Churchmouse After Hours is a monthly neighbourhood coffeehouse with songs, stories, poems and prose on a rotating theme. All are welcome to listen or join in. Note: this is not a literary open mic. Though local authors do participate, we are all readers sharing work we enjoy and admire. We meet on the third Saturday of most months at 1:30 pm at Churchmouse Bookshop in St Mary’s, Oak Bay, 1701 Elgin Rd.
How it all began
Over the course of 2016, St Mary's took steps to make better use of our space, and to create a place where our whole neighbourhood could gather—to read, to discuss, to celebrate. It started with expanded space for the Churchmouse Bookshop, and then, together with some of our creative neighbours, we tried something new.
And so, starting in Spring 2017, the Churchmouse doors opened wide on the fourth Wednesday evening of each month, led by our founding host, poet and journalist Anita Lahey. Local artists, writers, musicians, activists, gardeners, students, seniors and more gathered to celebrate the richness of our neighbourhood and community life, talk about things that matter to us all, and enjoy one another's company. All are welcome to listen or join in.
Crucial to the vision is that this was not a literary open-mic. Though local authors did participate, we were all readers sharing work we enjoy and admire.
And now, after a long break, we Begin Again, on a new day (Saturday afternoons) with new hosts: Cynthia Woodman Kerkham and Yvonne Blomer.
Subscribe to the Churchmouse Books Newsletter and keep up to date on coming dates and themes.
