Looking for some literary fun?

In September each year, Winnipeg welcomes writers from Canada and around the world for a week of readings, lectures, interviews, conversations, book launches and other events. 

That week of literary feasting – which reaches out into the rural areas of the province as well – is THIN AIR, the Winnipeg International Writers Festival. With programming for adults and children, in English and French, THIN AIR is an infusion of energy into the thriving literary culture of this city.

This year, THIN AIR 2011 will be held from September 18-24 at a variety of venues around Winnipeg. Over 40 writers will be featured, including local authors Miriam Toews and Wayne Tefs, Guy Vanderhaeghe, Lynn Coady, David Homel and Clark Blaise. Festival passes are available September 1, 2011, and single-event tickets can be purchased at the door of any event.

In addition to regular festival events, the Winnipeg International Writers Festival has teamed up with CBC Manitoba and McNally Robinson Booksellers to launch Manitoba Reads, a friendly-but-fierce competition to choose a book for us all to read. Based on the popular Canada Reads model, voters choose between 16 books written by Manitoba authors. On July 30, the top eight books went on to the next level. Four book advocates will each choose a finalist, then debate them down to a single title on September 24 at the closing Mainstage show of THIN AIR 2011.

And if you’re interested in contests, there’s more…

THIN AIR 2011 recently launched the Twitter Giveaway Contest. It runs from Friday, August 12 to Friday, September 9, and it's an easy and fun way to get your hands on some great prizes, including Mainstage tickets and books by presenting authors. Every Friday, a contest message is posted at a different time on the THIN AIR Twitter page. If you're the first person to retweet the link, you win!

THIN AIR 2011 has also entered an online festival contest hosted by WestJet Airlines, and we need your help to become the highest rated festival in Manitoba! Once you vote, you’ll have a chance of winning one of six fantastic grand prizes, including tickets for two to the Calgary Stampede, Just For Laughs Montreal, the Okanagan Wine Festival and more! The contest promotion period continues throughout the summer until November 30, 2011, and there will be a draw every few weeks for one of the grand prizes.

For more information about THIN AIR, please visit the festival website and be sure to also check out our blog. It features an array of festival-related information, including author biographies and reviews, festival progress reports, media hits and more.

Help us celebrate our 15th year by participating in THIN AIR 2011!