Canada’s biggest literary festival, the 2019 Word on the Street literary festival is now open!

 Celebrating 30 years as Canada’s largest festival of books and magazines

Canada’s Biggest Books and Magazine Festival. It is perhaps the most unique literary event in the world, The Word on the Street (WOTS) is an annual book and magazine festival held every September and was first held in 1990. For more than a decade, the festival was held on a section of Queen Street West in downtown Ontario, then it was moved in Queen’s Park in 2004 until 2015. For the past three years, the Harbourfront Centre hosted the WOTS Toronto Book and Magazine Festival.

Six Regional Events in A Single Day.
What makes the word on the Street book festival different from most book fairs is that it is a single day event held in 6 different regions all across Canada. Aside from Toronto, WOTS is celebrated in the following cities:
Halifax (Cunard Event Centre0
Kitchener (Victoria Park)
Vancouver (Library Square)
Lethbridge (Lethbridge Pubic Library)
Saskatoon (Frances Morrison Library)
Calgary

REACH READERS
Canada’s largest book and magazine event provides you with the opportunity to:
• Connect with over 200,000 avid readers
• Join more than 250 exhibitors
• Showcase your recently published books and magazines in Canada’s largest open-air book market!
• Reach readers young and old in a family-friendly atmosphere: 85% of surveyed attendees describe themselves as avid readers, and 42% are families with children under 18.

MAKE A SPLASH
The Word On The Street is:
• An award-winning festival recognized by Festivals & Events Ontario and BizBash Magazine as one of
Ontario’s Top 100 Festivals
• Promoted through a $550,000 print, broadcast, and digital advertising/marketing campaign
• Pleased to welcome back a significant number of return exhibitors each year. We hope you’ll join them
in 2019!

ReadersMagnet Eyes Toronto Book Fair.
This year, ReadersMagnet will add another event calendar of book fair events. By joining the 2019 Word on the Street Toronto Book and Magazine Festival, ReadersMagnet expects to showcase its authors and their works to both readers and publishers across Canada. With over 200,000 expected visitors including 200+ authors, publishers, exhibitors, literary agents, book retailers, and speakers, and performers.

The annual WOTS is the biggest book event in Canada not only because it is held in different regions but also because of the following affiliate organizations:

Book and Periodical Council
Canadian Give The Gift of Literacy Foundation
Canadian Authors Association
Canadian Book Information Centre
Canadian Book Publishers Council
Canadian Booksellers Associations
Canadian Children’s Book Centre
Freelance Editors Association of Canada
Canadian Library Association
Canadian Magazine Publishing Association
League of Canadian Poets
Literary Presses Group
Ontario Literacy Coalition
Periodical Writer’s Association of Canada
Playwright’s Union of Canada
Writer’s Union of Canada

Word on the Street 2018 (image from https://www.blogto.com/events/word-street-2018-toronto/)

2019 Word on the Street
WHERE: WOTS Festival Marketplace
Harbourfront Centre
235 Queens Quay West
Toronto, ON M5J 2G8
WHEN: Sunday, September 22, 2019 | 10am – 5pm
Attendees: estimated 200,000 expected attendance of booklovers, readers and literary enthusiasts.
Exhibitors: 200+ vendors, publishers and booksellers.
Authors: 200+ authors from all over the world.
Entrance: Free Admission

Book Display
Price: $700.00
Book Fair Package Inclusions:
1 Print book display.*
Placement in ReadersMagnet brochure.
Pre-event Web Press Release.*
Post Event Report – photo of your displayed book, statistics of the press release.
*Book exhibit slots are limited. We will prioritize the schedule preference on a first come first serve basis following full payment.
*Pre-event press release will be fulfilled for full payments by 8/16. From 8/17 onwards, all press releases will be post-event.

Book Signing Event and Book Signing w/ Documentation
Price: Not available at this time

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Get There:
By Streetcar
The 509 and 510 Harbourfront streetcars run East-West from Union to Exhibition making a stop at the ferry docks. TTC Trip Planner
By Subway
Travel south on the Yonge-University line (Line 1) to Union Station. Take either the 509 or 510 Harbourfront streetcars Harbourfront Centre.
By GO Train
GO Train commuter service (External Site) from outside of Toronto operates conveniently to Union Station. The train station is connected to subway service.
By Bike
Ride the Martin Goodman Trail or take any street between Bathurst and Parliament traveling south to Queens Quay West and bike along the water for the most scenic route. Bike parking is available at the Cycle Toronto Bike Valet station, located at the North West corner of the Harbourfront Centre site.
Walking
Head south down York Street from Union Station. Take a right on Queens Quay West for about two minutes and Harbourfront Centre will be on your left at 235 Queens Quay West. Or The PATH provides a direct route south to Queens Quay West.
By Car
If you are heading EAST on Lake Shore Boulevard, turn right onto Lower Simcoe Street and head south.
If you are heading WEST, take Queens Quay West. and turn left at Lower Simcoe Street. Please note the new left turn signal light.

*Note that Eastbound traffic on Queens Quay West is not permitted to turn right into the Harbourfront site.
*Sources: https://thewordonthestreet.ca/toronto/festival/directions/

Weather: September weather in Toronto is relatively pleasant with the average temperature well within the 60s. The early days of the month might be a little bit warmer especially during the day. The average high temperature is 69 F while the average low is 48 F. Since snow typically start in November, expect a dry and warm weather with little possibility of rain.

Hours: Festival Marketplace hours will be from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. – Friday, September 22, 2019

Book Signing Attendees: Only one author is allowed per book signing. Authors may keep any copies of their book that remain after the signing, but these copies may not be sold at the fair.

Book Sales: The goal of the event is exposure and selling of books is highly discouraged during book signing event.

Payment: Full payment is highly encouraged but pay-in-installments will do based on package and month of purchase.

Deadline for Registration: All book fair and signing must be paid in full on or before August 16, 2019.

Book Submissions: Books need to be mailed to ReadersMagnet California office. Your Author Relations Officer will contact you for details.

Limited Slots: Book signing and display slots are limited. We will prioritize the displays and schedule preference on a first come first serve basis following full payment.