Poetry on the River
-The following first appeared in The Floyd Press newspaper on May 11, 2017
The Little River Poetry Festival is back! Building on last year’s inaugural event, this year’s festival is scheduled for June 9 – 11 and will take place in the meadow of On the Water kayaking during the day and the Floyd Friends Meeting House at night.
The festival is hosted by Norfolk published poets and Poetry Society of Virginia members Judith Stevens and Jack Callan and will showcase featured readers, workshops and open mics. There will be opportunities to explore ekphrastic poetry (descriptive poems inspired by art or scenery) during a kayak trip, a hike to the Buffalo and a birdwatcher’s nature walk.
“Poets with heart” is how Stevens describes this year’s readers and workshop presenters, which will include several regional poets, including Roanoke’s Luci Merlo and Floyd Countian Colleen Redman, who will be reading poems from her recently published chapbook Packing a Suitcase for the Afterlife Saturday afternoon.
Some of the out-of town featured readers include Maddie Garcia of Chesapeake, Star LaBranche of Norfolk, Tanya Cunningham of Williamsburg, Jill Winkowski of Yorktown, Serena Fusek of Newport News, Jay Scott Wilson of Virginia Beach, Don MacKellar of Suffolk, as well as Callan and Stevens.
Music goes well with poetry. Callan hopes musicians will perform along with poets at the open mics, which he calls “the core of the festival.” “Bring anything you have that is creative,” he says, adding that he likes to cross boundaries to connect people through different mediums. Bring a poem you wrote, read a favorite by another poet, or read a chapter from your novel. Writers at all levels are welcome, Callan said.
A 20 x 40 foot performance tent will allow the festival to go on rain or shine. Callan suggests that attendees bring lawn chairs, snacks, a pen and notebook, hiking gear and dress for any possible inclement weather. Mornings and evenings will be broken up with “Walt Whitman Yoga” and
meditation and time for contemplation and renewal will be scheduled in. Meals will be shared at local venues. Some primitive camping is available. Artists can set up their wares for sale for a $25 vending fee.
For $15 a day (drop-ins welcome) or $45 for the three day weekend, attendees can share their poetry or come to soak up the natural setting and creative expression of others. Callan is enthusiastic about the inspiration and interactive exchanges that the festival provides. “How many new poets will we meet that we didn’t know before?” he asks.
Post Notes: Read how the Little River Poetry Festival came to be HERE and about last year’s inaugural festival HERE. To view a complete weekend schedule (from 3 pm Friday to 3 pm Sunday, visit littleriverpoetryfest.com or follow them on Facebook.
