2010 Schedule: Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival

2010 Schedule: Valley International Poetry Festival

Sponsored by
Art That Heals, Inc. * McAllen Chamber of Commerce * South Texas College * El Zarape Press *

~Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival: Established 2008~

"Let the plethora of words commence!"

The Narciso Martínez Cultural Arts Center

Founded by Daniel Garcia Ordaz and Brenda Nettles Riojas/Creative Director: Vanessa Brown

Now Seeking Sponsors to join Art That Heals, Inc., the Mcallen Chamber of Commerce, South Texas College, the Narciso Martínez Cultural Arts Center, El Zarape Press, and Heredado Designs.

Phone: (956) 358-7211

Celebrate National Poetry Month . . .

. . . With a plethora of international poets!

Please note: the 2010 schedule is here, but please check back for updates!

WHAT: "3nd Annual Valley International Poetry Festival & "Poetry Pachanga IV"
WHEN: April 22, 23, 24, 25, 2010
WHERE: Click Here to see a list of 2010 venues across the Rio Grande Valley of South Texas
TIME: Event times will vary throughout the weekend.
FYI: All events will be free and open to the public, except where noted as private. Books, Chapbooks, CDs, T-shirts, etc., for sale. Please supportthe poets.
Contact: Daniel García Ordaz, Founder, @ 956-358-7211

Be part of the audience at readings in Mission, McAllen, Pharr, Weslaco, Brownsville, San Benito, South Padre Island, in the Rio Grande Valley of deep South Texas and Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico!

VIPF is the only known poetry festival with concurrent readings in two countries!

ALL EVENTS FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
(unless otherwise noted)

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
(Please check www.vipf.org for updates on schedule.
Poets listed are scheduled to appear, but may not be available as listed.)
Free Admission * Tax-Deductible Donations to 501 (c) nonprofit organization are welcome
Visit www.vipf.org/venues.html for addresses, contact information, and details about each venue/location listed below.
Thursday, April 22, 2010
Boundless 2009: Anthology Release Reception (McAllen)
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
McAllen Chamber of Commerce Conference Room

Meet special guest Viola Canales, author of The Tequila Worm, featured poet Amalia Ortiz, star of HBO's "Def Poetry Jam," and featured poet Michael Guinn, slam poet from Fort Worth.
Listen to readings from anthologized poets. Wine and cheese. Copies of Boundless 2010, the anthology of the Rio Grande Valley Poetry Festival, available for $10 apiece. 124 pages of poetry by authors from across Texas, California, Illinois, and even poems from London and India.
Note: Copies of Boundless 2010 are perfect-bound; anthology includes poems by 49 poets. Wine and cheese reception and readings to follow; Registered poets check-in.

Friday, April 23, 2010
Poets in the Schools (private)
Poets in the Schools (private)
Juarez-Lincoln High School:—9 a.m. to 12 p.m. (tentative)
McAllen Memorial High School: Oscar C. Peña and Michael Guinn—9 to 4 p.m.
Edinburg North: Amalia Ortiz and Lady Mariposa—12 to 4 p.m. (tentative)
Youth Poetry Slam Contest (Mission)
6:00 – 6:45 p.m.
Jitterz Coffee Bar
Note: Recitation contest open to high school students; 6:00 register to compete.
Slam Rules: www.vipf.org/yslam.html
UT-Pan American Student and Faculty Readings (Mission)
6:45 – 7:45 p.m.
Jitterz Coffee Bar
Note: While we respect freedom of speech, this is a family establishment; appropriate language is expected; inappropriate language will not be tolerated.
Open Mic (Mission)
7:45 – 8:30 p.m.
Jitterz Coffee Bar
Note: While we respect freedom of speech, this is a family establishment; appropriate language is expected; inappropriate language will not be tolerated. Sign up with M.C.

Featured Poet Reading: Jesse G. Herrera (Mission)
8:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Jitterz Coffee Bar

Featured Poet Reading: Michael Guinn (Mission)
8:45 – 9:05 p.m.
Jitterz Coffee Bar

Adult Poetry Slam (Mission)
9:05 – 9:55 p.m.
Jitterz Coffee Bar
Note: Recitation contest open to registered poets only. Master of Ceremonies: Michael Guinn, Featured Poet
Slam Rules: www.vipf.org/slam.html
Note: While we respect freedom of speech, this is a family establishment; appropriate language is expected; inappropriate language will not be tolerated.
Saturday April 24, 2010
Potluck Desayuno/Breakfast (McAllen)
9:30 – 10:00 a.m.
McAllen Chamber of Commerce Board Room
Note: Please bring something to eat and drink, preferably to share.
Readings: Galeria 409 (Brownsville)
10:00 – 12:30 p.m.
Hosts: Mark & Betty Clark
Featuring: Diana Domínguez, Yolanda Barrera, Brenda Nettles Riojas, Jay Alvarez, Oscar C. Peña, Juan M. Pérez, Frank Piña, Arturo Saldaña, Julieta Corpus, Alan Oak, Lady Mariposa, Virginia Torres, Lauren Espinoza, Diana T. Cordova, Lina Suárez
Book Presentation: Chamber of Commerce (McAllen)
10:00 – 10:55 a.m.
Board Room
Hosts: Josie Mixon and P.C. McKinnon
Award-winning poet Josie Mixon discusses her third book, Off The Beaten Path; Mixon is a survivor of sexual and domestic violence and abuse. McKinnon is her biographer.
Workshop: Chamber of Commerce (McAllen)
11:00 – 11:55 p.m.
Board Room
Host: Shirley Rickett, author of Dinner In Oslo
Description: Finding the nugget in your poem.
Note: Please bring ten copies of your poem to share with other participants.
Readings: Narciso Martínez Cultural Arts Center (San Benito)
12:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Host: NMCAC
Featuring: Adriana Babiak-Vázquez, Oscar C. Peña, Robin Cate, Juan M. Pérez, Julieta Corpus, Luis Vázquez, Diana Domínguez, Tim Smith, Amalia Ortiz, Rudy H. García, Jay Alvarez
Workshop: Chamber of Commerce (McAllen)
12:00 – 12:55 p.m.
Board Room
Host: Dr. Steven P. Schneider, professor of English at UT-Pan American
Description: I will illustrate how photographs and works of art can be used as a catalyst to inspire students’ writing. Each participant will write a poem in response to a photograph or work of art.
Readings: Jitterz Coffee Bar (Mission)
12:00 – 1:50 p.m.
Host: Gabriel de la Garza
Featuring: Daniel García Ordaz, Jesse G. Herrera, Ken Jones, Laura Reagan-Porras, Meliton Hinojosa, Linda Romero, Jesús Beltrán II, Cory Raymond, Josie Mixon, P.C. McKinnon, Ernesto Dueñas
Readings: Museo Casamata (Matamoros, Tamaulipas)
12:30 – 2:00 p.m.
Host: Museo Casamata
Featuring: Kenneth Treviño, Arturo Saldaña, Yolanda Barrera, Brenda Nettles Riojas
Note: Passport is required; carpooling likely.
Book Presentation: Chamber of Commerce (McAllen)
1:00 – 2:00 p.m.
Conference Room
Host: Dr. Steven P. Schneider and Reefka Schneider Description: Borderlines: Drawing Border Lives (Wings Press, 2010) is a bilingual collection of poems written by Dr. Schneider in response to a series of 25 drawings by his wife, Reefka.
Note: Books available for sale.

Spotlight on Mexican Poets: Chamber of Commerce(McAllen)
2:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Conference Room
Host: Efraín González
Featuring: featuring Arnulfo Vigíl, Vicky Rodríguez, Lucía González, Efraín González, Armando Alanis, Gabo de Montemayor, Yolanda Barrera
Note: Books available for sale.
Readings: Paragraphs On Padre (South Padre Island)
2:30 – 4:30 p.m.
Host: Joni Montover
Featuring: Kenneth Treviño, Juan M. Pérez, Diana Domínguez, Rudy H. García, Amalia Ortiz, Tim Smith, Alan Oak, Lady Mariposa, Virginia Torres, Lauren Espinoza, Diana T. Cordova, Lina Suárez
Readings: Savory Perks (Weslaco)
2:30 – 4:45 p.m.
Host: Savory Perks
Featuring: Jesse G. Herrera, Oscar C. Peña, Laura Reagan-Porras, Meliton Hinojosa, Shirley A. Rickett, Jay Alvarez, Cory Raymond, Josie Mixon, P.C. McKinnon
Readings: South Texas College: Mid-Valley Campus (Weslaco)
3:45 – 4:45 p.m.
Host: Arnold Becho, Librarian
Featuring: Mona D. Sizer, Oscar C. Peña, Adriana Babiak-Vázquez, Luis Vázquez, Rolando Villafuerte
Readings: Public Library (Pharr)
3:45 – 5:30 p.m.
Host: Adolfo García, Director
Featuring: Daniel García Ordaz, Juan M. Pérez, Frank Piña, Laura Reagan-Porras, Linda Romero, Jesús Beltrán II, Lady Mariposa, Diana T. Cordova, Lina Suárez, Virginia Torres, Lauren Espinoza, Cory Raymond, Ken Jones, Ernesto Dueñas
*Poetry Pachanga Dinner (*private)
McAllen Chamber of Commerce Main Hall
6:00 – 6:50 p.m.
Note: Dinner for Registered Poets and their Guests
Only ($10 per guest: Poets RSVP with Brenda by Thursday)
4th Annual Poetry Pachanga: Musical Performance by Karen Eubanks (McAllen)
Chamber of Commerce Conference Room
7:00 – 7:45 p.m. (Doors Open at 6:45 p.m.)
Karen Eubanks is a young singer/songwriter with country/soulful/pop vocals and an emotional, natural delivery. Catch the rising star of the Rio Grande Valley music scene.
4th Annual Poetry Pachanga: Readings (McAllen)
Chamber of Commerce Conference Room
7:45 – 10:30 p.m.
Featuring All Registered Poets: Armando Alanis, Jay Alvarez, Adriana Babiak-Vázquez, Yolanda Barrera, Jesus Beltran II, Vanessa Brown, Robin Cate, Diana T. Cordova, Julieta Corpus, Diana Dominguez, Ernesto Dueñas, Lauren Espinoza, Daniel García Ordaz, Rudy H. García, Efraín González, Lucía González, Jesse G. Herrera, Meliton Hinojosa, Katherine Hoerth, Kenneth Jones, P.C. McKinnon, Josephine Mixon, Gabo de Montemayor, Brenda Nettles Riojas, Alan Oak, Amalia Ortiz, Oscar C. Peña, Juan M. Pérez, Francisco Piña, Jr., Cory Raymond, Laura Reagan-Porras, Shirley A. Rickett, Virginia Rodriguez Garza, Linda F. Romero, Arturo Saldaña, Veronica Sandoval, Steven P. Schneider, Mona Sizer, Lina Suárez, Tim Smith, Virginia Torres, Kenneth Treviño, Luis Vázquez, Arnulfo Vigíl, and Rolando Villafuerte.

Sunday April 25, 2010
Special Event: Gloria Anzaldúa Burial Site Visit (Hargill)
10:00 a.m.
Meet at UTPA Bookstore parking lot, 1201 W. University Dr., Edinburg
Note: We will depart the parking lot at 10:10 a.m. after sorting out carpool.
Call Daniel at 956-358-7211

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[2010 Registered Poets] [2010 Featured Poets] [2010 Schedule of Events] [2010 Venues] [2010 Poetry Pachanga] [2010 Sponsors & Sponsorship Opportunities] [2010 Volunteer Opportunities] [2010 Youth Poetry Slam] [2010 Adult Poetry Slam] [2010 Registration] [Boundless 2010 Anthology Submissions] [2010 VIPF Home]