Cascadia Poetry Festival Returns to Seattle for 8th Edition
TL;DR
Gain insight into the art of poetry and connect with prominent poets and academics at the Cascadia Poetry Festival.
The festival features workshops, panel discussions, and readings at various locations in Seattle from November 1-3, 2024.
The festival celebrates the launch of Cascadia Zen: Bioregional Writings, promoting cultural exchange and understanding through poetry and art.
Join the festival for a unique experience featuring a curated 'symphony of voices' and an open mic monopoem reading.
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The Cascadia Poetics Lab is set to host the 8th Cascadia Poetry Festival in Seattle from November 1-3, 2024. This annual event celebrates the poetry and cultural heritage of the Cascadia bioregion, bringing together prominent poets, academics, and cultural workers for a series of workshops, panel discussions, and readings.
A highlight of this year's festival is the launch of 'Cascadia Zen: Bioregional Writings on Cascadia Here and Now, Volume II,' published by Watershed Press. This anthology, following the success of its predecessor, explores the intersections of bioregionalism, poetics, and Zen, reflecting the unique cultural landscape of the Pacific Northwest.
The festival will feature an impressive lineup of writers and academics, including C.A. Conrad, Fred Wah, Koon Woon, and Claudia Castro Luna, among others. Workshops such as 'Poetry as Walking and Mapping' and 'Writing and Meditative Openness' will offer participants hands-on experiences in exploring the connection between place, poetry, and mindfulness.
In a significant move towards inclusivity, the festival will offer free admission on Saturday afternoon at the Hugo House for two sessions of the Floricanto Cascadia. This event, coinciding with Día de los Muertos, will showcase Indigenous American poets, with a focus on Mexican-American, Chicana/o, and Latinx poetry from throughout Latin America present in Cascadia.
The Cascadia Poetry Festival serves as a crucial platform for celebrating and preserving the unique literary voice of the Cascadia bioregion. By bringing together diverse voices and perspectives, the event fosters a deeper understanding of the region's cultural identity and its connection to the natural environment. The festival's focus on bioregionalism and its incorporation of Indigenous voices highlight the growing importance of place-based literature in addressing contemporary environmental and cultural issues.
Supported by various arts and cultural organizations, including the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities Washington, the festival underscores the significance of poetry in shaping regional identity and fostering cross-cultural dialogue. As the Pacific Northwest continues to grapple with rapid changes in its social and environmental landscape, events like the Cascadia Poetry Festival play a vital role in articulating the region's evolving narrative and preserving its cultural heritage.
Curated from 24-7 Press Release
