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WordSpring 2025

WordSpring is coming to Fredericton, May 30 - June 1, 2025

If you can't attend for the whole weekend, we have a range of options for you.

Whether you are a student, a member, or a non-member, you can find something to enjoy during this 3 day festival. Remember that the Friday night Literary Soiree celebrating the winners of 2025 NB Writing Competition, as well as the New Brunswick Book Awards on Saturday night are open to the public, and free to attend.

1. Stay for the weekend

This includes all activities from Friday afternoon to Sunday at noon. Accommodations are separate from the festival ticket, but we have group rates available at the Crowne Plaza Hotel until April 29.

2. Buy a Saturday pass

This includes Mark Leslie Lefebvre's Saturday morning address, lunch, Pitch the Publisher and an afternoon workshop. And please attend the NB Book Awards on Saturday evening!

3. Or, attend a single workshop

You can choose one of our many available workshops, from Mark Leslie Lefebvre's discussion on the varied paths to publishing on Saturday morning, to one of the two writing craft workshops on Saturday afternoon, or one of two on Sunday morning.

If you have trouble registering, contact us at 506-974-1476, and we'll assist you.

This year, all events for WordSpring and the New Brunswick Book Awards take place in Fredericton, hosted by the wonderful staff at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, 659 Queen St, Fredericton, NB.

The tenth annual NB Book Awards--which is a free event, and open to the public-- will be held on Saturday evening and emceed by Vanessa Vander Valk of CBC's Main Street. Our guest speaker is comedian and CBC host of Canada Reads, Ali Hassan.

We have a great lineup of workshops for you to enjoy, including the accomplished Mark Leslie Lefebvre, who will teach us about the many paths to publishing. 

Register soon! WordSpring 2025 is only a couple months away. 

We will set up a merchandise table on Friday afternoon and evening at the Crowne Plaza. We will allow those who are launching books at WordSpring to sign up for us to sell your books on consignment in our shop.

Please advise us at info@wfnb.ca as soon as you sign up for the book launch readings, if you would like us to sell your books on consignment on Friday. Please note that every author is responsible to carry their books to and from the merchandise table.

Accommodations 

A block of 20 rooms has been reserved until April 28 for WordSpring.

For the Crowne Plaza Group Online Booking Link: https://rebrand.ly/NBWritersFed0525

Guests are also welcome to reserve their rooms by calling our Front Desk directly at 1-506-455-3371, or by emailing reservations@cpfredericton.com and noting they are booking under the “NB Writers Federation” room block to secure the group rate of $163.00 per night (one parking spot per reservation)

Please note that the cut off date for group reservations is April 28th, 2025.



Event Schedule and Line-up

WordSpring Schedule

Friday May 30, 2025

3:00 pm to 5:00 pm

Welcome! Open Mic and book launch readings in the Junior Ballroom

Merch table, Coffee/tea/refreshment

····DINNER ON YOUR OWN····

6:00 pm -6:45 pm

NB Writing Competition Literary Soiree Reception (cash bar),

Open to the Public

Junior Ballroom, Crowne Plaza

Music By: Leo LaFleur

6:45 pm

Welcome by Cat LeBlanc, President

7:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Award Readings and Reception

Saturday May 31, 2025

8:00 am

    Breakfast vouchers for participants staying at the Crowne Plaza

    9:30 am - 11:30 am

    PUBLISHING  OPTIONS workshop with Mark Leslie Lefebvre


    · · LUNCH on SITE · ·

    11:35am — 12:35pm


    Three events on Saturday afternoon in the Grand Ballroom

    12:45 pm - 2:30 pm

    Pitch the Publisher (organized by Partridge Island Publishing - to register, contact Amanda Evans at this email: amanda@partridgeislandpublishing.ca )

    2:30 pm — 4:30 pm

    Brian Bartlett & Michael Pacey  -  Poetry

    OR

    Mike Thorn - Horror

    --DINNER ON YOUR OWN--


    Join us to celebrate the tenth annual NB Book Awards!


    6:00 pm - 9:00pm

    Grand Ballroom,

    Crowne Plaza Hotel, Fredericton

    May 31, 2025

    Main Ballroom,

    Crowne Plaza Fredericton.


    6:00 pm to 7:00 pm:

    The NB Book Awards Reception

    Music by: Catherine Kennedy


    7:00 pm to 9:00 pm:

    Live ceremony

    Hosted by: Vanessa Vander Valk, CBC

    Guest Speaker: Ali Hassan

    Book Table provided by: Westminster Books

    Trophies provided by: Glass Roots Inc

    Sunday June 1, 2025

    8:00 am 

    Breakfast vouchers for participants staying at the Crowne Plaza

    9:30 am -11:30am

    Two workshop options for Sunday morning.  Choose from:

    Ryan Griffith  -  Playwriting 

    OR   

    Gerard Collins - Writing Great Dialogue

    Featured Workshops:

    Checklist for Members:

    Make sure you didn't forget to register for anything with limited space!

    Did you sign up for the Open mic and Book Launch?

    Did you contact Amanda Evans (amanda@partridgeislandpublishing.ca), if you'd like to participate in the Pitch the Publisher event Saturday afternoon?

    If you want to stay at the Crowne Plaza for one or both nights, please make your reservation on or before April 28.

    WordSpring Sponsors

    WFNB gratefully acknowledges the ongoing support of the New Brunswick Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture; and the New Brunswick Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. #ArtsCultureNB


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    What else is New at the WFNB?

    Territorial Acknowledgement

    The Writers’ Federation of New Brunswick acknowledges that the land on which we live, work and gather is the traditional unceded territory of the Wolastoqiyik (Maliseet) and Mi’kmaq Peoples, and we honour the spirit of our ancestors’ Treaties of Peace and Friendship. 

    "Writers' Federation of New Brunswick" is a registered non-profit organization. New Brunswick, Canada. 


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