It has finally arrived, and you KNOW what we're talking about. SUMMER! Six perfect letters when laid out like that.

It's time to lay blankets on the grass or to haul out camp chairs and to sit under tents to listen to readings and panels and celebrations of books. It's Literary Festival Season, and good things are happening across the country. 

Read on to discover what literary festivals are happening near you.

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The Wordplay Festival is back July 3 in River John, NS, at Mabel Murple’s Book Shoppe & Dreamery, featuring Jessica Scott Kerrin, Arthur Slade, singer-songwriter Anna Plaskett. It's all hosted by amazing emcee Sheree Fitch. 

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Festival fun continues on July 6 in River John, NS: Read By the Sea 2019 includes authors Elizabeth Hay, Kevin Major, Mayann Francis, Allan Cooper, and Colin Campbell. 

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The Elephant Mountain Literary Festival line-up looks amazing, with Iona Whishaw, Marilyn Bowering, William Deverell, Ian Weir, and other great authors appearing July 11–14 in Nelson, BC. 

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And get ready for the Lakefield Literary Festival, celebrating its 25th year July 12–14 in Lakefield, ON (near Peterborough). This one features CanLit superstars Michael Ondaatje, Linda Spalding, Wayne Grady, Ruth Ohi, Kevin Sylvester, Time Kurdi, Drew Hayden Taylor, Winnie Yeung, Lee Maracle, and many more. 

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Join the Saskatchewan Festival of Words in Moose Jaw, SK, July 18–21, with Billy-Ray Belcourt, Gail Bowen, Lorna Crozier, Susin Nielsen, Eden Robinson, Jillian Tamaki, Drew Hayden Taylor, and many other great writers for children and adults.  

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The Denman Island Readers and Writers Festival takes place July 18–21 on Denman Island, BC, with featured authors including David Chariandy, Beverley McLachlin, Billeh Nickerson, Heather O'Neill, Kathy Page, and Lindsay Wong. 

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The Winterset in Summer Literary Festival returns to Eastport, NL, August 8–11, with Jane Urquhart, Helen Humphreys, Terry Doyle, Susan Sinnott, Susie Taylor, Melissa Barbeau, Heather Smith, and other great writers. 

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The Words Collide Festival is back in Calgary, AB, from August 9 to 11 with Kat Flannery, James Alan Gardner, Lisa Mangum, Jonas Saul, and Leanne Shirtliffe.

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Writers at Woody Point in Bonne Bay, NL, takes place August 13–18, featuring Dave Bidini, Mark Critch, Linden MacIntyre, Megan Gail Coles, Anthony De Sa, Michael Crummey, Melissa Barbeau, and Lorna Crozier.

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The Sunshine Coast Festival of the Written Arts runs August 15–18 in Sechelt, BC, with authors Richard Van Camp, Ian Williams, Rachel Giese, Elizabeth Hay, Terry Fallis, Yasuko Thanh, Eden Robinson, Lee Maracle, Keith Maillard, Alicia Elliott, and many more. 

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And the Women Killing It Crime Writers Festival returns to Prince Edward County, ON. It's on this year from Aug 30 to Sept 1, with Vicky Delany, Joy Fielding, Ausma Zehanat Khan, Hannah Mary MacKinnon, Iona Whishaw, Brenda Chapman, and others great crime writers.

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Have we missed anything? Email *editor at 49thShelf dot com* to have your event added to the schedule.