Skagit poets holler and get community support

The Skagit River Poetry Foundation made the crowd holler as they hosted their summer party, Make Me Wanna Holler, on a cool Sunday afternoon at Pioneer Park on July 21.

Every summer we host a music and poetry event to honor and thank our community for their support and raise awareness for our organization. As the grill and band heated up, board members and volunteers took food orders and chatted with guests as they arrived.

Guests relaxed with their lunch in the amphitheater surrounded by towering firs with views of the Swinomish Channel and the Rainbow Bridge as they enjoyed acoustic blues by the Delta Promenade Band. Dedicated volunteers served up salmon burgers, hamburgers, brats, pulled pork, cole slaw, ice cream and cold drinks. Ice cream drumsticks and Oreo sandwiches were crowd favorites.

After the band picked and plucked their strings and songs, the stage was set for the poetry open mic. Many guests took over the mic and shared their hearts and minds with the audience. From the applause, words inspired and moved the crowd.

We thank everyone who came out to support poetry and our nonprofit. We also thank our hardworking volunteers who made this event possible and the Delta Promenade Band. 

Our mission is to support lifelong literacy and cultural diversity in local schools through our Poets in Schools program, and by hosting poetry and cultural events throughout the year. Every other year we host the Skagit River Poetry Festival in La Conner that brings poets from diverse backgrounds and places on the globe to the Skagit Valley for three days of inspiration, engagement and transformation. We are presenting the 2024 Skagit River Poetry Festival on Oct. 3-5. Tickets are on sale now on our website, skagitriverpoetry.org. Thirty five poets will host workshops, discussions and readings, including Ellen Bass, Robert Wrigley, Ilya Kaminsky, Tony Curtis, Samuel Green, Arthur Sze and M.L. Smoker. Volunteers who help at the festival for at least six hours will receive free admission. To sign up, visit SkagitRiverPoetry.org/Volunteer. Don’t miss out on this year’s festival. 

Cora Thomas is the Poetry Foundation’s executive assistant and Poets in Schools coordinator.