Bouchercon 2026 Update: March 2026

In This Issue

• Welcome
• Anthology Giveaway
• Meet the Guests of Honour – Kevin Sands
• Kids' Bouchercon
• Anthony Awards Updates
• Call For Historic Photos
• Fun Facts
• Check out the Explore More Pass
• The Official Book Seller for Bouchercon 2026
• Registration and Passport Reminders
• Sponsorship
• Stay Connected

Welcome

Bouchercon is a reader’s convention for anyone who loves mysteries. Each year, we attract fans of crime fiction, published authors, aspiring writers, librarians, large and small publishers, editors, agents, and booksellers.

The 2026 Convention will be held in Calgary, Alberta, Canada for the first time ever and we’re so excited to welcome you to our city. 

Please check our website for more information as events become available.

To see our past newsletters for Bouchercon 2026, click here.

Anthology Giveaway

We hit the milestone of 1,000 registrants and we couldn’t be more excited. To celebrate, we entered our first 1,000 active registrants into a draw to win a print copy of the Bouchercon 2026 Anthology.

Congrats to Richard Quan, of Richmond, B.C. who was our randomly selected winner!

Meet the Guests of Honour: Kevin Sands

Kevin Sands is the Bouchercon 2026 Kids’ Guest of Honour. He lives in Ontario, Canada and is the author of the bestselling and multiple award-winning Blackthorn Key adventures and Thieves of Shadow fantasy heist series.

We are thrilled to have him join us at Bouchercon 2026.

For more information, visit his website here.

Kids' Bouchercon

Bouchercon 2026 will be offering something special for our younger mystery fans. More than 300 young readers will join Kevin Sands, along with other children’s mystery writers, for a full day of presentations, panels, and book signing opportunities at Calgary Central Library. 

Authors interested in presenting at this event should indicate this in their Bouchercon registration.

Watch the website for more exciting updates and registration details here.

Anthony Awards Update

All members who are registered for Bouchercon 2026 in Calgary, or who were registered for Bouchercon 2025 in New Orleans, should have received an e-mail with a link to nominate works for the 2026 Anthony Awards.

For more information, visit the website here. The deadline to nominate is Thursday, April 30, 2026, at midnight EST/9 pm PST.

The five works in each category with the most nominations will make up the final ballot, which will be announced in May and voting for the awards will happen at Bouchercon 2026. The awards will be presented at a live ceremony on Saturday, October 24, 2026.

Happy nominating!

Call for Historic Photos

Bouchercon 2026 would like to celebrate the past forty years of the Anthony Awards, and we need your help. 



If you have photos of previous Anthony Awards ceremonies, the awards, or the winners and are willing to share them with us, you can upload them to the following location: Anthonys History

The photos will be used for a video montage at Bouchercon 2026. We will not use the photos for any other purpose without your permission. Thank you for being a part of this year’s event!

Fun Facts

To help our guests fit in, we’ve gathered a few Canadianisms you might need to learn before you arrive.

• A toque is a wool hat or beanie you might need to keep your ears warm when you arrive.
• A toboggan is a sled so you can slide down our snow-covered hills.
• A double-double is a coffee order: two sugars, two creams. Try ordering it at a Tim Hortons while you’re here.
• A loonie/toonie are coins worth $1/$2 respectively.
• A chinook is a warm westerly wind that blows in from the Rocky Mountains. We’ll be hoping for one in October for our guests used to warmer climates.
• A washroom is the bathroom/restroom. Make note of this in case you need it.
• Eh? Is an excellent way to end any sentence. ie. That was a great hockey game, eh?
• A Hoser is a buffoon. Be careful who you insult, Canadians are nice, but this one stings.



Check out the Explore More Pass

Unlock 25 + exclusive deals on Calgary's top attractions, restaurants, and more with this free digital pass. 



Sign up for your Explore More Pass following these simple steps and get ready to explore Calgary:

1. Sign-up: Attendees can sign up here and use our unique promo code BOUCHERCON2026
2. Get the pass: Delivered via text or email - no app needed.
3. Explore & save: Show the pass or book online to redeem exclusive deals.

Plan your itinerary based on these exclusive deals on Calgary's top restaurants, attractions, tours, and more.

Enjoy!

The Official Book Seller for Bouchercon 2026

Congrats to Calgary’s own, Owl’s Nest Books! 

Authors, please reach out to Owl’s Nest Books directly if you would like your book(s) available for sale in the book room. Arranging this is the author’s responsibility. Contact them here to place an order or click here for more information.

Owl’s Nest will be accepting applications for books to be included at their booth until August 31st, 2026.

Registration and Passport Reminders

Bouchercon 2026 registration is available here. Remember to check your passports now, so you have time to renew or apply if you need to.

For more information specific to Canada, please note the information in the Visiting Calgary portion of our website, with emphasis on sections concerning passports, Canadian currency, and using your cell phone.

Did you know? Your registration includes access to all Bouchercon 2026 panels, sessions, Guest of Honour interviews, and Convention events including the Opening Ceremonies and Anthony Awards. Also included is access to the hospitality suite (limited coffee and snacks available Thursday through Saturday) and Convention food events on a first-come-first-served basis.

Please Note: Convention registration and payment can only be completed through the Bouchercon 2026 website. We will never send a link for registration payment via email, PayPal, Zelle, etc. Payments are to Bouchercon Inc., in U.S. dollars.

Sponsorship

Our team is ready to welcome Bouchercon to Calgary, Alberta, for the first time EVER, and we are looking for corporate and community support to help us welcome mystery and crime-writing fans and professionals from around the world. Check out our sponsorship page here or contact us at Sponsorship2026@bouchercon.com for more details.

Sponsor the thrill, sponsor the mystery, sponsor the connection!

Stay Connected

For more updates, follow us on social media or check out our website. Keep checking for updates as more information will be forthcoming on a regular basis and increase as the convention draws closer.

We look forward to seeing you in Calgary!