Don’t miss out!
April 23rd-30th 2023
ReWorded, Swimming With Elephants Publications, and Word Humboldt present the 2nd Annual Redwood Poetry Festival! We have new faces, new venues, new poets, new events, and also some of our favorite poets from last year’s events as well!
Last year, for the first time ever, we banded together as a community to present the Redwood Poetry Festival with the hopes it could become a yearly event. We are VERY proud to announce all the events for this year’s festival! We have poets coming from all over the country (and Canada!) to read poems to the good people of our Humboldt County. You showed up to support, cheer, and buy books from all the poets Humboldt had to offer, as well as our visiting poets, and asked us to do it again…
…and well, here we go!
LAST YEAR’S FESTIVAL.
April 4-10
The Lost Coast is home to more poets and artists per capita than any city, county, or state. What better way to show off the local talent than to have a festival!?
This will be a celebration of poetry spotlighting local talent mixed in with nationally acclaimed poets from across the country. This week begins with a workshop on the 3rd of April at the Epitome Gallery and only grows from there.
A week full of events will culminate on April 8th, 9th 10th for the official festival events. Poets from across the country will be descending on Eureka and Humboldt County for a week of open mics, workshops, community building, healing, Jabberwalking, and more. From helping poets get back together in the most beautiful place on the planet to helping locals get their first steps in the world of poetry in fun and educational ways, this is a celebration of Words, and what they can do. With a healthy dose of Humboldt thrown in.
At the Mateel Center on April 9th at 2-7pm(ish) we hope to bring out the community county-wide with music, poetry, and more!
We will begin with DJs and community interaction followed by the opening poem written and read by Eureka Poet Laureate, Wil Gibson. Mixed in throughout the day will be local musicians (Eddie Montana, Judrum, Myles Bullen, Chris Conde, Flo-J Simpson, Ruff Ian, DJ Goldylocks, and more), local poets (Dylan Collins, Harvey Mitchell, Danni Ruggles, Susanna Gibson, Sabrina Sobel, Jen Be, Dave Holper, and more), poets from away (Billy Tuggle -Chicago, Beau Williams-Ireland by way of New England, Miles Bullen-Maine, Chris Conde-New Hampshire, Anna Martinez -New Mexico, Brennan DeFrisco -the former Poet Laureate of Emeryville, CA, Allie Marini -Oregon, and more). DJs spinning as poets are introduced, and (possibly/pending confirmation) a poet modeled fashion show! We would also like use of the kitchen for Mama’s Cookin’ (a local food genius/chef).
We will have snacks and fun treats available, there will be local artisans: painters, visual artists, leatherworkers, candlemakers all tabling the event, as well as tables highlighting performers, poets, and several independent poetry publishing companies.
Word Humboldt 