Volunteers Needed: When Words Collide, a Literary Festival
When Words Collide (Alexandra Writers Centre Society)
Dates: August 13 – 16, 2026
Location: Downtown Hyatt, Calgary
When Words Collide, a literary festival for writers (from wishful to published), publishers, agents and readers, will feature panels, presentations, master classes, and opportunities to perfect and pitch to literary agents make this one of the best of its kind in Canada.
Find out more whenwordscollide.org.
We run on volunteer power. Are you interested in signing up?
https://www.whenwordscollide.org/volunteer-roles.html
If you sign up for shifts totalling eight (or more) hours, you will receive a free festival pass for the entire weekend! If you sign up for less than eight hours, we will give you a discount code for a free master class.
Kevin McDonald Teaching A Sketch Writing Masterclass!
He is also doing an autobiographical reading (free with festival pass). You can find more details here: alexandrawriters.org/.
Festival Schedule: whenwordscollide2026.sched.com.
Volunteer Roles Available
Room Captain – Friday / Saturday / Sunday Shifts Available
- Room captains monitor one room during their shift (morning/afternoon)
- Greet the presenter and help them plug in a laptop
- Give a brief introduction to the audience before the session (script provided)
- Take attendance and brief notes, as necessary
- Be available to help, or get help, as needed
- Keep the sessions running on time
- Thank the presenter and ensure the room clears out fifteen minutes before the next presentation
- Reset the room for the next presenter
Showcase Red Carpet Paparazzi & Interviewers — Saturday Evening, August 15
- “Paparazzi” engage attendees, snap candid photos, and help hype the red carpet. This year’s theme is “Hollywood Cringe.”
- Cameras will be provided, although if you have your own camera that you are comfortable bringing, that would be fine, too.
- “Interviewers” go around the room with a prop microphone (provided) and ask people random questions (think celeb interviews on the red carpet).
Goblin Casino: Goblins & Coppers — Friday Evening, August 14
- Goblins: Helping set up casino at beginning of evening, running games and handing out tickets, taking payments, and helping clean up at the end.
- Cops: Helping set up casino at beginning of evening, shutting down the casino at 8:50 pm, and helping clean up.
We’d love to have you join us. It’s a fabulous opportunity for learning, mingling, and getting that motivational boost.
For more information or to sign up visit whenwordscollide.org/volunteer-roles.
Email questions to whenwordscollidevolunteers@gmail.com.
