An annual literary festival with Caribbean focus and international scope, bringing together writers, readers, performers, and publishers for a five-day celebration of books and writing.

At the heart of the NGC Bocas Lit Fest are a series of readings by some of Trinidad and Tobago's and the Caribbean's finest writers of fiction and poetry - from authors of books already considered contemporary classics to prizewinning newcomers.

At each session, writers read from their recent books, discuss their work, and answer questions from the audience. This is a chance to encounter some of your favourite writers up close. Each reading includes a book-signing session, and books are available from the participating booksellers.

The readings series also includes a special focus on talented emerging writers. Every year, the NGC Bocas Lit Fest New Talent Showcase selects exceptionally talented writers who are yet to publish their first book, and give them a platform to share their work and engage with a larger audience.

And because some of the liveliest contemporary poetry lives not on the page but on the stage, the NGC Bocas Lit Fest showcases Trinidad and Tobago's vibrant performance poetry scene, with daily performances and open mic sessions in the National Library's Abercromby Street arcade.

Curated by Jean Claude Cournand and Mickel Alexander, these sessions will change your ideas about what poetry can be.