The Pathways To Poetry Festival is an annual celebration of poetry in all its forms, from spoken word and performance poetry to songwriting and bibliotherapy. Through live performances, interactive workshops, and intimate gatherings, the festival brings poetry to life in ways that linger long after the final word is spoken. Whether you come to listen, write, learn, or simply be inspired, this is a space where poetry engages every sense, every stage of life, and every corner of community. Supported by the Stratford Writers Festival, this annual gathering honours poetry as a living force. One that shapes how we listen, how we feel, and how we understand ourselves and one another.
The founder of the Pathways To Poetry Festival is multi-award-winning poet, Pushcart Prize nominee, best-selling author and passionate performer Heidi Sander. Her poems have appeared in literary journals, anthologies, multiple artistic collaborations and her bestselling poetry collections. As framed artwork, her poems have toured hotels, cafes and restaurants, and are featured in permanent collections on the walls of cancer centres, women’s shelters, and hospice locations. She founded “Pathways To Poetry,” a multimedia online program that helps emerging and established poets develop their writing, publish their poetry, and promote their work. The associated "Pathways To Poetry Membership” provides curated submission opportunities, spotlight poet interviews, monthly online gatherings and a private community to help support poetic growth, voice, and ongoing practice.
