Poetry festival this weekend

The Skagit River Poetry Festival kicks off tomorrow, Thursday, with a fundraising dinner followed by a literary show with Tom Robbins and Sherman Alexie.

Dinner is at Maple Hall in La Conner from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. and will feature local cuisine with poets seated at every table. Tickets are $100.

After dinner, from 8 to 10 p.m., author Tom Robbins and poet Sherman Alexie are scheduled to take the stage at the La Conner Elementary School gym for an entertaining evening of wit and wordplay. The evening event is $40.

Friday, Saturday and Sunday are filled with workshops and readings at various venues throughout La Conner.

Friday’s sessions are for students only, the rest are for everyone.

After the sessions on Saturday, a poetry and music jam session will be held at La Conner Pub & Eatery from 9:30 until midnight. The Jefferson Rose Band is set to accompany open-mic poetry.

More than two dozen well-known writers and poets are scheduled to participate in the event. Besides Robbins and Alexie, attendees can expect to hear the voices of former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass and Washington State Poet Laureate Elizabeth Austen. Other noted poets and authors include Mark Doty, Native American author Elizabeth Woody, Michael McGriff, Jamaican born Kwame Dawes, and Susan Rich. La Conner’s Georgia Johnson is also in the lineup.

For tickets, visit http://www.skagitriverpoetry.org. Except for sold-out offerings, tickets will also be available at the door.

On Sunday afternoon, a special “Gathering of the Poets” will feature readings from all the featured poets.

The Poetry Festival is held in La Conner every two years and proceeds help the Skagit River Poetry Foundation bring visiting poets to local schools year-round. The poets in the classrooms have given instruction and inspiration to thousands of Skagit County students over the years.