The second Cascadia Poetry Festival happens May 1-4, 2014, at Seattle University’s Pigott Auditorium and Spring Street Center. The following schedule is subject to change. A Gold Pass is $25 for the whole weekend and you can get your Gold Pass here by using Paypal. Some events have limited space and will be first come-first served.

Mother Tongue Publishing

Thursday, May 1, 7:30p, Force Field reading, featuring poets from the first all women anthology of British Columbia poets in 34 years. Judith Roche is emcee. Poets are: Joanne Arnott (Richmond), Jaqueline Baldwin (Prince George), Yvonne Blomer (Victoria), Jen Currin (Vancouver), Daniela Elza (Vancouver), Mona Fertig (Salt Spring Island), Cathy Ford (Sidney), Kim Goldberg (Nanaimo), Alisa Gordaneer (Victoria), Heidi Greco (White Rock), Sonnet L’Abbe (Vernon), Daphne Marlatt (Vancouver),  Hannah Main–van der Kamp (Powell River), Susan Musgrave (Haida Gwaii), Miranda Pearson (Vancouver), Linda Rogers (Victoria), Renee Sarojini Saklikar (New Westminister) and Melanie Siebert (Victoria) at Spring Street Center, 1101 15th in Seattle at the corner of 15th & Spring.

Friday, May 2, 9a-1p, Daphne Marlatt Workshop:  In a Word, or Many: Where Language meets Terrain. Limited to 15 participants. This poetry workshop (which does not exclude prose) will investigate the ways words come to us in the act of writing when we situate ourselves on the threshold between our outer and inner worlds, with language as the sill for that threshold.  We will look at how perception works linguistically, moving through lexicon and syntax, and relationally, within the locale, creatures and persons that sustain us. There will be writing time in the workshop as well as time for discussion and exchange. ($80 and not included in the Gold Pass.) Spring Street Center, 1101 15th in Seattle at the corner of 15th & Spring.

Friday, May 2, 3-5p, Living Room. A free and open democratic reading where people read their own work and listen to others in a circle format. No gold pass is necessary for entry. Spring Street Center, 1101 15th in Seattle at the corner of 15th & Spring.

Small Press Bookfair. Starting Friday at 6p. 30 small presses from around the bioregion display their wares and introduce you to poets from around Cascadia. Runs through the weekend in Paccar Atrium at Seattle U.

Friday, May 2, 7:30p-9p, Keynote Reading. George Bowering (Vancouver), Joanne Kyger (Bolinas), George Stanley (Vancouver), Kaia Sand (Portland) and Emily Kendal Frey (Portland). Pigott Auditorium.

Friday, May 2, 10p, Beer Slam, 8 Cascadia poets compete for the right to be crowned Cascadia Beer Slam Champ: Kim Goldberg (Nanaimo, BC), Heidi Greco (White Rock, BC), Robert Lashley (Tacoma and Bellingham, WA), dan raphael (Portland, OR), Anastacia Tolbert (Mukilteo, WA), Spring Street Center, 1101 15th in Seattle at the corner of 15th & Spring.

Saturday, May 3, 9a-10:10a, Cascadia Geography: Place & Spirit, David McCloskey, Professor Emeritus at Seattle U and Founder of the Cascadia Institute. The “Father of Cascadia” says: “Cascadia is a real place! A quick tour of the latest images and understandings of Cascadia’s geography and ecology making it a distinctive bioregion with its own character and context.” Paccar Atrium at Seattle U.

Saturday, May 3, 10:20a-11:30a, Panel 1: Cascadian Poetics: Innovations from Here. Nadine Maestas (Seattle) facilitates a panel on what is innovative in Cascadia poetry. Panel includes: Jeanne Heuving (Seattle), Joanne Kyger (Bolinas), George Stanley (Vancouver), Jen Currin (Vancouver). Paccar Atrium at Seattle U.

Saturday, May 3, 11:40a-12:50p, Panel 2: Geoactivism (Geography & Activism). Mary Baylor (Edmonds, WA) Facilitates a panel including: Joanne Arnott (BC), Eric De Place (Seattle), Trevor Carolan (North Vancouver), Susan McCaslin (Fort Langley, BC), Kaia Sand (Portland, OR). Paccar Atrium at Seattle U.

Saturday, May 3, 3-5p, Living Room. A free and open democratic reading where people read their own work and listen to others in a circle format. No gold pass is necessary for entry. Spring Street Center, 1101 15th in Seattle at the corner of 15th & Spring.

Saturday, May 3, 7:30p-9p Force Field/Feminists (Allergic to Cats) Reading. Emceed by Judith Roche (Seattle) and Jocelyn McDonald (Seattle) this is an all women reading alternating between Northern Cascadia poets and those of Southern Cascadia. Pigott Auditorium at Seattle U.

Saturday, May 3, 10p-? The After Party. 30+ poets from around Cascadia read one poem each with lots of time for socializing between the three sets. Spring Street Center Reception Hall (downstairs). Spring Street Center, 1101 15th in Seattle at the corner of 15th & Spring.

Sunday, May 4, 9a-10:10a. Roundtable Discussion featuring selected faculty members. A discussion of the work so far. What did you love? Paccar Atrium at Seattle U.

Sunday, May 4, 10:20a-11:30a. Panel 3: Geopoetics (Regional Ecology & Poetics): Gordon Miller (Seattle U), Facilitator. Panel: Sonnet L’Abbe (BC), Derek Sheffield (Wenatchee, WA), Melanie Siebert (BC), Renee Sarojini Saklikar (New Westminster, BC) and Daphne Marlatt (Vancouver). Paccar Atrium at Seattle U.

Sunday, May 4, 11:40-12:50p. Panel 4: Bridging the Border: Cascadia Poetry MOOC. Paul Nelson (Seattle) facilitates. Panel: Nadine Maestas (Seattle, Jared Leising (Seattle), Jim Jones (Seattle), Maleea Acker (Victoria), Tod Marshall (Spokane). Paccar Atrium at Seattle U.

Sunday, May 4, 3-5p, Living Room. A free and open democratic reading where people read their own work and listen to others in a circle format. No gold pass is necessary for entry. Spring Street Center, 1101 15th in Seattle at the corner of 15th & Spring.

Sunday, May 4, 7:30p-9p, Closing Reading. Heather McHugh (Seattle), Frances McCue (Seattle), Stephen Collis (Vancouver) and Maged Zaher (Seattle.) Pigott Auditorium at Seattle U.

Cascadia 3 is set for Victoria, BC, May 1-3, 2015.