On Sept. 21, Atlantic bibliophiles will celebrate Canada’s annual book festival in Halifax. Noted authors Vincent Lam and Lainey Lui are on the program, alongside local favourites George Elliott Clarke, Lesley Crewe and Beatrice MacNeil. Don’t miss a minute with our must-see guide to this year’s festival!

For moms Visit the Wonderful Words tent to hear three readings offering different perspectives on becoming a mother, as well as an appearance from Elaine “Lainey” Lui who will share stories from her book Listen to the Squawking Chicken.

For graphic novel fans  Hear from cartoonists and graphic novelists such as Faith Erin Hicks and Michael de Adder at a panel moderated by Strange Adventures’ Calum Johnston, then visit the Strange Adventures booth in the Magnificent Marketplace to see demos and get your books signed!

For families Family-friendly activities abound! Listen to Jill Barber sing from her children’s book Music Is For Everyone, then hop on Theodore Tugboat to hear a favorite author read with Mother Goose! Don’t forget to visit the Family Marketplace and take part in interactive workshops run by Ross Creek Centre for the Arts.

For aspiring authors Sign up for the Atlantic Publishers Marketing Association’s Pitch the Publisher sessions to present your manuscript to a publisher who might be interested in publishing your work.

Need more Word on the Street?

• Author advice from Grant Lawrence and Jill Barber
• Meet the team behind Word on the Street Halifax 2014
• Read a review of Jill Barber’s Music is for Everyone
• Don’t miss out! Sign up for Pitch the Publisher 2014 now

For book club enthusiasts What better way to enjoy a day with book club friends than attending a festival celebrating books! Enter to take part in the book club boat cruise, featuring authors including Vincent Lam, Michael Winter, and Lesley Crewe, then stay close to the Wonderful Words tent to hear your favorite author read!

For the hobbyist Visit the Dynamic Dialogues tent to enjoy back-to-back segments on books about gardening and cooking. Hear Niki Jabbour share tips on food gardening and Costas Halavrezos regale audiences with spicy stories!

For those who enjoy a grand reveal It’s a winning day for many at Word on the Street! The Writers’ Federation of NS will announce the Atlantic Writing Competition prize winners, One Book Nova Scotia will promote their must-read title Roost, and Our Children Magazine will feature their poetry contest finalists. There are other award finalists and competitions to be seen at the festival throughout the day!

For poetry lovers Don’t miss our stacked poetry segment featuring Sylvia Hamilton and Shalan Joudry, plus a poetry slam with El Jones.

Kate Watson is the theatre reviewer at The Coast, a freelance writer, and the Hackmatack Children’s Choice Book Award coordinator. She has a keen interest in municipal politics, community-building and Twitter. Follow her @DartmouthKate.