Poets Picnic at Albuquerque Open Space
Jules’ Poetry Playhouse will have a book table
Sharon Shannon of Escribiente Calligraphy Society has been instrumental in arranging the Weathergrams, and Esther Feske of LIBROS Book Arts Guilde in preparing the chapbooks. Other community partners include Open Space Alliance and New Mexico State Poetry Society. And none of this would happen without the amazing staff at the Open Space Visitor Center.
Poets Picnic featured poets for this year, the truly stellar line-up of Rich Boucher, Ken Gurney, Mary Oishi, and Hilda Raz! Dale Harris and Scott Wiggerman will be facilitating the afternoon readings, which will include an open mic, as well as a special feature of poetry broadsides from the Pressing Letters project.
As always, we will have multiple opportunities for poetry lovers, including a Haiku Workshop, a Haiku Hike, calligraphy demos, musical entertainment, New Mexico small press book sales, broadside display and sales, Weathergram viewing, a children’s poetry display and activity, and let’s not forget a food truck. Most events will take place outside in the courtyard of the beautiful Open Space Visitor Center. Come early enough to view the Weathergrams hanging in the trees on the grounds.
Here is the rough schedule for May 20, including an earlier start time so that we can fit everything in:
Children’s Poetry display in Children’s Activity Room.
10:00 am - 11:30 am Haiku Workshop, OR Haiku Hike. (Registration has NOT opened yet for these!)
10:00 – 3:00 pm Escribiente Calligraphers, Weathergram demos, and sales at front entrance patio tables. Chapbook sales at front entrance patio and other locations.
12:00 – 4:00 pm Live Music and Poetry. Picnic on the patio! Bring a lunch and your picnic blanket. Some seating available or bring your own spectator chairs. Light refreshments available by donation. Food truck fare for purchase.
12 – 4:00 pm New Mexico Small Press book sales and information tables.
12:00 – 12:45 pm Entertainment.
12:45 – 1:00 pm Introduction & Opening Remarks.
1:00 pm –4:00 pm Featured Poets & Open Mic, Estimated time slots:
1:00 pm –2:30 pm Featured poets Rich Boucher, Ken Gurney, Mary Oishi, and Hilda Raz!
2:30 pm –3:00 pm Broadside poets/artists from the Pressing Letters project
3:00 pm –4:00 pm Open Mic by signup (the day of the Picnic)
More to come as we get closer!