In 1992, Life Rattle staged the first Totally Unknown Writers Festival featuring new writers who read their work before a live audience, carrying on the oral tradition of storytelling.

Life Rattle staged the festival annually with grant support from the Ontario Arts Council and the Toronto Arts Council. The Festival always attracted a capacity crowd of people from varied Toronto communities to the Rivoli Club on Queen Street West.

Each year Life Rattle Press published a collection of the stories read at the Festival.

Are you reading at the festival? Visit the Festival readers Guide