Bywords: Poetry and Ottawa Literary Events

Calendar compliments of www.bywords.ca.

March 29, 2026

Indigo Pinecrest Readings and Signings
Time and Place: Pinecrest Shopping Centre, 2735 Iris
March 28 - Angela Cuirleo 1 to 3pm
March 29 - C.H. DeGagne 10am to 1pm
March 29 - Paula Quig 1 to 4pm

VERSeFest 2026
Time and Place: in person and live-streamed
Web: https://www.verseottawa.ca/
tickets, passes and full program on site
March 27 - The Happy Goat, 35 Laurel. 7pm: Sneha Subramanian Kanta, Vera Hadzic, Jennifer Bake. 8:30pm: Paul Vermeersch, Jérôme Melançon, Hajer Mirwali
March 28 - Paul Vermeersch, WORKSHOP: The Poet as "Small Language Model" in the Age of LLMs. 10:30AM. OPL-Elmdale. Pre-registration required, spaces limited to fifteen participants. Contact rob at rob_mclennan@hotmail.com if you need a low-income ticket for this workshop. 1:30pm Workshop with Sheri-D Wilson OPL, Main Branch $20. Poetry Without Borders Pre-registration required, spaces limited to fifteen participants. Contact rob at rob_mclennan@hotmail.com if you need a low-income ticket for this workshop. www.verseottawa.ca/en/event/sheridworkshop Plan 99, The Manx Pub, 370 Elgin. 5-6pm, Stephanie Bolster, Declan Ryan,
March 29 - Arts Court Black Box Studio Kado. 1:30 PM: Sébastien Rock & readings by Kado members. 3pm: The Factor Reading Series Lecture Series with Lydia Unsworth and Nada Gordon. 4:30pm Hall of Honour presentations and readings by Monty Reid and Susan McMaster. 7pm: Jumoke Verissimo, Lydia Unsworth, Nada Gordon. 8:30pm: Karen Solie, Alexandre Yergeau, Kacper Bartczak
March 30 - VERSeFest extra 02:30 PM Carleton University, Dunton Tower 2017 • 1125 Colonel By Drive Free A reading and Q and A with Karen Solie Presented in partnership with Carleton University's Department of English

An Indian Morning
Time and Place: Every Sunday at 10:00 am. CKCU FM 93.1
Web: cod.ckcufm.com/programs/30/info.html
An Indian Morning celebrates not only the music of India but equally its various arts and artisans, poets and potters, kings and patriots.

Unbound Indie Lit Market
Time and Place: March 29 at 11:00 am. Next Door Market & Event Space 955A Gladstone Ave
Web: nextdoorottawa.ca/events-list/unbound-indie-lit-market
Meet Ottawa’s indie authors, explore new reads, and connect with a community that loves books as much as you do. 11am to 5pm

Culture géniale
Time and Place: Every Sunday at 1:00 pm. unique 94.5 fm
Web: uniquefm.ca/emission-culture-geniale
La culture est la possibilité même de créer, de renouveler et de partager des valeurs. Culture géniale est une émission hebdomadaire animée par Jean-Paul Moreau qui explore le monde du cinéma, de la littérature, des arts vivants, et bien plus encore.

2nd Annual CKCU Host Talent Show Fundraiser
Time and Place: March 29 at 2:00 pm. The Robo Lounge, 275 Carling Avenue
Web: cod.ckcufm.com/events/community/14675.html
Price: Pay What You Can - Proceeds To CKCU

Anina's Book Swap
Time and Place: 3:00 pm. Anina's Cafe, 280 Joffre-Bélanger Way
ot a great read collecting dust? 😴 Bring it in, swap it out, and find your next obsession.
March 29 - www.instagram.com/p/DVtk0RGDhWA/

	March 2026 Events
Submit upcoming events to events@bywords.ca

Sunday	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday
22	23	24	25	26	27	28
Indigo Pinecrest Readings and Signings Sharon Teklu 1 to 3pm Perfect Books Readings and Signings Book Signing with Glenn McInnes 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM An Indian Morning 10:00am Eid Storytime and Craft 11:00am Stages and Pages 12:30pm The Creative Act: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin presented by Lisa MacDonald Amanda Bernardo, The Road to You 1:00pm Culture géniale 1:00pm Ottawa StoryTellers Signature Series 2025/26 2:00pm Grimm \| Dark Paths and Wild Wonder OST Annual Long Show (un)told 2025 - Ottawa StoryTellers 7:00pm	Art House Cafe Open Mic 7:00pm Namaashoum 7:00pm	Words and Culture 10:00am Live on Elgin Open Mic 8:00pm	Perfect Books Readings and Signings Zena Sharman launches Staying Power 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM The Lit Room with Susan Johnston 9:30am Asian Sounds 6:00pm Night Oat Open Stage 7:00pm Ottawa Scrabble Club 7:00pm Silent Book Club - East End 7:00pm David Suzuki and Tara Cullis – What You Won't Do for Love 8:00pm	VERSeFest 2026 Club Saw, ULPCxVERSeFest Invitational Slam 7pm. Join Urban Legends Poetry Collective for the return of the VERSeFest Invitational Poetry Slam (the first since 2021!) with a feature performance from Sheri-D Wilson. Apply to compete for the $300 grand prize here: forms.gle/xFkWCu4jgweRHNRV8 Applications are due February 28th at 12PM. 8:30pm: Misha Solomon, Emma McKenna, Open set: u’ART presents quick cruising: poetry spots offered for 3 local poets, who will each read works for up to 3 minutes Interested Ottawa-based 2SLGBTQIA+ writers can apply for consideration by sending a sample of their work and a bio before March 1st to queerart2019@gmail.com . Priority will be given to BIPOC writers and to those new to VERSeFest Poets selected will be contacted and announced by March 16th Third World Players Present 6:00pm Smutty Storytelling 6:30pm Behind the Happily Ever Afters 7:00pm Book Launch \| Taslim: We Are the Prophets by Dr. Carolyn Ramzy 7:00pm Nostalgica Pub Open Mic 8:00pm	VERSeFest 2026 The Happy Goat, 35 Laurel. 7pm: Sneha Subramanian Kanta, Vera Hadzic, Jennifer Bake. 8:30pm: Paul Vermeersch, Jérôme Melançon, Hajer Mirwali Friday Special Blend 7:00am	Indigo Pinecrest Readings and Signings Angela Cuirleo 1 to 3pm VERSeFest 2026 Paul Vermeersch, WORKSHOP: The Poet as "Small Language Model" in the Age of LLMs. 10:30AM. OPL-Elmdale. Pre-registration required, spaces limited to fifteen participants. Contact rob at rob_mclennan@hotmail.com if you need a low-income ticket for this workshop. 1:30pm Workshop with Sheri-D Wilson OPL, Main Branch $20. Poetry Without Borders Pre-registration required, spaces limited to fifteen participants. Contact rob at rob_mclennan@hotmail.com if you need a low-income ticket for this workshop. www.verseottawa.ca/en/event/sheridworkshop Plan 99, The Manx Pub, 370 Elgin. 5-6pm, Stephanie Bolster, Declan Ryan, Silent Book Club Stittsville 12:00pm
29	30	31
Indigo Pinecrest Readings and Signings Paula Quig 1 to 4pm VERSeFest 2026 Arts Court Black Box Studio Kado. 1:30 PM: Sébastien Rock & readings by Kado members. 3pm: The Factor Reading Series Lecture Series with Lydia Unsworth and Nada Gordon. 4:30pm Hall of Honour presentations and readings by Monty Reid and Susan McMaster. 7pm: Jumoke Verissimo, Lydia Unsworth, Nada Gordon. 8:30pm: Karen Solie, Alexandre Yergeau, Kacper Bartczak An Indian Morning 10:00am Unbound Indie Lit Market 11:00am Unbound Indie Lit Market 11:00am Culture géniale 1:00pm 2nd Annual CKCU Host Talent Show Fundraiser 2:00pm Anina's Book Swap 3:00pm www.instagram.com/p/DVtk0RGDhWA/	VERSeFest 2026 VERSeFest extra 02:30 PM Carleton University, Dunton Tower 2017 • 1125 Colonel By Drive Free A reading and Q and A with Karen Solie Presented in partnership with Carleton University's Department of English Ottawa Urbanism Book Club 6:15pm Life After Cars: Freeing Ourselves from the Tyranny of the Automobile by Sarah Good Art House Cafe Open Mic 7:00pm Namaashoum 7:00pm	Words and Culture 10:00am Live on Elgin Open Mic 8:00pm