Monday 26 September 2011

Word on the street festival


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  Last Sunday, I went to the Word on the Street festival which is the largest book and magazine sale in Canada. If you’re looking for rare or out of print books or magazines then you’ll probably find it here at a really good price. Most books with the exception of current best sellers went for under $10 and often for much less. They were in many languages and from a variety of countries as befits a cosmopolitan city like Toronto.
Largest book sale in Canada

 The inaugural festival took place on Sunday, September 30, 1990 which coincided with International Literacy Year and the crowds as well as the variety of vendors have increased every year since the beginning. According to the Toronto Star:
A varied assortment of word-loving groups attended the festival, including the Poets League, the Horror Writers Association (complete with a grave stone RIP-patterned tablecloth), and ChiZine Publications, a publisher of surreal and disturbing fiction. “If we can frighten dogs and children we’re doing our job,” said co-publisher Sandra Kasturi.

Great prices and hard to find books

Rare poetry books

Looking south on Avenue road with book vendor tents

More tents in the park

A stall for every taste

Author readings

Rare magazine stall


Nail your favorite columnist

Any language that you can imagine



Post revolution Cuban books and magazine stall

1 comment:

  1. I am sitting here, green with envy. What an amazing festival!!!

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