From Malcolm Gladwell to Jane Urquhart, Vancouver Writers Fest gives sneak peek at 2024 lineup
More than 120 international and local writers will appear in over 85 events in fest running October 21 to 27

Jane Urquhart.

Malcolm Gladwell.
VANCOUVER WRITERS FEST has released a sneak peek at its 2024 programming. More than 120 local and international scribes will take part in over 85 events at the festival running October 21 to 27 across Granville Island and in Lower Mainland schools.
Featured authors include Jane Urquhart, Ann Cleeves, Tanya Talaga, Adam Pottle, Nita Prose, Andrey Kurkov, Gabor Maté, Dionne Brand, Elizabeth Renzetti, Rumaan Alam, Murray Sinclair, Liane Moriarty, Jody Wilson-Raybould, Thuận, Ian Williams, Malcolm Gladwell, Louise Erdrich, Rachel Kushner, Beverley McLachlin, Roddy Doyle, Richard Powers, Drew Hayden-Taylor, Daniel Levitin, and more.
It all kicks off with A Grand Opening: Finding Joy Amid Turmoil. The gathering features Andrey Kurkov; Heather O’Neill; Bill Richardson; Tanya Talaga; John Vaillant; and this year’s guest curator, Kim Thúy, who will share their thoughts on where they find happiness in difficult times.
There are numerous other events, such as The Mystery Queens featuring Ann Cleeves, Beverley McLachlin, and Nita Prose together on stage for the first time to discuss their bestselling works; Romancing the Page, in which Holly Gramazio, Yulin Kuang, and Leanne Toshiko Simpson delve into why the romcom genre has doubled in readership since 2020; Science and Fiction featuring James Bradley and Pulitzer-winner Richard Powers, who will discuss the intersections of literature and nature; The Knowing with Tanya Talaga, who shares a retelling of Canadian history through a personal, Indigenous lens; and Roddy Doyle in Conversation, wherein the Booker Prize–-winning author of The Women Behind the Door explores the concealed truths of domestic violence and its aftermath.
Food for Thought makes a comeback with a continental breakfast, signature mimosas, and topical conversations with six non-fiction authors; then there are The Poetry Bash, The Literary Cabaret, and The Afternoon Tea.
Kern Carter, Marty Chan, Alison McCreesh, Linh S. Nguyễn, Adam Pottle, Adam de Souza, and Kevin Sylvester are among the children’s authors and illustrators including taking part this year’s youth lineup.
Thúy, the author of Ru, Mãn, and Em makes several appearances, including one in Thuận in Conversation, a discussion with the Vietnam-born author about her new release, Elevator in Sài Gòn; and What I’ve Done For Writing, in which Heather O’Neill, Brandon Taylor, and Jenny Heijun Wills delve into what it means to write honestly.
The fest is also hosting four special events this fall: on September 18, there’s Liane Moriarty in Conversation with Eddy Boudel Tan for the Vancouver launch of her new novel, Here One Moment. On October 6, it’s Louise Erdrich in Conversation with Carleigh Baker about books that focus on modern-day Native American experiences. Intellectual Malcolm Gladwell in Conversation with CBC’s Ian Hanomansing on the topic of social epidemics and tipping points happens on October 14. And on November 19, Chor Leoni performs in a night of music with Daniel Levitin.
Full program details will be released on September 10, and tickets go on sale to the public on September 17. Keep an eye on the fest site here for details.
Gail Johnson is cofounder and associate editor of Stir. She is a Vancouver-based journalist who has earned local and national nominations and awards for her work. She is a certified Gladue Report writer via Indigenous Perspectives Society in partnership with Royal Roads University and is a member of a judging panel for top Vancouver restaurants.
Related Articles
With this gritty collection of street photographs, the Vancouver songwriter, poet, and playwright opens a new chapter in his hard-won life as an artist
At Progress Lab 1422, a pair of tracks feature multidisciplinary works by Howard Dai, Paige Louter, Cameron Peal, and more
Tickets on sale today for a Simran Sachar–Justine A. Chambers choreographic collab, comedian Kiran Deol, and Indian classical music star Alam Khan
Offerings at The Cultch span coming-of-age stories, puppetry, musical theatre, and more
In Have You Heard Judi Singh?, Vancouver director interweaves archival footage, re-created moments, and mesmerizing music in tribute to late Punjabi-Black artist
Montreal filmmaker Denis Côté started out making a portrait of a shy BDSM worker and ended up capturing a generation’s encounter with the endless recursions of social media
In NFB documentary, Lyana Patrick chronicles the environmental harm caused by the Kenney Dam
Another 30 concerts will take place at Performance Works, Ocean Artworks, and the Revue Stage from June 20 to July 1
Among the theatre offerings in store are Same Same Different, I Wish I Was a Mountain, and The Libravian
Tanzania’s Zawose Queens and Congo’s Les Mamans du Congo x Rrobin rub shoulders with Canadian names like Elisapie and Ocie Elliott at ʔəy̓alməxʷ Jericho Beach Park, July 18 to 20
Former director of SFU’s Vancity Office of Community Engagement will program around theme of Borderless Solidarities for July event
Offerings include Downtown Jazz concerts on June 21 and 22, Bentall Centre happy-hour shows from June 23 to 27, and a day-long July 1 celebration
Mareya Shot Keetha Goal: Make the Shot won a spot as best B.C. feature, plus much more as Surrey-based event hands out cash and development support
Vancouver Writers Fest fundraiser features tastings from strong B.C. contingent, as well as Scottish distillers
Free offerings include a hockey talk led by sports journalists and a conversation with author Chelene Knight
A celebratory soirée at the Book Warehouse on May 22 honours authors across eight categories
Subscription packs on sale today for Stanley Park stage series that runs June 27 to August 16
New Capture Photography Festival exhibition at the Gordon Smith Gallery of Canadian Art moves the form through beadwork, weaving, handstitching, and more
B.C. surf-rockers Empanadas Ilegales, powerhouse Australian vocalist Lloyd Spiegel, and more will perform at the Fraser River Heritage Park from July 25 to 27
Director Mahesh Pailoor and producer Asit Vyas tell the impactful true story of a young man diagnosed with terminal cancer
The anchor program of the Vancouver Cherry Blossom Festival features everything from sake tastings to taiko-drumming demonstrations
The founding executive director of the Writers' Union of Canada and the Writers Development Trust was also founding president of Music on Main
Spanning the side of a downtown building as part of this year’s Capture Photography Festival, the installation radiates Indigenous knowledge and Prairie warmth
Artists hitting the Performance Works stage include New Jazz Underground, Nubya Garcia, and more
Performances by Bakara Band, violinist Suzka Mares, and vocalist Andrea Superstein are in store at David Lam Park and beyond
At Indian Summer Festival fundraiser, the province’s strong contingent of gin crafters like Copperpenny Distilling Co. and Tofino Distillery meets international names
The standup artist also happens to follow Modern Orthodox Judaism and was once a New York City attorney
At The Cinematheque, Nanos Valaoritis’s memories of a long life in poetry are like a museum you never want to leave
Presented by VIDF with New Works and the Chutzpah! Festival, double bill premieres works by Alexis Fletcher and Fernando Hernando Magadan
Performances in store range from the breathtaking acrobatics of Kalabanté Productions to a life-sized puppet in Where Have All the Buffalo Gone?