open mic sign ups are at the door to read. First-come-first-serve. We apologize in advance if we

Queer Writers’ Collective Meeting (Edmonton)
The Queer Writers’ Collective of Edmonton gives space for writers to gather and build support networks. Typically, the QWC meets on the third Wednesday of every month, right before the regular Writers’ Guild of Alberta Edmonton Pub Night. This month, writers will be focused on goal-setting for the year ahead! Wednesday, January 21st, 20265:30 PM – 7:00 PM MTRooster Kitchen & Bar 10732 Whyte AveEdmonton You can follow the Queer Writers’ Collective on social media here.

Accented Words Open Mic (Edmonton)
January 29, 20266PM – 8PM MTPaper Birch Books10825 95 StEdmonton The Horizons Writers Circle is excited to present an Open Mic for all writers in the area – with two special guest features! We will be returning in January to share sound, rhythm, histories and cultures and would love to see our community participate, listen, and support each other. Registering ahead helps us better plan for the Open Mic, but walk-ins will be welcome until we reach capacity! Register at

Poetry Parlour (Calgary)
Tuesday, January 20th, 20267:00 PM – 9:15 PM MTPachamama Soul Flavour Emporium2110, 380 Canyon Meadows Drive SECalgaryFREE Join host Ashley Frerichs for the last Poetry Parlour of 2025! Open mic sign-up starts at 7pm. There are limited slots available and will be filled on a first come, first served basis. In January, we’re featuring the amazing Skylar Kay! About the Featured Reader Skylar Kay is an Albertan poet and grad school dropout. Her debut collection, Transcribing Moonlight (Frontenac House 2022)

Connections Brewing (Calgary)
Calgary, remember to come kick off the new year with the literary community! Tuesday, January 13, 20266:00 PM – 9:00 PM MTLast Best Brewing & Distilling*607 – 11th Ave SWCalgaryIn the dining room (main floor)Free! No registration required(Open to members of WGA and/or AWCS) This month’s theme is The Un-Resolution Game. Attendees list three resolutions they absolutely will NOT make this year!(For example, I will NOT start another novel because I’m avoiding the messy middle of my WIP) We can’t

Vote Today for the WGA: Community Fundraising for Multi-lingual Writing – Ends November 22, 2025
The WGA needs your support! And best of all, it only takes a few seconds of your time. The WGA has been selected to compete for community votes to win funds for the Preservation of Culture: Multi-Lingual Writing Program through the Field Law: Community Funding Program. Voting Closes on November 22, 2025. Cast your vote here! Our IdeaWe are looking to raise funds to host a year-long writing program for Spanish writers, including one virtual craft talk with an established

Under 30 Write Night (Online) – November 27, 2025
The WGA is back with another Under 30 Write Night, headed by the WGA’s own Youth Committee. November 27th, 20257:00 PM – 9:00 PM MT Online (RSVP Required) Free! Register for the Zoom link here. Write Nights aim to bring writers into a collaborative space without the pressures of a workshop or finished task; just bring something to work on, and feel free to chat or share your progress. This time we will be meeting in the coziness of your

POETRY PARLOUR – NOVEMBER 18, 2025 (CALGARY)
Tuesday, November 18th, 20257:00 PM – 9:15 PM MTPachamama Soul Flavour Emporium2110, 380 Canyon Meadows Drive SE, CalgaryFREE Join host Ashley Frerichs for 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 November, we are excited to welcome the wonderful, funny, and sharp Tarini Fernando as our featured reader! About the Featured Reader Tarini Fernando is a

CANCELLED: WordsWorth Summer Camper’s Anthology Launch – November 23, 2025 (Calgary)
Due to unforeseen circumstances, this event has been cancelled. We will be notifying registered participants and plan to send all anthologies by mail. Please keep an eye out in the new year for more events.

SOLD OUT: Strawberry Creek Writing Retreat – APRIL 22 – 26, 2026
PLEASE NOTE: As of this time, the Strawberry Creek Writing Retreat is sold out! Please stay tuned for our next retreat, most likely taking place in the late summer or fall of 2026. The Writers’ Guild of Alberta is excited to confirm that we will be hosting a self-directed writing retreat next spring in Strawberry Creek! Details:Strawberry Creek Writing RetreatApril 22 – 26, 2026Strawberry Creek Lodge*Specific Location and Directions will be made available to Participants Registration for the Strawberry Creek

In Memoriam: Stephan V. Benediktson
Stephan V. Benediktson June 22, 1933 – October 14, 2025 We are sorry to learn that long-time supporter of the Writers’ Guild of Alberta, Stephan V. Benediktson, passed away October 14, 2025. Stephan was a dedicated supporter of the arts and Icelandic culture who sponsored the WGA’s Stephan G. Stephansson Award for Poetry, named for his grandfather. An enthusiastic presence at our Alberta Literary Awards Gala, Stephan was always eager to meet the award winner and shake their hand, making

THE OLIVE READING SERIES (EDMONTON)
The Olive Reading Series returns November 12th for another night of features, open mic readings, and time to chat and connect with local writers. Wednesday, November 12th, 20257:00 PM – 9:00 PM MTRooster Bar & Kitchen 10732 82nd Ave (Whyte Ave)FREE The November reading will feature author of ROUTINE MAINTENANCE (2025), Marco Melfi, and multidisciplinary artist, Sara Campos-Silvius. As always, an open mic will follow. Remember to grab a chapbook of the featured works as well. The Olive Reading Series

CONNECTIONS BREWING PUB NIGHT (CALGARY)
The Alexandra Writers’ Centre Society and the Writers’ Guild of Alberta are back for another Connections Pub Night! Tuesday, November 11, 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! 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.
2026 Strawberry Creek Retreat Registration
Register below for the 2026 Strawberry Creek Retreat. After your registration form is submitted successfully, you will be taken to the payment page where you can pay for your registration. You will also receive a notification email confirming your registration, which will contain additional details about the retreat. If you have any questions or encounter any difficulties registering or with the online payment process, please contact us at [email protected].

CONTROVERSY @ NOON: THE THINGS THEY NEVER TOLD ME ABOUT PUBLICATION
Wednesday, November 26, 202512:00 PM – 1:00 PM MTOnline (Registration Required) Free! Publication is often the goal for most writers: We want our hard work published and available to the greater literary community, to the world at large (and receiving compensation for doing the thing we love doesn’t hurt). But, like writing, publication — and life after publication — isn’t always what we think it will be or what we’ve prepared ourselves for. Our November Controversy @ Noon panel will

Pub Night & Open Mic (Edmonton)
Wednesday, November 19th, 20257:00 PM – 9:00 PM MTRooster Bar and Kitchen10732 82 Ave NWEdmonton FREE With temperatures dropping below zero, the WGA would love to see Edmonton writers cozy up with a warm drink at our November Pub Night and Open Mic! We welcome all genres of writers and have a strict time limit for each reader. Join us for our next pub night and open mic and sign up at the door to read. First-come-first-serve. This is a