POETPALOOZA 2016

Village Lights will host POETPALOOZA 2016: Pluralistic Appalachia, Friday evening, April 22nd, through Sunday, April 24th, with hourly readings and signings by acclaimed poets from Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, and West Virginia, including Poets Laureate of Kentucky and Indiana and members of The Affrilachian Poets and the Southern Appalachian Writers Cooperative. This year’s Poetpalooza celebrates the deeply pluralistic, and oft neglected, literary culture of Appalachia. This year’s Featured Independent Press is Bottom Dog Press of Ohio, and our Featured Literary Journal is Pine Mountain Sand & Gravel, a publication of the Southern Appalachian Writers Cooperative in partnership with Dos Madres Press.

The public is invited to take the stage for Friday evening’s Open Mic Kick-Off, emceed by Madison poet Jill Kelly Koren, who will also read, and framed by sets from the ever-popular Reservoir Dogwoods, spoken word performers extraordinaire. Indiana poet, Tony Brewer, and his typewriter, will provide “Poetry on Demand” in front of the store through the evening on Friday “as the mood strikes.” Join us Saturday morning for Mini-Quiches and Mountain Music (eggs for the quiches provided by City Hens Urban Homestead Supply Co.) and live music provided by Appalachian musicians Sherry Cook Stanforth, Michael Henson, and John Sheckler. Saturday evening will close with more live Appalachian music. Sunday will offer chapbook-making and writing workshops, presented by Sarabande Books and the Young Poets of Louisville with material support from Artist & Craftsman Supply of Louisville. The workshops are open to the public by advance registration - call the store for info. The day will end with an Open Mic Closer, and, again, the public is invited to participate.

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Friday, April 22
5:00p      The Reservoir Dogwoods (IN)
5:30p      Open Mic & Poetry on Demand
6:30p      Jill Kelly Koren (IN)
7:00p     The Reservoir Dogwoods

Saturday, April 23
10:00a    Mini-quiches & Mountain Music
11:00a    Larry Smith, Bottom Dog Press (OH)
12:00p    Mitchell L. H. Douglas, The Affrilachian Poets (IN)
1:00p      Richard Hague, Southern Appalachian Writers Cooperative (OH)
2:00p      Maurice Manning (KY)
3:00p      Danni Quintos, The Affrilachian Poets (KY)
4:00p      Lee Pennington, Kentucky Poet Laureate, 1984
5:00p      Dinner break
6:00p      Crystal Good, The Affrilachian Poets (WV)
7:00p      Jeremy Dae Paden, The Affrilachian Poets (KY)
8:00p      Sherry Stanforth, Southern Appalachian Writers Cooperative (OH)
9:00p      Michael Henson, Southern Appalachian Writers Cooperative (OH)
10:00p    Appalachian Music

Sunday, April 24
12:00p   Chapbook-making Workshop with Kristen Miller of Sarabande Books
1:00p     Shari Wagner, Indiana Poet Laureate, 2016-2018
2:00p     Richard Taylor, Kentucky Poet Laureate, 1999-2001
3:00p     Jack Ramey (IN)
4:00p     Ron Whitehead, Outlaw Poet (KY)
5:00p     Lance Newman, Roots & Wings/Young Poets of Louisville (KY)
6:00p     Young Poets of Louisville - Writing Workshop with Lance Newman
7:00p     Open Mic Closer