WOODLAND PATTERN’S POETRY MARATHON CELEBRATES 30 YEARS
MILWAUKEE, WI (January 22, 2024)—Riverwest’s Woodland Pattern Book Center is gearing up for its 30th Annual Poetry Marathon, which will take place virtually on the weekend of January 27 and 28, 2024, from 10 am to 10 pm on both days.
This year’s event will feature more than 300 poets of all ages, as well as contributions from musicians and moving image artists, from Milwaukee and around the globe.
Included in the poetry line-up of Woodland Pattern friends old and new are showcases of several Milwaukee-based publishers, including Genre: Urban Arts, Moody the Zine, pitymilk press, and WYRD—who will join in with small press endeavors from around the country, including the African Poetry Book Fund, Bloof Books, City Point Press, and Oxeye Press, as well as a features from two local series, Out There and Palm Readings.
The 30th Anniversary Marathon will also gather a number of special segments curated by partner organizations such as Indigenous Nations Poets, Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets, Wisconsin Poet Laureate Commission, and Veterans for Peace, as well as a brand new episode of Milwaukee Kitchen (which has been described as “the only surrealist cooking show” in the world).
This year’s celebration will kick off on Saturday with an hour featuring youth from around the city, including a performance from Milwaukee’s First-Ever Youth Poet Laureate Emily Igwike.
The Poetry Marathon is not only an important cultural tradition but also serves as Woodland Pattern’s most important fundraiser, providing fuel for more than 400 literary and other arts programs in the year ahead. Presenting this year’s Marathon is Wisconsin’s Own Library, a unique collection of Wisconsin authors and illustrators owned by the General Federation of Women’s Clubs-Wisconsin, with funding provided by the Gwendolyn M. Schultz Charitable Fund.
While there is no cost to attend the Poetry Marathon, audience members are encouraged to make a ticket donation or sponsor a poet. Those interested will find a schedule of participating poets, links for attending online, information on limited-edition T shirts designed by artist Nomka Enkhee, and a full list of sponsors at www.woodlandpattern.org/poetry-marathon.
Find more press releases HERE.