Subject: Schedule for Purdy Country Literary Festival #3 (PurdyFest)
July 19/09
Here’s the schedule for our third annual Purdy Country Literary Festival (PurdyFest). PurdyFests celebrate the Canadian People’s Poetry of such poets as Milton Acorn and Al Purdy. PurdyFests also celebrate the ruggedly beautiful “Country North of Belleville”, immortalized by Purdy in this beloved poem. All events are free, and most events will offer everyone attending a chance to read some of their poetry.
THURSDAY, JULY 30: HAIKU DAY
Noon: gather by the shaman shack at ZenRiver Gardens in the hamlet of Malone
12:30 to 1:30: tour of ZenRiver Gardens
1:30 to 4 pm: Poets can sit by the river or wander about ZRG and compose haiku poems for sharing later in the afternoon.
An excursion for those interested will visit the Zen Forest Buddhist retreat near Actinolite.
4 pm: Poets will gather by the shaman shack to share their creations. Claudia Coutu Radmore and Terry Ann Carter will lead in the writing of a linked haiku composition (renku).
FRIDAY, JULY 31: POTLUCK SUPPER AT ZENRIVER GARDENS
From 4 pm onwards poets, neighbours and friends will share a potluck supper by the river.
Popular guitarist/singer Morley Ellis will perform after dinner, and everyone can share stories and poems around the campfire.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1:
1 to 2:30 pm: A SYMPOSIUM ON AL PURDY in The William Shannon Room of The Marmora Public Library Building. Presenters include PurdyFest co-founders James Deahl and Terry Barker, and internationally acclaimed poet David Day. Barker’s paper titled “Quinte Renaissance” is of special local significance.
5 to 5:30+ pm: Musicians Morley Ellis and Kent Bowman will perform on the island in the Marmora Dam.
Poets will read from 5:30 in a round robin ‘open set’ for ANOThER DAM POETRY READING.
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The above three days are the ‘official’ PurdyFest. On Sunday, Aug. 2, events move to our sister festival in Brighton. Publishers Tai and Kim Grove will host the Canada-Cuba Literary Alliance (CCLA) Festival featuring two main events. An evening reading at China King Restaurant will launch “AND LEFT A PLACE TO STAND ON”, a fund raising anthology dedicated to Al Purdy which includes poetry by over a dozen of the poets who attended last summer’s PurdyFest.
On Monday, Aug. 3, poets are encouraged to visit Al Purdy’s gravesite in the village of Ameliasburgh for another informal PICNIC WITH AL.
For further information on PurdyFest please contact Chris Faiers at zenriver[at]sympatico[dot]ca
For info on the CCLA events in Brighton, please consult the CCLA website, or contact Tai Grove.