Uxbridge’s annual celebration of Canadian literature has drawn to a close after another season of bringing together readers, writers and fans of every genre.
Now in its fifth year, the Book Drunkard Festival has filled venues across the town with book launches, author interviews and themed nights featuring guests such as Mona Awad, Chris Hadfield, Alan Doyle and Cecelia Ahern.
Hosted by Blue Heron Books, the six-week series has become a cornerstone of Durham Region’s arts calendar, pairing small-town charm with big literary names.
Festival founder and Blue Heron Books owner Shelley MacBeth said the festival was created as a way to connect the community through storytelling.
“It was a way to bring the community together,” she said. “The connection of the books, the authors and the community spirit, I think, is part of what drives the festival.”
One of this year’s standout events was An Evening of Horror with Linwood Barclay and Joe Hill, held last Wednesday at the Wooden Sticks Golf Club in
The discussion, moderated by Toronto literary interviewer Janet Somerville, brought together two of North America’s bestselling authors in thriller and horror fiction.
Barclay, who debuted his supernatural novel Whistle earlier this year, said the book marked a shift from his usual real-life thrillers.
“Whistle is a bit of a different kind of book for me … it’s more horror and supernatural,” he said. “I started thinking, is there a way to make toy trains evil?”
He added that events in smaller communities offer something important to both writers and readers.
“People in outlying communities are desperate to meet authors that they enjoy,” Barclay said. “Writing is a very isolating profession … so coming to things like this is a lot of fun.”
Hill, discussing his new novel King Sorrow, said the story traces back to his early admiration for Tolkien.
“Probably falling in love with the character of Smaug from The Hobbit,” he said. “I thought, this is about as suspenseful as fiction can get … and 40 years later, I still feel that way.”
He said horror resonates because readers are drawn to explore danger from a safe distance.
“My wife has often noted that horror is the only genre named after an emotion,” Hill said. “We run to the safe playground of the imagination to experience menace in a way we would never want to experience it in real life.”
Hill added that intimate Canadian events such as the Book Drunkard Festival create a warm, welcoming atmosphere.
“When you go and you have a night out with readers, it’s a night out,” he said. “Hopefully everyone comes away thinking, ‘oh, that was fun.’”
MacBeth said the festival continues to grow beyond Uxbridge.
“People have come from far and wide for some of these author events,” she said. “I have a steady core group locally and in Durham Region, but it extends far beyond that now.”
As the 2025 festival winds down, MacBeth hopes attendees leave inspired.
“I hope it’s a renewed reading schedule,” she said. “People need something to look forward to in a cold winter season.”
The festival featured 13 events with 19 authors with tickets ranging from $30 to $150.