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Bridges Literary Festival
May 9-12, 2024 | Various venues in New Westminster | Free admission
Welcome to the Bridges Literary Festival, New Westminster’s new festival of all things literary, bringing you stories of a river city. We are thrilled to launch the inaugural festival on the weekend of May 9th to 12th, presented by New Westminster Public Library in partnership with venues and organizations throughout the city.
There is a whole raft of free events for all ages to attend over the course of the weekend – author talks, poetry readings, kids’ storytimes, book launches, a local author book club, literary crafts, a critics circle, writing and creation workshops, and social events! All events are free, some are drop-in, but most require registration so we can plan for numbers.
Bridges Literary Festival is presented in collaboration with our partners: Arts New West, Groove Cat Books and Records, Kinder Books, Moodswing Coffee + Bar, New West Writers, Royal City Literary Arts Society, SFU Writer’s Studio, Steel & Oak Brewing Co., and Wildfires Bookshop.
Come. Read. Listen. Learn. Celebrate. Be inspired!
Bridges Literary Festival organizers recognize and respect that New Westminster is on the unceded and unsurrendered land of the Halkomelem-speaking peoples. We acknowledge that colonialism has made invisible their histories and connections to the land. As cultural programmers, we are learning and building relationships with the people whose lands we are on.
Schedule of Events
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Local Author Book Club
- Thursday, May 9
- 7:30-9:00 p.m.
- Groove Cat Books & Records (map)
- Read a book by a local author and meet to discuss.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
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Meet Frank (& Meet Mavis)
- Friday, May 10
- 10:30-11:30 a.m.
- New Westminster Public Library, Main Branch (map)
- Library Storytime gets a glow-up from picture book author Mavis Lui.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
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Microfiction Showcase
- Friday, May 10
- 4:30-6:00 p.m.
- New Westminster Public Library, Main Branch (map)
- Celebrate postcard-sized fiction created by community members.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
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Upcycling Book Crafts
- Saturday, May 11
- 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
- Moodswing Coffee + Bar (map)
- Drop in to make literary crafts and have your morning coffee.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
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Buried Treasure: Unearthing Family Stories that Make History
- Saturday, May 11
- 11:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
- New Westminster Public Library, Main Branch (map)
- Author Janis Bridger encourages middle-grade kids to learn about family history.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
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Author Feedback Session
- Saturday, May 11
- 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
- New Westminster Public Library, Main Branch (map)
- New West Writers group opens its critics circle to new authors.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
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Between Blade & Bullet
- Saturday, May 11
- 1:00-3:00 p.m.
- Groove Cat Books & Records (map)
- Author Margaret Franz provides a reading from her novel, which is based on local history.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
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On Getting Stuck & Unstuck
- Saturday, May 11
- 3:30-5:00 p.m.
- New Westminster Public Library, Main Branch (map)
- Authors from various genres share experiences related to the craft of writing.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
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Book Celebration
- Saturday, May 11
- 7:00-9:00 p.m.
- Wildfires Bookshop (map)
- Authors Shashi Bhat and Jen Currin launch their new books, hosted by Junie Désil.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
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When You Sing: A Special Celebration for Kids & Their Grown Ups
- Sunday, May 12
- 9:30-11:30 a.m.
- Kinder Books (map)
- Special Mother’s Day Storytime with author Karine Abergel, crafts, and family photos.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
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Poetic Justice
- Sunday, May 12
- 10:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.
- New Westminster Public Library, Main Branch (map)
- A celebration of all things poetry with local poets and an open mic.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
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Discovering Your Expert Appeal
- Sunday, May 12
- 12:00-2:00 p.m.
- The Gallery at Queen’s Park (map)
- Author JJ Lee helps you quantify your expertise to improve your writing.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
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Journal Comics & Zine Making
- Sunday, May 12
- 12:00-2:00 p.m.
- Wildfires Bookshop (map)
- Artist and graphic novelist PJ Patton leads this hands-on workshop.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
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Queer Asian Authors on Writing Chosen and Given Family
- Sunday, May 12
- 2:30-4:30 p.m.
- New Westminster Public Library, Main Branch (map)
- Author panel discusses writing about family from a queer Asian perspective.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
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Book Fan Book Slam
- Sunday, May 12
- 6:00-8:00 p.m.
- Steel & Oak Brewing Co. (map)
- Join fellow book fans to talk about favourite books and brews to wrap up the festival.
Click HERE for full event details & to register.
Partners
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