Over the last decade, the Salon du livre de Toronto (Toronto French Book Fair) has become one of the most anticipated annual events in French Ontario. It is a rare opportunity for Francophones and Francophiles of all origins to gather and exchange in a stimulating atmosphere. With a scarcity of French books, music, video and software in Ontario, it's no wonder this event attracts between 12,000 and 15,000 visitors annually.
The Toronto French Book Fair is the French literary event and it takes place right here, in the heart of English Canada's cultural, economic and communications capital. Le Salon promotes the cultural vitality of Francophone communities living in Ontario and feeds a growing demand and interest for French literary products. There are over 140 exhibitors, representing 800 publishing houses from French Canada - and the entire world, who display tens of thousands of books of all literary genres, with a strong emphasis on children's books. Many famous Francophone writers, from all Canadian provinces and some from Francophone countries of the world, also participate in activities for adults and youth of the Toronto Writers' Festival. The adult program which runs throughout the book fair includes meetings with authors, autograph sessions, round tables, book launches, readings, and performances by actors, entertainers and singers.
This book fair not only provides a wide range of books for readers of all ages and walks of life, but it also features exciting programming for students of all ages. Each year, thousands of Francophone and French immersion children from Ontario schools participate in the Salon. Some come as far as Northern Ontario! They are from French, immersion and private schools and they take part in many workshops lead by internationally acclaimed authors, illustrators, storytellers and editors from Ontario, Quebec and France. The best part about their visit? Kids can stock up on all their favourites: novels, activity books, games, music, current video and DVD releases, CD-ROMS, French comics strips such as Tintin, or they can even catch up on the latest from their friends Caillou, Dora and Sponge Bob. And yes, even Archie comic books are available in French -- always a big hit at the Salon!
The Salon du Livre de Toronto takes place once a year at the Toronto Convention Centre, in early October. If you are looking for books for your children who study in French, it's a great place to shop or browse. For more information, visit: www.salondulivredetoronto.org.
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