Celebrate Canada Reads 2024 with a community event near you
CBC Books | Posted: February 2, 2024 6:02 PM | Last Updated: February 27
Events in libraries, bookstores and more are taking place across Canada
If you're looking for a way to participate in Canada Reads, we've got you covered. Below is a roundup of community events taking place through February and March to discuss, celebrate and listen to the Canada Reads 2024 debates. All times are local.
Canada Reads 2024 will be hosted by Ali Hassan and takes place from March 4-7, 2024.
The debates will air on CBC Radio One at 10 a.m. (12 p.m. AT/12:30 p.m. NT), on CBC at 1 p.m. (1:30 NT), live streamed online at CBC Books at 10 a.m. ET and will be available on the free CBC Gem streaming service.
Keep an eye on this page for details on more events to come, including a debate at the Wordstock Sudbury Literary Festival, a Canada Reads viewing party at Western University and an event at the Banff Public Library.
If there are any public events related to Canada Reads that you think we left out, let us know by emailing cbcbooks@cbc.ca.
British Columbia
Shortlist social at Ladner Pioneer Library
Join the Ladner Pioneer Library to learn about and discuss this year's Canada Reads shortlisted titles. Refreshments will be provided, but registration is required.
Location: Ladner Pioneer Library, 4683 51st Street, Delta. B.C.
Date: Friday, March 1 at 3:45 p.m.
More info: Find details and register here
Fable Bookclub Reads Denison Avenue at Fable Book Parlour
Join Revelstoke's Fable Book Parlour at their monthly book club reading to discuss Canada Reads selection Denison Avenue! Discussions will be led by a Fable employee.
Location: Fable Book Parlour, 102-311 First Street West, Revelstoke, B.C.
Date: Sunday, March 3 at 7 p.m.
Cross & Crows Books Canada Reads finale watch party
Join fellow book lovers at the Cross & Crows bookstore in Vancouver to watch a livestream of the Canada Reads finale! Light refreshments will be served.
Location: Cross & Crows Books, 2836 Commercial Drive, Vancouver
Date: Thursday, March 7 at 5:30 p.m.
Téa Mutonji & Kudakwashe Rutendo in conversation in Vancouver
Celebrate this year's contenders at Incite, where finalist Téa Mutonji, author of Shut Up You're Pretty, will sit down with her champion, actor and TIFF Rising Star Kudakwashe Rutendo.
This event took place at the Vancouver Public Library on Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2024.
WATCH | Check out a recording of the coversation below:
Alberta
Calgary Wordfest's battle for Alberta
Join Canada Reads contender Dallas Soonias and Bad Cree author Jessica Johns in a friendly debate with Denison Avenue's champion Naheed Nenshi and Calgary's Teresa Wong. This event will be hosted by Wordfest's Creative Ringleader Shelley Youngblut.
This event took place at Memorial Park Library on Sunday, Feb. 18.
More info: Find more information and buy tickets here
Ontario
Denison Avenue Charity Art Sale at The Beguiling
Denison Avenue's Daniel Innes is hosting a sale of all 80 original pages from the book in support of the Fort York Food Bank. Artwork will be for sale in store beginning March 1, and online on March 4.
All proceeds will go to the Fort York Food Bank, and four new postcard prints will be available for pay-what-you-can donation.
Original artwork prices will range between $300 to $800.
Location: The Beguiling Books and Art, 319 College St, Toronto and online at their website
Date: All of March
Whitevale Reads!
Gather with the Pickering book-loving community, choose one or more of the Canada Reads picks and join their discussion and vote! To register, email whitevaleacc@gmail.com
Location: Whitevale Arts and Culture Centre, 475 Whitevale Rd, Pickering, ON
Date: Saturday, March 2 at 7:30 p.m.
More info: Check out their website events page
Sudbury Reads!
Five local defenders will battle it out at the Main Public Library to determine the book all of Sudbury should read! Defenders will be: Endie Commanda for Bad Cree, Chloé LaDuchesse for The Future, Hoi Cheu for Denison Avenue, Liana Bacon for Meet Me At the Lake and Gina Gegeoju for Shut Up You're Pretty.
Location: Main Pubic Library, 74 MacKenzie Street, Sudbury
Date: Saturday, March 2 at 1 p.m.
More info: Find details on Instagram
Western University Canada Reads watch party
Students and staff at Western University are thrilled to be able to cheer on their Writer-in-Residence, author Téa Mutonji and Shut Up You're Pretty on the first day of Canada Reads. Join them as they livestream the first broadcast!
Location: Conron Hall (University College Room 3110), Western University, 1151 Richmond St, London, Ont.
Date: Tuesday, March 4 at 10 a.m.
Ottawa Public Library Canada Reads watch party
Join the Ottawa Public Library's main branch as we stream the live debates from each day.
Location: Program Room MA 117, Auditorium, 120 Metcalfe St, Ottawa
Date: March 4-7 at 10 a.m.
More info: Find more details here
Burk's Falls Canada Reads watch party
Join the Library Book Club as we stream the live debates from each day.
Location: Armour & Ryerson Union Public Library, 39 Copeland, Burks Falls, Ont.
Date: March 4-7 at 10 a.m.
More info: Find more details here
Callander Public Library Canada Reads watch party
Join the team at the Callander Public Library to watch a livestream of the Canada Reads broadcast every day throughout the week!
Location: Callander Public Library, 30 Catherine St W, Callander, Ont.
Date: March 4-7 at 10 a.m.
Christina Wong & Naheed Nenshi in conversation in Toronto
Join finalist Christina Wong author of Denison Avenue, as she sits down with her her champion, Naheed Nenshi, the former mayor of Calgary. Illustrator Daniel Innes's artwork will also be displayed at this event.
This event took place at the Toronto Public Library on Tuesday, Feb. 20.
Catherine Leroux & Heather O'Neill in conversation in Windsor
Join Canada Reads panellist Heather O'Neill as she discusses The Future with author Catherine Leroux.
This event took place at Biblioasis on Wednesday, Feb 21.
Téa Mutonji & Kudakwashe Rutendo in conversation in Toronto
Join finalist Téa Mutonji, author of Shut Up You're Pretty, as she sits down with her her champion, actor and TIFF Rising Star Kudakwashe Rutendo.
This event took place at the Toronto Reference Library on Wednesday, Feb. 21.
Catherine Leroux & Heather O'Neill in conversation in Toronto
Join Canada Reads panellist Heather O'Neill as she discusses The Future with author Catherine Leroux.
This event took place at the Toronto Reference Library on Thursday, Feb. 22.
Quebec
Canada Reads… and so does Lennoxville!
The Lennoxville Library in Sherbrooke continues its annual tradition of debating the five shortlisted books at their one-night event.
Location: Hope Community Church, 102 Queen Street, Sherbrooke, Que.
Date: Wednesday, Feb. 28 at 7 p.m.
More info: Get more information on this free event here
Canada Reads 2024: Côte Saint-Luc Edition!
Come and hear five librarians battle it out to defend their chosen book from this year's Canada Reads shortlist!
Location: Côte Saint-Luc Public Library, 5851 Cavendish Blvd, Côte Saint-Luc, Que.
Date: March 13 at 2 p.m. ET.
Hooked on Books Book Club
Join the Hooked on Books Book Club at a special edition of their monthly meeting to discuss and debate the five Canada Reads finalists and vote for their favourite! Hooked on Books is free to join to all members of Kirkland Library.
Location: Kirkland Municipal Library, 17100 Hymus Blvd, Kirkland, Que.
Date: Wednesday, March 20 at 2 p.m.
Catherine Leroux & Heather O'Neill in conversation in Montreal
Join Canada Reads panellist Heather O'Neill as she discusses The Future with author Catherine Leroux. The conversation will be moderated by Bronwyn Averett.
This event took place at La Sotterena on Feb. 1.
Newfoundland
Beer & Books: Canada Reads edition
Join the Beer and Books group at the Iron Rock Brewing Co. in Labrador City, N.L. as they discuss each of the 5 finalists' books every Saturday in February leading up to debates in March.
Location: 118 Humphrey Road, Labrador City, N.L.
Date: Begins Saturday, Feb. 3 at 2 p.m. and runs every Saturday until March
United States
Catherine Leroux & Heather O'Neill in conversation in Detroit
Join Canada Reads panellist Heather O'Neill as she discusses The Future with author Catherine Leroux.
This event took place at Source Booksellers on Tuesday, Feb. 20.