canadian black literary festival
#CBLF2026 Festival schedule
At-A-Glance
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Hosted by “The Voice” Kevin Carrington
Featuring Spoken Soul Collective
(Randell Adjei, Paulina O’Kieffe & Dwayne Morgan) -
Sessions led by:
Ramon Carty (12:30-1:45 p.m.)
Kesha Christie (2:00-3:15 p.m.)
Lalaa Comrie (3:30-4:45 p.m.)
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Emceed by Elle de Lyon with music by DJ Love Jones
The Book Fair spotlights authors, bookstores, and publishers, creating a vibrant marketplace where readers can discover new titles, meet creators, and support Black voices in writing and publishing.
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Hosted by Antonio Michael Downing
Featuring Afua Cooper, Testament & d’bi.young anitafrika
origins of the Festival
The foundation for the Canadian Black Literary Festival (CBLF) was built through BlackLit Durham, a bimonthly literary reading series held in Ajax’s historic Pickering Village.
Presented by AfriCANthology Canada (now the Canadian Black Literature Institute) in partnership with What’s Your Story Author Services, St. Francis Centre (now Ajax Centre for the Arts), and Ajax Public Library, BlackLit Durham has showcased, highlighted, amplified, and celebrated Black Canadian literary voices of all genres in their full splendour and diversity since June 2022.
Over four years later, it is the only recurring literary series of its kind in the eastern GTA, drawing hundreds of audience members from the Region and neighbouring communities each year.
Building upon the success of BlackLit Durham, the inaugural Canadian Black Literary Festival launched on Saturday, August 29, 2026.
CBLF
CBLF is a uniquely conceived celebration of African-Canadian literature of all genres that takes place in Ajax on the last weekend in August before Labour Day weekend every year.
This timing closely aligns with commemorations for Emancipation Day on August 1 and the International Day for People of African Descent on August 31 each year. August is also Emancipation Month in Ontario.
#CBLF2026
The Canadian Black Literary Festival 2026 was a one-day exposition of Black literary artistry, creativity, and performance hosted in partnership at two of Ajax’s most important public facilities: the McLean Community Centre and the St. Francis Centre for Community, Arts, & Culture. The theme of the festival was Voices of Freedom.
CBLF 2027
Future festivals will be multi-day events, beginning with the two-day #CBLF2027 on August 27-28, 2027. Visit this page for more info over the coming months.
CBLF holds significance as the only Black-led, Black-serving, literature-only, multi-genre, annual festival amplifying Afrodescendent literary voices found anywhere in Canada.
Festival news & updates
#cblf2026 was a huge success!
On Saturday, August 29, 2026, we took over and showed out.
The first-ever Canadian Black Literary Festival brought the community together to celebrate, amplify, spotlight, and showcase some of the most impressive and impactful literary artists to be found anywhere in the country.
Whether they were equipped with microphones, surrounded by eager workshop participants, in discussions with book fair visitors, or engaged in casual conversation in the hallways and foyers, the talented people who brought their art to share with festival attendees generously provided their distinctiveness, energy and creativity in an environment built specifically for this purpose.
The Festival Organizing Committee is eternally grateful to the artists, vendors, volunteers, service providers, municipal staff, and attendees who came together to make #CBLF2026 into an incredible occasion in the evolution of the literary arts in Canada.
Extra special thanks go out to our sponsors and partners for their support and funding to make this event happen.
Please join us for the fifth season of BlackLit Durham over the coming months, and mark your calendars for the second annual Canadian Black Literary Festival on August 27-28, 2027.
Follow us online:
instagram.com/cdnblacklitfest
facebook.com/cdnblacklitfest
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