Last November, it was curtains for the Ojai Poetry Festival. The economic situation made it impossible for organizers to fund and underwrite the extravagant event which planned to bring in poets of the stature Robert Bly.

But a group of local poets stepped forward, chose to tap local talent, and the festival was on again, albeit not in the beautiful Libbey Bowl, but in the still prestigious and gracious Ojai Art Center.

Headlining the Festival this year are  Frank T. Rios and Wanda Coleman; events start soon and go on all day! The whole program is listed below with numerous links to presenters.

Next weekend Ojai’s Libbey Bowl will once again host the Ojai Music Festival. Friday night is “Bloggers Night” ! I’ve been hearing about this festival my whole life but have never attended (it’s expensive and hard to get tickets!) Here’s some background on the Ojai: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ojai_Music_Festival Should be fun!

See you in Ojai!

June 6th at the Ojai Art Center

Day Program

NOON – Greetings! The Program

Sounding the conch – John Kertisz
Sign up for open mic at 1

12:15 – 12:45 SENIOR REPORT

Senior writers from Little House perform selections
Nathaniel Wolper, MC

12:45 – 1 TEEN POET AWARDS

Teens selected from area schools read their poems
Judy Nelson, MC

1 – 2 OPEN MIC

Sign up at noon; anything goes; 3 min. limit
Dave Ray, MC

2 – 2:30 LA POESIA HISPANA / HISPANIC POETRY

Original poetry in Spanish and English

2:30 – 3 RAZOR BABES

Performance poets collaborate on babies, breasts, terrror and t-shirts
Mary Sagala Verieur, MC

3:30 – 4:30 SANTA BARBARA POETS

Poets Laureate David Starkey, Barry Spacks, Perie Longo
with friends Peg Quinn, Paul Fericano
Carol DeCanio, MC

4:30 – 5:30 WORKSHOP: THE GHAZAL

Learn the structure of this ecstatic verse form favored by Hafiz, Rumi, and the mystic Persian poets
Gaby LeMay, Workshop Leader

4:30 – 5:30 THE WORD AS SONG

Voices and Visions – Ellen Johnson and friends
Songs from The Seraphim Rising – Attasalina and Matthew Sewell
Spoken Word / Talking Drum – April Hendrix and Greg Weiser
Lanny Kaufer, MC

DOORS CLOSE at 5:30 and re-open at 7 for the 8pm performance

5:30 – 6:30 OPEN MIC

at Ojai Coffee Roasting Co.
(down the street at Montgomery St. and Ojai Ave.)
Want more? Have a cuppa at the Roasters, read your work and listen to other poets. Enjoy. (WiFi available.)

Evening Program

POETRY AS A WAY OUT

$10 general admission, general seating
Doors open at 7, performance begins at 8

Wine and beer for sale in the courtyard
Books for sale by the poets

Special Guest Jim Lenfestey
Director of the Ojai Poetry Festival, 2003-2007

Music by Chris Sorenson

Marsha de la O.
Jackson Wheeler

10 minute intermission

Frank T. Rios
Wanda Coleman

Tree Bernstein, MC