Our Tenth Annual Festival was a huge success! WOTS Vancouver was blessed with another year of spectacular weather (particularly after a record chilly, rainy August and September), great attendance - estimated at 40,000 - and more authors, performers, and activities than ever.

What's more, as in 2003, the crowds were especially high in the early hours. Mayor Larry Campbell officially opened the festival with hundreds of young readers at the Main Stage. Meanwhile on the CBC Plaza, a pancake breakfast fundraiser (to support the BC Talking Books program) started at 10:30 and was packed until its close at 12:30.

Headliner authors packed the streets and tents all day long. Socially and politically conscious readers were treated with One Book, One Vancouver author Joel Bakan (The Corporation), Dr. David Suzuki, the Raging Grannies, and Greenpeace co-founder Rex Weyler. Other big names included Dr. Gabor Mate, Arthur Black, Gordon Kirkland, Susan Musgrave, Ivan E. Coyote, Caroline Adderson, andGail Anderson-Dargatz. But it was Lynn Johnston who stole the show, working all day signing posters, doing Q&A's (for an audience estimated 350) and even meeting with aspiring cartoonists to give them professional advice at The Word Under The Street.

Throughout the site, visitors filled the Poets' Corner, Launching Pad, panel discussions, kids' events, the Poetry in Transit bus, and many other special venues, including the new Magazine Mews stage, which boasted our first annual (we hope) Haiku Night in Canada event.

Also new this year, WOTS introduced hemp to our line-up of merchandise, with 100% hemp t-shirts and book bags. Is it mere coincidence that Woody Harrelson was spotted strolling the festival this year?

All in all, we played host to well over 150 talented wordsmiths: poets, young authors, established writers, play-wrights, storytellers, journalists, 'zine producers, and more. And then, of course, there were the musicians, visual artists, and other performers. Our wonderful line-up of authors and performers did a terrific job entertaining and enlightening the attendees of dozens of venues. Thanks to everyone and especially those who came from out of town, and those who appeared on stage more than once!

As always, our ever-expanding Marketplace of Exhibitors was a huge event featuring a whopping 149 book and magazine publishers, book sellers, literacy organizations, community groups, writing schools and more. As usual, the overwhelming majority of exhibitors intend to be back in 2005 (90%) and most (86%) of those who participated in the Book Bag Treasure Hunt intend to do so again. About 74% of exhibitors reported the same, or better traffic levels compared to 2003, with 64% enjoying the same or higher sales than the previous year. Thanks to all exhibitors who donated items to our Silent Auction with raised $4200 this year!

An estimated 250 new members signed up to the Vancouver Book & Magazine Fair Society at WOTS 2004. These folks donated $2 to support the festival, will have a vote at the Annual General Meeting, and were entered into a draw to win a library of featured books. (Congratulations to April En, who won the library of books!) WOTS 2004 authors and performers were also offered a complimentary membership. Welcome all! The Annual General Meeting will take place February 10, 2005, 5:30pm, VPL Central Branch - Peter Kaye Room.

Once again, with the generous support of the National Literacy Secretariat - as well as community and corporate partners Don and Barbara Atkins, B&B Printing, Starbucks Coffee and Panago - Vancouver's The Word on the Street Festival and Literacy BC were very proud to produce Canadians Reading Together: The Family Stories Project. This province-wide project involved journal writing, storytelling, and special guests, and was aimed at improving adult literacy skills within the model of a Family Literacy framework.

Literally hundreds of individuals, funding bodies, companies and community organizations come together to make WOTS the success it is. And we're not just talking about the exhibitors … authors, hosts, sponsors, volunteers, our site crew, board members, and dozens of other supporters are key to ensuring the festival gets off the ground and runs smoothly from set-up to tear down. Thank you everyone!

Big hugs and kudos to our media partners The Vancouver Sun and particularly the CBC for sharing their talents with us both, with the CBC Plaza activities and on the hosting front … all on top of providing us with such a powerful promotional presence. And finally, big noisy kisses to Ann Phelps and her f* Genius Productions crew for handling all our on-site needs.