MOOSE JAW — The Saskatchewan Festival of Words brought Moose Jaw’s literary community to life once again this July, offering four days of readings, panels, performances and connection — all centred around the power of language and the written word.
From the quiet corners of the Moose Jaw Public Library to the main stage of the Mae Wilson Theatre, readers and writers alike gathered for a wide range of events that celebrated poetry, prose, and performance.
The festival opened with a powerful morning workshop led by Richard Van Camp, who shared what he called “30 years of lessons from the front lines of full-time writing.” Held at the Moose Jaw Centre for Arts and Culture, his session set the tone for a weekend rooted in connection, creativity, and craft.
That same morning, young festivalgoers assembled for an outdoor reading session in Crescent Park, just outside the library — one moment when words and nature briefly shared the same stage.
Throughout Friday and Saturday, dozens of authors took part in reading sessions across the Moose Jaw Public Library, offering everything from poetry and memoir to humour, horror, and historical fiction.
Among the standout events was Saturday morning’s Saskatchewan Book Awards reading, featuring Guy Vanderhaeghe, Sylvia Legris, and Dr. Jarol Boan. From the literary shifts in Canada to prairie birds and cross-cultural medicine, the session captured the festival’s spirit — thoughtful, far-reaching, and deeply rooted in place.
Festival highlights also included Friday’s “Famous Last Words” poetry showcase, Saturday’s 50th anniversary celebration for Thistledown Press, and Clerel Live — an energetic closing concert hosted at the Mae Wilson Theatre.
For many, the joy of the festival came not only from the main events, but from the smaller moments: a conversation shared between audience members after a reading, a quiet book signing, or the laughter ringing out from a literary trivia night held at Bobby’s Place.
Organized by the Festival of Words team and supported by volunteers, sponsors, and partner venues across the city, the 2025 edition once again reminded Moose Jaw why this annual gathering has become a treasured summer tradition.
The festival concluded with breakfast and panel discussions at the Cosmo Senior Citizens Centre — a quiet, thoughtful close to a long weekend devoted to the written word.
For more details on this year’s festival, visit FestivalOfWords.com.
