Bi-annual poetry festival returns to Vashon
Published 1:30 am Tuesday, May 9, 2017
The Vashon Poetry Festival 2017 will kick off its two- day schedule of events with a free community poetry reading open mic at 8 p.m. Friday at the Red Bike and will conclude with a formal presentation by two guest poets at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Kay White Hall.
The theme this year is celebrating shared connections through words — “weaving words that bring us together.”
The informal Friday night event will feature the festival’s two special guests, Washington State Poet Laureate Tod Marshall and Seattle Civic Poet Claudia Castro Luna.
The poets will open the festival by reading a poem, then turn the mic over to audience members, who are invited to read a two-minute original poem. All ages may participate. Vashon Poet Laureate Cal Kinnear and Youth Poet Laureate Majiah Sanson-Frey also will read from their work.
Throughout the evening, musical interludes will be played by Allison Shirk and JD Hobson.
To read an original poem, audience members should sign up at the door of the Red Bike by 7:30 p.m. Friday. Two minutes will be allotted for one medium-length poem or two short ones. Family-friendly language is requested.
Saturday will be a day filled with poetry workshops with Marshall and Luna and four island poets — Merna Hecht, Susan Lynch, Tom Pruiksma and Kinnear. Workshops will be held at the Vashon Library and the Land Trust Building.
Friday’s event is open to all ages until 11 p.m., then ages 21 and older only.
Marshall and Castro will conclude the event with a presentation and reading at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Kay White Hall.
Tickets are $16 for VCA members or students, $18 for seniors, $20 for general or pay what you can at the door. Advance tickets are sold at vashoncenterforthearts.org.
For workshop descriptions and locations plus full festival information, visit vashoncenterforthearts.org/events; facebook.com/vashonpoetrypage; or send an email to vashonpoetryfestival@gmail.com.
