The festival idea was born when a small group of local citizens and businesspersons spontaneously came together ten years ago around the goal of giving greater exposure to the art of writing and the joys of reading in an area already famed for its colony of artists in other media. Originally, that group consisted of literacy advocate Myrna Stephens; Wendy Reid, owner of The Design Gallery; poet Britt Kaufmann; children’s book author Karen Miller; artist Anne Sabri, and health care consultant and aspiring writer Ruth Perschbacher Price and her husband, historical novelist Charles F. Price. Now it also includes Dr. Dan Barron, former director of the Avery-Mitchell-Yancey Regional Libraries, downtown booster Lucy Gregory Doll, poet and community volunteer Kathy Weisfeld, librarian, runner, super-mom and new director of the Avery-Mitchell-Yancey Regional Libraries Amber Westall Briggs, artist and arts advocate Jane Brown Willig, and many others.
Poetry Near You
Are you looking to connect with poets or find opportunities to hear or study poetry? To find poetry events and resources near you, simply enter your zip code in the search field below.
| Date | Title | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Brooklyn Poets Staff Picks: Javeria Hasnain, Ajula Van Ness-Otunnu, M. Valdivia | ||
| Solitary Plover Reading | ||
| Poetry in the Park: Siwar Masannat, Soham Patel, R. B. Simon, and Ty Newcomb | Milwaukee, WI | |
| Group Poetry Reading: Watershed Moments | Milwaukee, WI | |
| CAConrad: Listen to the Golden Boomerang Return | Charlottesville, VA | |
| Megan Pinto, Jimin Seo, and Spencer Williams | Brookyln, NY | |
| PSA Reading Series: Hala Alyan & Carl Phillips | Brooklyn, NY | |
| Marianne Chan: Leaving Biddle City | Charlottesville, VA | |
| Chapbook Fellowship Winners Reading: Bridget O'Bernstein, Sahar Romani & Dujie Tahat | Brooklyn, NY | |
| Luisa A. Igloria: Caulbearer | Charlottesville, VA |