Burning Word 2005

The Festival of Poetic Fire!

Which took place at the historic Greenbank Farm on beautiful Whidbey Island, WA Saturday, April 30, 2005 - 9 AM to 8 PM

(Mark Your Calendar Now for Burning Word 2006 April 29, 2006!)

Oh what a time we had at the Washington Poets Association's Burning Word 2005, a dynamic, all-day celebration of poetry, music, performance, and workshops, that featured more than 50 talented poets and musicians, ranging from internationally acclaimed, award-winning poets to up and coming new talents-encompassing traditional oral styles to slam/def poetry to downright experimental performances showing the incredible diversity of poetry. Audiences were mesmerized, inspired, amused and entertained.

The 2005 Main Stage poets in performance kicked off just before 10 a.m. and the poetry and music didn't stop till past 8:00 p.m. Our Festival Headliners were distinguished poet, translator, publisher, activist and editor, Sam Hamill, who also received the WPA's Lifetime Achievement Award, and Canada's legendary bill bissett, who delivered a memorable performance of his influential sound poetry stylings.

WPA Lifetime Acheivement Award winner and featured headliner, Sam Hamill gave a brilliant reading and left us moved and inspired. Photo by Sharon Shoemaker.

Seattle's award-winning Tara Hardy brought passion to the Main Stage and her workshop on performance. Photo by Fredde Butterworth.

Gloria Burgess held us captivated us with her evocative poetry and performance. Photo by Fredde Butterworth.

Matt Gano, a member of Seattle's 20044 & 2005 National Slam Team brought his impassioned performance style to the Main Stage.

Whidbey Island legend Peter Lawlor kicked off the Main Stage with music and poetry. Photo by Fredde Butterworth.

Winner of the 2005 Faith Beamer Cooke Lifetime Achievement Award, noted poet and performer Bart Baxter kept the evening Main Stage session flowing and with his usual charm. Photo by Fredde Butterworth.

A Burning Word visitor enjoys the interactive art and poetry installation Doorgan, by Dharmic Engineers, Ray Pelley and Rob Schouten. Photos by Fredde Butterworth and Sharon Shoemaker

Other outstanding Main Stage talent included: Negesti Abebech, Judith Adams, Robin Barre, Bart Baxter, Sean Bentley, Allen Braden, Gloria Burgess, j.d. crosato, Dustin Miguel Fox, Matt Gano, Murray Gordon, Tara Hardy, Jana Harris, Lorraine Healy, Christopher J. Jarmick, Laura Jensen, Tammy Kay Kaiser, Peter Lawlor, Claudia Mauro, Tim McNulty, Paul E. Nelson, evalyn parry, Peter Pereira, Thomas Pfau, Charles Potts, Dan Raphael, David Ritchie, Mary Lou Sanelli, Sarah Singer, M. Anne Sweet and Project Z, Joni Takanikos, Buddy Wakefield, Michael Dylan Welch, Jane Winslow, Koon Woon, the WPA Student Contest Winners, Bill Yake and the Youth Speaks Slam Team.

Musical guests included guitarist songwriter Beverly Graham, The Jack Knaur Project and Seattle's Sean Bentley, and Detroit native Joe Lawless, the two driving wheels of The Shorewoods.

A second venue at Greenbank Farm's comfortable Jim Davis House, became the House of Open Mics which hosted more than 7 hours of hosted open mic opportunities, special readings and featured readers. WPA board members, visiting poets from New Mexico, Canada, the Midwest and throughout Washington State became featured readers and dozens of festival attendees-published and un-published, young and old poets alike got up to read a poem or two. Featured poets included: Elizabeth Austen, John Burgess, Travis Catsull, Lynn Coffin, Nancy Dahlberg, Murray Gordon, Sarah Singer, David Horowitz, Christopher J. Jarmick, Don Kentop, Priscilla Long, Amalio Madueno, Jack McCarthy, Carlos Martinez, Leonard Orr, Charles Potts, Phillip Randolph, David Rizzi and others. Many declared the various 75 to 115 minute back to back sessions the best poetry readings they ever attended!!!!

Starting at 9 AM our Educational Workshop Tent provided the third festival venue which hosted seven poetry and performance workshops presented by: Elizabeth Austen, bill bissett, j.d. crosato, Tara Hardy, Tammy Kay Kaiser, Leonard Orr, Thomas Pfau, Stephen Roxborough and Michael Dylan Welch.

Burning Word festival also hosted a Small Press Fair featuring sixteen outstanding and varied regional presses, a Festival BookStore, book signings and that inspiring art/poetry installation "Doorgan" by regional artists, the Dharmic Engineers.

Visitors also enjoyed the Whidbey Pies Café and the Farm's wine shop where a lot of interesting conversations took place. Festival-goers strolled around the trails, enjoying the expansive water views. Since last year the parking lot had been paved, new landscaping was put in, a new building that will house a couple of business including an art gallery had been completed.

It was an incredibly full day of celebrating poetry in every conceivable form it exists today. It was also THE place to make new friends, renew old ones and make plans to attend local poetry events and readings. An inspirational, invigorating, exciting, entertaining time was had by all.

So as you look at the pictures from the festival's first 2 years and a click away on another page, remember to make your calendars and be sure that you won't miss the Washington Poets Association's Burning Word 2006 on Saturday April 29, 2006! We can reveal BW 2006 will be even bigger and better with performances sure to take your breath away. A few favorites will return, and many well known poets and performers, some notable up and coming poets and some poets that should be better known will be participating and starting poetic fires in and around everyone in attendance.

Big thanks to all the BW volunteers, hosts, performers, presenters and sponsors - your passionate involvement, commitment, generosity, and talent made Burning Word THE Festival of Poetic Fire! As we have already begun planning 2006, we can reveal it will be even bigger and better with performance sure to take your breath away. A few favorites will return, many of the best up and coming, well known and should be better known poets will be part of.

Special thanks to Fredde Butterworth, Jim Freeman and the amazing Beverly Graham who generously donated equipment, talent and time so that our sound in all venues was top-notch. Laura Blankenship and her Greenbank Farm team were a pleasure to work with, going out of their way to be helpful. Thanks to all the generous people who took out space to publish poetry in our Burning Word Program (which is a collectible keepsake now). We all look forward to next year!

And More special thanks to our major donors, Andy Clay, Bayview Corner, Greenbank Farm, Hedgebrook, Goosefoot Community Fund, Isle of Art, Lindsay Communications, Pemco Foundation, 10Satchi Productions, and Whidbey Telecom.

Washington Poets Association, and the Burning Word festival committee are dedicated to putting on a top-quality festival, paying our poets and musicians, and keeping our ticket price low and accessible. Thanks to the generous support we received, we were able to fulfill our promise. Working together we created a celebration of poetry and community of which we can all be proud.

BUT GUESS WHAT? Burning Word 2006 is going to be even better!!!

Burning Word Festival 2006 on beautiful Whidbey Island at historic Greenbank Farm is scheduled for Saturday, April 29, 2006 from 9:00 AM to 8:00 PM. All Day-All Event passes will be only $15 for adults and $7.50 for students! WPA members who buy early will receive a discount. So remember to join the WPA and don't miss Burning Word April 29, 2006! The festival of Poetic Fire!

Next year's festival will again be held at historic Greenbank Farm, located on beautiful Whidbey Island, at the corner of State Highway 525 and Wonn Road in Greenbank, 18 miles north of the Clinton Ferry dock.

Accommodations/Plan Ahead

(Langley, Freeland and Greenbank Addresses will be closest to the festival site)

Langley Chamber of Commerce
Whidbey & Camano Island Tourism

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