Frequently Asked Questions

The City of Brampton is a suburb of Toronto, Canada and part of the Greater Toronto Area. The Lester B. Pearson Airport (YYZ) is located in Brampton and provides easy access to downtown Brampton by bus or through a short cab or share ride.

Downtown Brampton is easily accessible from Toronto through the GO Train Union-Kitchener line. The Brampton Station is 200-500m from all festival venues.

Yes. The Festival events take place 200m from The GO’s Brampton Terminal. It is accessible by train and by bus on a direct route via the Kitchener Line – which also makes it a convenient trip for guests coming from Kitchener, Guelph and Malton; for local guests and those travelling from Caledon or Mississauga, the Main Street Brampton Zum stops directly in front of PAMA, the Rose Theatre, Garden Square and City Hall.

The Festival of Literary Diversity in May is geared towards individuals fourteen and older due to mature themes and subject matter focused on young adults and adults of all ages.

Nursing mothers and their charges are welcome in sessions and throughout the venues; a private nursing space is available at the upper level of the theatre for those who desire a quiet space to feed so mothers can continue to enjoy The Festival while caring for their little ones.

Children of all ages are encouraged to attend FOLD Kids Bookfest.

If you are an author who is interested in appearing at the FOLD or FOLD Kids Bookfest or if you are a independent Canadian publisher who would like to have one of your authors considered for programming, please submit the information for your authors on our online application form between July 1 and September 1.

Due to numbers and a limited space in The Festival, only local (Peel Region), self-published authors who submit applications between July 1 and September 1 will be considered for The Festival.

Authors will be informed by December 31 if their work has been selected for The Festival.

NOTE: While the FOLD welcomes all voices, the Festival actively seeks and prioritizes underrepresented own voices stories and storytellers – specifically genre/commercial/literary fiction and all types of nonfiction by BIPOC author and/or Disabled authors.

The FOLD Foundation is looking for authors from a wide range of backgrounds and lived experiences (particularly those who are underrepresented at other literary festivals and events). This includes authors from underrepresented communities who are writing genre fiction, poetry, commercial fiction and nonfiction that explore important themes and spark critical conversations.

Authors who appear at the festival are chosen by staff in consultation with our programming team, who review over one hundred pitches annually. For the FOLD, the committee will select approximately 20 authors and a handful of spoken word artists and poets to cover up to thirty events over the weekend; FOLD Kids Bookfest in fall programs 10-15 children’s authors and middle grade storytellers.

Writers at the Rose and FOLD Academy authors and presenters are selected by staff and the programming team in consultation with publicists and publishers.

Every building for every event we hold is held in wheelchair accessible venues with ramps and washrooms with rotation space and e-buttons. For details about the spaces we use, visit our accessibility page.

There’s lots of different ways to support our work. The FOLD is reliant on funding to create new jobs and new opportunities, so supporting us financially means a lot. We even provide charitable receipts.

If you’re a part of a business or organization that could sponsor the festival, connecting us with someone who would be willing to hear about the amazing ways we partner with businesses is also really helpful.

But finances aren’t the only way you can help. You can volunteer your time by emailing us at volunteers@thefoldcanada.org. You can also follow us on social media and share our posts with your friends and family. We rely so much on our community and we’re so glad you’re a part of it.