NorthWords NWT will mark International Women’s Day with an open mic night and a discussion with Canadian-British journalist and author Elizabeth Renzetti.
Amber Henry, president of NorthWords, said this is the second year the organization has hosted an event of this nature.
The celebration begins on Saturday, March 7 with Gather – a literary open mic where locals can share stories, poetry, comedy and original works – from 7-10pm at Top Knight.
Participants are invited to take the mic for up to five minutes. Video submissions from NWT residents outside Yellowknife are also accepted.
“One of the things that we really love about the open mic night is that it’s always a surprise on who’s going to be there and what’s being contributed in terms of the local folks who sign up to perform pieces,” Henry told Cabin Radio.
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On Sunday, March 8 – which is International Women’s Day – Renzetti will host What She Said: Conversations About Equality from 2-4pm at the Prince of Wales Northern Heritage Centre. The discussion, which will focus on the state of gender equality in Canada, is based on Renzetti’s book of the same name.
Tickets for both events are available on Eventbrite.
Henry said the events aim to bring the community together around important topics.
“There’s a community of people out there who are working towards change and I think we are going to see a lot of those people showing up for this discussion,” she said.
The International Women’s Day gatherings are the fourth and fifth official events in NorthWords NWT’s 2026 season.
Henry said there’s more to come, including the NorthWords NWT Writers Festival in May. All visiting authors have been confirmed, and their names will be announced once the full schedule is finalized.
