Friday, May 29

Community Hall

12-1pm • Speakeasy at the Community Gathering - FREE

Facilitator Leslie McBain has curated a special edition of Pender’s Speakeasy, bringing together a sampling of 8 talented Pender writers for an hour wherein each person will share an original piece of work, 5 minutes (or less) in length. It can be poetry, essay, part of a larger work, memoir, short story or comedic monologue…Come prepared to be surprised and inspired!

The Community Gathering takes place every Friday from 12–1pm, offering a warm and welcoming space with live music, homemade soup, and good company. Coffee and tea are available by donation through the community café.

Saturday, May 30

Community Hall

DayTIME EVENTS- FREE

10am Onward• Verse & Vision Exhibit
Downstairs

Local writers and visual artists have come together in collaboration for Tapestry’s Verse & Vision project, pairing the written word with original 2D and 3D artworks.

Join us at Tapestry this Saturday and Sunday to celebrate the results of this creative partnership, with a selection of participating teams sharing readings at Sunday’s Artist & Author Reading Showcase.

10am-1pm • Of Words & Wonder
Outside at the Market

Nia Williams creates intuitive poems that capture a memory, a feeling, or an experience…something that can be carried long after the encounter. They are little love letters. This practice is as much about listening as it is about writing…a pause, a noticing, an opening to what stirs beneath the surface. Each poem is typed with care, a simple thread that touches something true, real, and unforgettable. Find a quiet moment, pull up a chair and listen to Nia’s Words & Wonder.

12-1pm • Speakeasy at the Market
Outside at the Market

After a first showcase at Friday’s Community Gathering, Leslie’s group of 8 talented writers returns on Saturday at the market for another round of stories, offering a second chance to listen in or experience something new.

EVENING FEATURE EVENT with susin nielsen & Pender REads - TICKETED

6:30pm • Susin Nielsen • Feature Author

We’ll open the evening with a special presentation from Susin Nielsen, who will share insights from her writing journey across both books and film. Her talk will be followed by a reading from her debut adult novel, “Snap”, along with a Q&A hosted by our wonderful emcee, Chris Wakuluk.

8pm • Pender Reads Literary Contest

Four books, four champions, one winner: Pender Islands’ Battle of the Books

You’ve likely heard of Canada Reads, CBC’s annual “Battle of the Books.” For the first time ever, we’re thrilled to bring that same spirited format to Pender with our very own Pender Reads.

Following an intermission, our dynamic panel, Susin Nielsen, Becky Johnson, Matt Adolf, and Bryce Woollcombe, will each champion a book they believe every Pender Islander should read, making their case in a lively, head-to-head debate.

After each round, the panellists decide which title moves forward, until one standout book is crowned the winner. There will also be an additional Audience Choice Award so come prepared to participate and have fun.

For those of you who want to prep beforehand and keep up with the debate, here are the books our panellists chose:

• Susin Nielsen - “Nothing but the Truth” by Marie Henein  https://www.penguinrandomhouse.ca/books/567280/nothing-but-the-truth-by-marie-henein/9780771039348

• Becky Johnson - “Fifteen Dogs” by Andre Alixis  https://chbooks.com/Books/F/Fifteen-Dogs

• Matt Adolf - “Even the Good Girls Will Cry: My 90s Rock Memoir” By Melissa Auf der Maur https://www.dacapopress.com/titles/melissa-auf-der-maur/even-the-good-girls-will-cry/9780306833755/

• Bryce Woollcombe - “This is How You Lose the Time War” by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/This-Is-How-You-Lose-the-Time-War-(Deluxe-Edition)/Amal-El-Mohtar/9781668204160

6pm - 9:30pm • Talisman Book Sale

Talisman Books will be set up at the Hall with a selection of novels by Susin Nielsen, including “Snap”, along with the four books our Pender Reads panellists have chosen to champion. Stop by to browse, discover something new, and take home your next favourite Canadian book.

For Tickets to our Saturday Night Feature Presentation - Susin Nielsen & Pender Reads:
$25 Advance Price
$30 at the door
$10 for youth ages 12-18
Under 12 FREE
Buy tickets HERE

Sunday, May 31

Community Hall

10am-3:30pm • Verse & Vision Exhibit - FREE
Downstairs

Tapestry’s Verse & Vision Exhibit will continue to run until 3:30pm this afternoon. If you missed it on Saturday, or need more time to experience and ruminate on what our local writers and visual artists have created, this will be your last chance so don’t miss out.

10:30am-12pm • Verse & Vision Showcase • Artist & Author Reading - FREE
Downstairs

Some of our author and artist pairs from Verse & Vision have chosen to share their work, bringing their pieces to life through live readings and a series of presentations.

10am - 12pm • Coffee Meet & Greet with Local Authors - FREE

This is a free event to encourage writers and readers to exchange ideas, books and mingle. Come enjoy a coffee and talk books!

12:30-2:30pm • Flash Fiction Workshop - TICKETED

A piece of flash fiction is a complete short story told in under 1,500 words. Typically, one might run anywhere from 750 to 1,000 words but in this two-hour long workshop, nobody’s counting. The idea is just to get writing, learn more about crafting a good story, and have fun in an encouraging environment.

Facilitated by Barbara Stowe, this workshop will offer more ways in to crafting (very) short stories, including fun exercises to prime the pump. Participants will pen several short stories and at the end, those who wish to share a piece they’ve just written may read aloud to the group. This is a safe space to come with pen and paper or laptop and enjoy learning more about the craft of creative writing in a structured, supportive environment.

Beginners and experienced writers welcome!

For Tickets to Sunday’s Flash Fiction Workshop:
$20 Price
$10 for youth ages 12-18
Under 12 FREE, must be accompanied by an adult
Register HERE

Monday, June 1

Pender Elementary School

11:55 - 12:45pm • Susin Nielsen YA Reading
Pender Elementary Book Club

Susin Nielsen will be reading an excerpt from her YA novel “Tremendous Things”! This event is for students at the Pender Elementary Book Club and is not open to the public.

Susin Nielsen is a multiple award-winning novelist and screenwriter who recently wrapped the fourth season of her critically acclaimed hour-long comedy-drama series, Family Law. She’s written over a hundred hours of television and is also the author of seven best-selling young adult novels. Her books have won the Governor General’s Literary Award, the UKLA award and over a dozen young readers’ choice awards. In 2019, she was awarded the Writers’ Trust Vicki Metcalf Award for a body of work. Her books have been translated around the world.

SNAP is Nielsen’s debut adult novel and we are proud to announce that it has just been nominated for the 2026 Stephen Leacock Medal for Humour award!

Please visit Susin’s website to learn more about her work and process.

Chris Wakaluk • Emcee

Chris loves of a good contemporary fiction novel or biography, and enjoys folding the corners of the pages... he believes the books love it too.

You can find his work interviewing many of the wonderful people from Pender on YouTube: @thestoriesthatbroughtyouhere