WINTER POETRY FAIR

Saturday November 15th 12:30-5:30pm
at OPEN SPACE: 510 Fort St, 2nd Floor (with accessible lift)

WELCOME TO VICTORIA'S INAUGURAL WINTER POETRY FAIR!

12:30-3:00 Poetry Book Gift Market with Afternoon Readings
Join us for a relaxing afternoon in the poetry & art gift market, including work from some of the city's most accomplished poets. You might even accomplish a little holiday gift-buying!

Whether you're a regular at poetry events or brand new to the idea of poetry being performed, the afternoon readings will inspire and linger.
1PM: First Reading
2PM: Second Reading

Poets include some of our city's award-winners as well as past poets laureate: Steve Noyes, Tharani Balachandran, Yvonne Blomer, Lorne Daniels Marie Metaphor, Eva Hass, Julie Paul, Laurence Hutchman, Cynthia Woodman-Kerkham and more!

Refreshments will be provided by The Writer's Union of Canada!

With hearty thanks to Open Space Arts Society, Planet Earth Poetry, The Writer's Union of Canada, and The City of Victoria (through the poet laureate initiative).

12:30pm-2:30pm The Poetry Doctors
A FREE EDITING SERVICE for poets in the community of Victoria

First Session: Tracy Wai de Boer & Kyeren Regehr

Please book your session with either Tracy or Kyeren in advance.

MORE INFORMATION HERE

3:30pm-5:00pm
Jan Zwicky, Garth Martens & Tim Lilburn

Garth Martens and Jan Zwicky join forces to read Jan’s new long poem, Say It, which arises from the depths of environmental crisis. Tim Lilburn will introduce this unique publishing venture and lead a discussion with Garth and Jan following the reading.
These are three of our country's most accomplished poets, and a rare events!

MORE INFORMATION HERE

THE 2025 POETRY FAIR POETS
1pm & 2pm readings

ZOE DICKINSON (Host) Zoe Dickinson has published two award-winning chapbooks: Public Transit (Leaf Press, 2015) and intertidal: poems from the littoral zone (Raven Chapbooks, 2022). Her work has also appeared in anthologies including Worth More Standing: Poets and Activists Pay Homage to Trees (2022), and literary journals such as Existere, Prairie Fire, and Contemporary Verse 2. Her first full-length poetry collection is forthcoming from Guernica Editions in 2026, and she has work forthcoming in the 2024 Montreal Prize Anthology.

LORNE DANIEL Lorne Daniel is a Canadian of Scottish and American ancestry. His poetry and non-fiction have been widely published in Canada, the U.S. and U.K. A new collection of poetry is forthcoming in September 2025. In recent years, Lorne has renewed his interest and skills through writing programs at Pacific University (Oregon), University of New Orleans, Simon Fraser University and Bemidji State University (Minnesota). Lorne is online at lornedaniel.ca and on various social media.

MARIE METAPHOR Marie Metaphor Specht is a poet, multidisciplinary artist and educator living on the unceded territories of the Lək̓ʷəŋən- speaking peoples. In addition to her independent practice, she has collaborated with filmmakers, lighting engineers, dancers, and musicians to create immersive and interactive works. Marie is the 6th Poet Laureate Emerita of Victoria, British Columbia (2023-2025).

BARBARA PELMAN Barbara Pelman is a retired high school English teacher, and poet. She conducts poetry workshops in her home—when possible, and is a frequent participant and assistant at Planet Earth Poetry’s Friday night venue. She has three published books of poetry: One Stone (Ekstasis Editions 2005), Borrowed Rooms (Ronsdale Press, 2008), and Narrow Bridge (Ronsdale Press 2017), and four chapbooks. In 2018 her glosa, “Nevertheless” won the Malahat Open Season Poetry Contest.

WINTER POETRY FAIR

Saturday November 15th 12:30-5:30pm at OPEN SPACE: 510 Fort St, 2nd Floor (with accessible lift)

THE 2025 POETRY FAIR POETS 1pm & 2pm readings

Saturday November 15th 12:30-5:30pm
at OPEN SPACE: 510 Fort St, 2nd Floor (with accessible lift)

THE 2025 POETRY FAIR POETS
1pm & 2pm readings