St. Albert Readers Festival, STARFest: October 16-29, 2026

This year's festival brings together an exceptional lineup of acclaimed and emerging literary voices exploring identity, family, history, belonging, and resilience. Audiences will encounter unforgettable stories of love, war, migration, memory, community, and self-discovery. Spanning WWII-era Canada, contemporary Ukraine, the Prairies, Appalachia, and beyond, these engaging conversations with leading Alberta writers and journalists showcase some of the most compelling voices shaping Canadian literature today. Get all the details at STARFest.ca

• The festival kicks off with CBC Canada Reads winner Loghan Paylor with The Cure for Drowning in conversation with Matthew Stepanic Friday, October 16. Few tickets remain! 
  
  
• Festival favourite interviewer Senator Paula Simons joins Maria Reva to chat about her Booker Prize longlisted novel Endling, Saturday, October 18. SOLD OUT! 
  
  
• MacDowell Fellow Jane Park brings her novel Inheritance in conversation with Sumaiya Matin, Sunday, October 19. SOLD OUT! 
  
  
• Patrick deWitt returns with his latest novel, Dodge City, in conversation with Regional Writer in Residence David Berry, Monday, October 19. SOLD OUT!
  
  
• Emerging author Tara Gereaux discusses her novel Wild People Quiet in conversation with Danielle Paradis, Thursday, October 22. SOLD OUT!
  
  
• Giller Prize shortlisted author Angélique Lalonde chats about Variations on a Dream with Diana Davidson, Saturday, October 24. Get tickets here.
  
  
• Rising Canadian literary talent Zak Jones joins Conor Kerr to discuss his Atwood Gibson Writers' Trust Fiction Prize nominated novel Fancy Gap, Thursday, October 29. Get tickets here.