A selection of poetry (and occasionally other literary) events going on in Washington State (and occasionally beyond) with links for more information. Information is current to the best of our knowledge; please confirm with venues.
Mondays – poetrynight featured poet and open mic, Bellingham
Tuesdays - Seattle Poetry Slam presents a featured poet plus open mic and slam, Re-bar, Seattle
Tuesdays – SPLAB Living Room, a weekly all-ages, all-skill-levels writers’ critique circle, Seattle (active September-June)
Wednesdays – Write Time, a weekly drop-in writing circle for teens, Richard Hugo House, Seattle
Thursdays – Poetry and acoustic music, Café Zippy, Everett
30 – Elizabeth Austen, Kathleen Flenniken and Dorothy Trogdon, University Bookstore, Seattle
30 – Rose Alley Press presents Sharon Hashimoto, Donald Kentop, Belle Randall, Michael Spence and Richard Wakefield, Good Shepherd Center, Seattle
31 – Queer Poetry Open Mic, Fairhaven College Auditorium, Western Washington University, Bellingham
31 – Garth Stein reads, Mid-Columbia Literary Festival, Gjerde Center, Pasco
1 – Ann Spiers and Susan J. Erickson featured poets, Village Books, Bellingham
1 – Dana Levin, Open Books, Seattle
1-3 – Vortex: Hedgebrook’s Weekend Salon for Women Writers, Freeland, Whidbey Island
3 – Readings from the latest issue of Drash: Northwest Mosaic, Ravenna Third Place Books, Seattle
5 – About the Book, Mid-Columbia Literary Festival, Bookwalter Winery, Pasco
5 – Open Books sponsors a reading by Lucia Perillo, Chapel Space / Good Shepherd Center, Seattle
7 – Poetry writing group meets first Thursdays, Village Books, Bellingham
7 – Writing competition winners’ event, Mid-Columbia Literary Festival, Columbia Basin College, Pasco
8 – Distinguished Writer Series with Timothy Walsh, plus open mic, King’s Books, Tacoma
12 – Sierra Nelson, Arlene Kim, Rachel Kessler, Kevin Craft, Jason Whitmarsh and Anonymous read and celebrate, Richard Hugo House, Seattle
14 – Featured poet, Judith Skillman, plus open mic, Fogdog Gallery, Arlington
14 – Words and Wine Poetry Night, Blend Wine Shop, Lakebay
14 – It’s About Time Writers Reading Series features Joan Moritz, Alex Bleeker, Greg Bern and Corbin Lewars plus open mic, Ballard Branch, Seattle Public Library
17 – Clarion West Writers Workshop begins, through July 27, Seattle
21 – Bardstormers, a poetry study group facilitated by Barbara Gobus, presents a reading by Susan J. Erickson, 1:00pm, Bob’s Burgers and Brew (Sudden Valley), Bellingham
21 – Terry Tempest Williams reads from When Women Were Birds, Bellingham High School
22-23 – Chuckanut Writers Conference, Bellingham
23 – The Nature of Haiku, all-day workshop with Michael Dylan Welch, Mount Vernon
25 – Open mic with Laurel Leigh, Village Books, Bellingham
28 – Chloe Caldwell and Diana Salier read essays and poems, Richard Hugo House, Seattle
30 – A reading from Fault Lines Poetry, a new journal, Gig Harbor Library, Gig Harbor
5 – Poetry writing group meets first Thursdays, Village Books, Bellingham
8-22 – Port Townsend Writers Conference, Port Townsend
9-15 – 25th Anniversary Summer Fishtrap Gathering of Writers, Wallowa Lake, OR
10 – John Morgan reads poetry, Village Books, Belllingham
12 – Featured poet, Peggy Barnett, plus open mic, Fogdog Gallery, Arlington
12 – It’s About Time Writers Reading Series featuresDon Kentop, Diana Brement, Michael Schein and J.T. Stewart plus open mic, Ballard Branch, Seattle Public Library
19-22 – Pacific Northwest Writers Conference, Seattle
20 – SpeakEasy, a poetry round-robin featuring Jim Bertolino, Anita K. Boyle, Jennifer Bullis, J.I. Kleinberg and Jeanne Yeasting, The Amadeus Project, Bellingham
29 – Fault Lines Poetry, a new journal of west coast poetry, hosts a reading celebrating its inaugural edition, Richard Hugo House, Seattle
3-5 – Willamette Writers Conference, Portland, OR
9 – Featured poet, Lana Hechtman Ayers, plus open mic, Fogdog Gallery, Arlington
9 - It’s About Time Writers Reading Series features Steve Hersch, Mitsu Beni Akiyama Sundvall, Helen Landalf and Donna Miscolta, plus open mic, Ballard Branch, Seattle Public Library
17-20 – Sun Valley Writers’ Conference, Sun Valley, ID
22 – Readings from the latest issue of Drash: Northwest Mosaic, Queen Anne Books, Seattle
25 – Watermark Writers presents words by Jack McCarthy and music by Robert Silverman, Vaughn
26 – Sept. 1 – Conversations Across Borders presents Red State/Blue State Writers Workshop, Spokane
7-9 – Poets on the Coast Writing Retreat for Women, Newport, OR
13 – It’s About Time Writers Reading Series features Bethany Reid, Iraq Mohebalian, Leigh Clifton Goodwin and Ann Teplick on the Writer’s Craft, plus open mic, Ballard Branch, Seattle Public Library
21 – Lana Hechtman Ayers, Penelope Scambly Schott and Christine Swanberg, Bookworm Exchange, Seattle
21-23 – LiTFUSE 2012, Tieton
22-23 – Northwest Bookfest, Kirkland
23 – Word on the Street, Vancouver, BC
4-5 – Dorianne Laux reading and interview, Seattle Arts and Lectures
6-7 – Write on the Sound Writers’ Conference, Edmonds
9 – How to Write Like I Do presents Elizabeth Austen, 826 Seattle
11 – It’s About Time Writers Reading Series features African American Writer’s Alliance and Pamela Hobart Carter on the Writer’s Craft, plus open mic, Ballard Branch, Seattle Public Library
11-14 – Wordstock Festival, Portland, OR
13 – Poet Laureate Kathleen Flenniken teaches an afternoon poetry workshop to benefit the Sue Boynton Poetry Contest (details to come), Bellingham
16-21 – Vancouver International Writers Festival, Vancouver, BC, Canada
1-30 – NaNoWriMo
8 – It’s About Time Writers Reading Series features Rita Weinstein, Jonathon Moore, Katy E. Ellis and Sharon Cumberland on the Writer’s Craft, plus open mic, Ballard Branch, Seattle Public Library
2-4 – IslandWood presents Poetry in the Woods: A Weekend with David Whyte, Bainbridge Island
8 – Kelli Russell Agodon reads, King’s Books, Tacoma
1-30 – National Poetry Month and NaPoWriMo
