Category: Book-ish Market

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Book-ish Market – Thank You!

Oh my God, you guyyyyysssss!!!

On a day when Toronto is experiencing what feels like a typhoon, when bricks and mortar businesses are posting notices about closing early due to inclement weather, when it literally hasn’t stopped raining all day, you all still stepped up!

Yes, there were fewer of you. But those of you who braved the weather still came out and shopped. And for books!

Thank you to everyone who made the trek, wrecked their umbrellas, occasionally got drenched to the skin… and supported our vendors.

Thank you to the many authors, publishers, artists, and artisans who trusted us enough to take part in our first Book-ish Market. We fully believe that the lower turn-out was due to the weather and not the theme or merchandise, and we’re already planning more of these for next year.

And of course, thank you to everyone at Ground Control. We love you all to pieces and couldn’t possibly do this without your assistance and support.

We’re back at Ground Control for our annual Goth Pride Market on June 20th, featuring 35+ artists and artisans from the 2SLGBTQ+ community. We hope that you will join us for a market that is guaranteed to be joyous, welcoming, and fucking fabulous!

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Book-ish Market – Today!

Book-ish Market
Saturday, May 23rd
11am – 5pm
Ground Control
1279 Queen St. W.

Please join us today, Saturday, May 23rd from 11am – 5pm for our first Book-ish Market where we’ll be hosting 40+ authors, writers, and small press publishers, as well as makers of zines, graphic novels, and magazines, plus other artisans of all styles, with a focus on beautiful stationery, cards, journals, and other items essential to readin’ and writin’!

Meet authors and publishers of dark fiction, fantasy, romance, and thrillers, find your favourite new comic, periodical, or zine, or stock up on blank journals, stickers, bookmarks, and bags.

Also, don’t miss the ‘Reading Room” on the Ground Control stage where local tarot readers will read your cards, palms, or tea leaves.

Our market is (mostly) family-friendly, our venue is fully accessible (except for the stage), the bar will be open so you can sip while you shop, and there’s an ATM on site.

Admission is free.

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Book-ish Market – Goth Shopping

If you’re coming to check out our Book-ish Market on Saturday, why not make a day of it and visit some of the other cool markets and events taking place in the GTA on the same day?

Visit us first at:

Book-ish Market
Saturday, May 23rd
11am – 5pm
Ground Control
1279 Queen St. W.

Then check out these other events…

Horrorama runs all day Saturday at 918 Bathurst Street, with a selection of horror films, seminars, and vendors of horror-related wares.

The Toronto Queer Market runs on Saturday at Barbara Hall Park in the gay village with a variety of vendors and drag performances, and the Good Friends Market hosts their Gay Friends Market at Dundas Street West and Dovercourt.

Further from downtown Anime North is running at the Toronto Congress Centre, and the Ontario Markets Book Fair and Craft Market takes place at the Vic Johnston Community Centre, both in Mississauga.

We hope you visit us, obviously, and check out our 40+ authors, artisans and artists. We’ve got an amazing selections of books, magazines, comics and more, as well as a fabulous selection of handmade goods with a focus on writing material and reading- and literature-themed goods.

Also, don’t miss the ‘Reading Room” on the Ground Control stage where local tarot readers will read your cards, palms, or tea leaves.

Our market is family-friendly, our venue is fully accessible (except for the stage), the bar will be open so you can sip while you shop, and there’s an ATM on site.

Admission is free.

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Book-ish Market – Tomorrow

Book-ish Market
Saturday, May 23rd
11am – 5pm
Ground Control
1279 Queen St. W.

Please join us on Saturday, May 23rd from 11am – 5pm for our first Book-ish Market where we’ll be hosting 40+ authors, writers, and small press publishers, as well as makers of zines, graphic novels, and magazines, plus other artisans of all styles, with a focus on beautiful stationery, cards, journals, and other items essential to readin’ and writin’!

Meet authors and publishers of dark fiction, fantasy, romance, and thrillers, find your favourite new comic, periodical, or zine, or stock up on blank journals, stickers, bookmarks, and bags.

Also, don’t miss the ‘Reading Room” on the Ground Control stage where local tarot readers will read your cards, palms, or tea leaves.

Our market is (mostly) family-friendly, our venue is fully accessible (except for the stage), the bar will be open so you can sip while you shop, and there’s an ATM on site.

Admission is free.

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Book-ish Market – One Week Away!

Our Book-ish Market is only one week away! Come visit us and check out the coolest books, zines, magazines, comics, and more! Plus we’ll also have great stuff to write on in the form of journals, stationery, cards and postcards, and stickers, as well as book-related stuff like tote bags and bookmarks, And some vendors of art, jewellery, toys, and decor… all made by talented local artists and artisans. Plus don’t miss our tarot “Reading Room” on the stage with Madame de Savoye and Alien Toronto Tarot available to predict what the future has in store for you!

So mark your calendar and dust off a shelf to make room for all the wonderful stuff you’ll be bringing home.

Book-ish Market
Saturday, May 23rd
11am – 5pm
Ground Control
1279 Queen St. W.

Admission is free.

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Book-ish Market – List of Vendors

We are so excited for our first Book-ish Market. We’ve got 40+ authors, small press publishers, comic artists, zinesters and creators of cool book-related stuff like journals, bookmarks, tote bags, stationery and more.

Plus, don’t miss our tarot “reading room” on the Ground Control stage where three of Toronto’s most fabulous tarot card readers will be set up to tell you your future. (We predict you’ll buy a lot of books!)

We’ll be running full vendor profiles on many of these folks leading up to the event, but in the meantime, check out their accounts to see what glorious delights they’ll have in store for you!

And then come and join us:
Saturday, May 23rd
11am – 5pm
Ground Control
1279 Queen St. West

Admission is free

Participating Vendors…

5th Rock
Aaron Lebold – Author
Ace of Cups Crafts
Alien Toronto Tarot
Alli Temple Books
Ban/She
Bvrcreationsshop
Chaotic Neurotic Creations 
Chloe Carmilla Rose 
Christian Baines
Created by Vall
Dave Sheppard
Dianna Gunn
Dylan Madeley, Author 
eX Press Art 
Executive Demon 
Ezra Mire 
Fever Dream Supreme 
Flesh_Artistry
Frank Paul Beghin 
Genevieve Clovis
Hazie Days
Hill Mary Full Of Grace 
Huesera: Textiles and Bones
Kxtana Studios 
Luna Craft
Madame de Savoye 
Matthew Fries
Michael Morton Illustration
Mirsktoons 
Noel Zaid 
Pastel Dumpster 
PattiCake & Patrician 
Pit of Eden
PLUNDER SHOCK
R. Haven 
Rachel Callahan 
Solkius
Stormbound Books 
Tamara Hecht, indie author 
The Great Lakes Horror Company
VK Thiran 
Wired by Kerry
Xen Publishing 

Vendor call for this market is now closed. Please do not contact us to be added, but visit our Vendor Information page to join the mailing list to receive notice of all upcoming vendor calls.

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Vendor Call Now Closed – Book-ish Market

The vendor call for our Bookish Market on May 23rd is now closed. We thank everyone who expressed interest in taking part.

All applicants, including those on the waiting list, will be contacted no later than April 2nd. Please check your inboxes and spam folders.

We ask that artisans who did not apply during the vendor call please do not contact us asking for a spot – any cancellations will be filled from the existing wait list.

To avoid missing calls for future events, be sure to sign up for our vendor mailing list. https://www.torontodarkartsmarket.com/apply/

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Final Vendor Call – Book-ish Market

That is part of the beauty of all literature. You discover that your longings are universal longings, that you’re not lonely and isolated from anyone. You belong.” – F. Scott Fitzgerald

Last chance to apply to be a vendor at our Book-ish Market. This event is intended to provide an in-person market environment for literary creators, with an emphasis on alternative genres and sub-cultures.

Unsure if this is the place for you and your work? Dark, weird, and spooky wins out over normal and mainstream, but we will consider all applications to create a curated mix of alternative literature, writing-related wares and art and craft items.

Open to:

  • authors (self-published or signed)
  • small press publishers
  • publishers of zines, chapbooks and periodicals
  • creators of book accessories such as pens, bookmarks, tote bags, etc.
  • makers of journals, stationery, cards, and other writing paraphernalia
  • creators of other art or craft items

Date: Saturday, May 23rd, 2026
Open to the public: 11am – 5pm (free admission)
Location: Ground Control
1279 Queen Street West, Toronto
Fully accessible venue with wifi and ATM on site

Application deadline: Tuesday, March 31st, 1pm
All applicants, including those on the waiting list will be notified of their inclusion status no later than April 2nd.

Full details and application form at: www.torontodarkartsmarket.com

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Vendor Call Reminder ‒ Book-ish Market

”The reading of all good books is like a conversation with the finest minds of past centuries.” – Rene Descartes

We are now welcoming applications from vendors for our first Book-ish Market. This event is intended to provide an in-person market environment for literary creators, with an emphasis on alternative genres and sub-cultures.

Unsure if this is the place for you and your work? Dark, weird, and spooky wins out over normal and mainstream, but we will consider all applications to create a curated mix of alternative literature, writing-related wares, and art and craft items.

Open to:

  • authors (self-published or signed)
  • small press publishers
  • publishers of zines, chapbooks and periodicals
  • creators of book accessories such as pens, bookmarks, tote bags, etc.
  • makers of journals, stationery, cards, and other writing paraphernalia
  • creators of other art or craft items

Date: Saturday, May 23rd, 2026
Open to the public: 11am – 5pm (free admission)
Location: Ground Control
1279 Queen Street West, Toronto
Fully accessible venue with wifi and ATM on site

Application deadline: Tuesday, March 31st, 1pm
All applicants, including those on the waiting list will be notified of their inclusion status no later than April 2nd.

Full details and application form at: www.torontodarkartsmarket.com

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Call For Vendors ‒ Book-ish Market

“A room without books is like a body without a soul.” – Cicero

We are now welcoming applications from vendors for our first Book-ish Market. This event is intended to provide an in-person market environment for literary creators, with an emphasis on alternative genres and sub-cultures.

Unsure if this is the place for you and your work? Dark, weird, and spooky wins out over normal and mainstream, but we will consider all applications to create a curated mix of alternative literature and writing-related wares.

Open to:

  • authors (self-published or signed)
  • small press publishers
  • publishers of zines, chapbooks, graphic novels, and periodicals
  • creators of book accessories such as pens, bookmarks, tote bags, etc.
  • makers of journals, stationery, cards, and other writing paraphernalia
  • creators of other art or craft items with a book or literary theme

Date: Saturday, May 23rd, 2026
Open to the public: 11am – 5pm (free admission)
Location: Ground Control
1279 Queen Street West, Toronto

Fully accessible venue with wifi and ATM on site

Application deadline: Tuesday, March 31st, 1pm
All applicants, including those on the waiting list will be notified of their inclusion status no later than April 2nd.

Full details and application form at: www.torontodarkartsmarket.com