2026 Community Festival Programme

Festival Welcome – Bocas Lit Fest welcomes the audience to Bocas Siparia, featuring official remarks and a musical rendition by the students of Iere High School. Venue: Auditorium.

Art Exhibition – ‘All Together Now’, highlighting student art in response to Boboy and the Douens by Al Ramsawak, A Map to the Door of No Return by Dionne Brand, The Year in San Fernando by Michael Anthony, and Guaracara by Fawzia Muradali Kane, from students of San Fernando West Secondary, St. Joseph’s Convent, ASJA […]

A virtual literary tour of South Trinidad, with readings from Michael Anthony’s The Year in San Fernando, Celeste Mohammed’s Ever Since We Small, Ryan Bachoo’s An Unending Search, and Dionne Brand’s The Blue Clerk. Readings by Richard Charan (The Year in San Fernando), Shivanee Ramlochan (Ever Since We Small), Ryan Bachoo (An Unending Search), and […]

One of two community reading experiences that offer a quiet moment, with a book of your choice, during the festival. Hosted by Renee Rampersadsingh. Venue: 1L.

Bocas Lit Fest brings its popular Family Reading Circle to Bocas Siparia, in collaboration with Let’s Read. Venue: 5I.

A fast-paced interactive math activity where students race against the clock to complete a multiplication grid. It’s a fun way for children to build confidence in mathematics while competing with other young learners. Venue: Courtyard.

Stand and Deliver. Our signature open mic journeys to Iere High School! Hosted by Khrystal Wilson, with featured reader Dawad Philip. Pre-registration required. Venue: Auditorium.

Featuring Mikhaela Browne, Michelle Govia, Haylee Ramdath, Dushala Mistry & Karina Maharaj, Ria & Riann Bala, Audra Smith (WHYFARM) and Stories From The Caravan. Venue: 5S-Corner classroom.

A special showcase featuring new creative writing inspired by objects in the collection of T&T’s National Museum and Art Gallery, specially commissioned from writers Ryan Bachoo, Hadassah K. Williams, Vishnu Gosine, Barbara Lalla, Randy Ablack and Jamie J. Philbert. In partnership with the National Museum and Art Gallery. Venue: Auditorium.

South Trinidad authors Richard Charan, Motilal Boodoosingh and Lance Dowrich discuss the importance of place in their poetry and prose, and reflect on writers from South Trinidad whose work resonates with them. Venue: Auditorium.

One of two community reading experiences that offer a quiet moment, with a book of your choice, during the festival. Hosted by Renee Rampersadsingh. Venue: 1L.

The final session of a 3-part writing and performance workshop series, as participants sharpen their skills and prepare to take the stage at the Youth Spoken Word competition, facilitated by Alexandra Stewart. Venue: Balcony.

Is it a bird? Is it a plane? No, it’s Captain Child Rights! Captain Child Rights is the superheroine in the book Simon Needs A Shelter, a child rights story written by Mikhaela Browne, a child rights ambassador. She is one of our local puppets who has been making her way around the nation, teaching […]

Writers discuss the enduring legacies of legendary departed authors of South Trinidad: Angelo Bissessarsingh, Willi Chen, Al Ramsawak, and Rajandaye Ramkissoon-Chen. Venue: Auditorium.

Through a fun and engaging session, children 12 and under will view the ‘All Together Now’ art exhibition, talk about what they see, share their ideas and impressions, and discover that there is no single ‘right’ way to experience or interpret art. Facilitated by Yeana Kelly-Simmons. Register here: https://forms.gle/pPKjnAHn3U64ozLD6 Venue: Tunnel.

The Wilson Siblings is a group of musicians and vocalists. Kaeija, 17, is the lead female vocalist of the National Parang Association Secondary School competition 2025 winners, Bishop Anstey and QRC Combined Parang Group. Kacique Wilson, 14, is the guitarist for Bishop Anstey and QRC Combined Parang Group, and also this year’s 4th place winner […]

The community’s rising spoken word poets face off in the electrifying, closing event. Young poets battle for bragging rights, cash prizes and more, in front of judges. Hosted by Marielle Forbes. Venue: Auditorium.