La 62e édition du Salon du livre du Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean est en cours à Place Centre-Ville à Jonquière, se poursuivant jusqu’au dimanche 4 octobre. Bringing together more than 350 authors for roughly 360 activities, the annual literary gathering serves as a regional reunion for the literary community.
Essential Highlights of the 62nd Jonquière Literary Gathering
- Direct Industry Engagement: The event emphasizes face-to-face dialogue between authors working in specialized niches, educators, and families to bridge the gap between specialized books and consumer adoption.
Connecting Creators Directly with Readers in Jonquière
As the first major book fair of the year in Quebec, the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean event sets an early commercial and cultural baseline for regional literature. For authors working within specialized niches, the physical floor provides a vital antidote to digital saturation. Children’s author and speech-language pathologist Marie-Claude Dufour noted that shelf placement alone often fails to convey the underlying value of targeted educational titles. Direct conversations with parents and educators allow creators to explain specific learning objectives that drive their collections.
Visitor Diran Arslanian, attending with his son Louis, pointed out that face-to-face interactions demystify the publishing process for younger readers. By putting a recognizable face to a name, families can explore learning materials with deeper context. Diran Arslanian and his son Louis took advantage of advice from an author present on site to select a reading learning book. Philippe Fortin-Villeneuve, president of the board of directors for the Salon, described the event as a vital homecoming where the literary arts become tangible through direct contact between the public and regional artists.
Literary Prizes and Regional Honors
Gabriel Marcoux-Chabot received the Roman/Récit/Nouvelles prize for his work Godpèle. For Marcoux-Chabot, winning the award in his home region reinforces a profound sense of place and belonging within the local creative ecosystem.
Gérard Bouchard secured the general interest category with Terre des humbles, while Priscilla Plamondon-Lalancette earned the discovery prize for Steak, blé d’Inde, patates. La savoureuse histoire de la gastronomie québécoise. These honoree selections receive enhanced visibility through main-stage interviews and a dedicated exhibition at Parc Mars running through January. In addition to benefiting from broad visibility before, during, and after the Salon, the authors of the winning works received $10,000 in grants for a first year, meaning $2,000 per category. The awarding of these grants would not have been possible without the financial support of the Université du Québec à Chicoutimi as well as the region’s cégeps, according to the Salon du livre organizers.
| Category | Winning Title | Author(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Roman / Récit / Nouvelles | Godpèle | Gabriel Marcoux-Chabot |
| Jeunesse | Skidoo et loups-garous | Sébastien Gagnon and Michel Lemieux |
| Poésie / Théâtre | Cinéma | Stéfanie Tremblay |
| Intérêt général | Terre des humbles | Gérard Bouchard |
| Découverte | Steak, blé d’Inde, patates | Priscilla Plamondon-Lalancette |
Expanding Programming and Specialized Discussions
Beyond traditional book signings, the 62nd edition features an extensive slate of intimate panel discussions and multimedia events. Guests tackle diverse contemporary themes, including political discourse with Robert Frosi, the romance subgenre with Jessyca David, artificial intelligence with Michel Rochon, and identity explorations with Lisa-Marie Gagnon and Uashteskun.
Accessibility remains a core focus of the weekend schedule. The Toup’tit Salon hosts youth-centric fantasy programming, complemented by specialized events such as Quebec Sign Language (LSQ) storytelling sessions led by AQEPA Saguenay on Saturday at 10:45 a.m. and Sunday at 2:45 p.m., bilingual readings offered by Éco-02 in collaboration with the Bibliothèques de Saguenay on Friday at 6:30 p.m., and public appearances by media personalities like ICI Musique host Alexandre Courteau, who will visit the Salon on Saturday at 9:30 a.m. to read an adventure of El Kapoutchi as part of an activity presented by Radio-Canada Saguenay.
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