2011 Schedule: Rio Grande Valley International Poetry Festival

2011 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 2011 schedule is being added, but please check back for updates!

WHAT: "4th Annual Valley International Poetry Festival & "Poetry Pachanga V"
WHEN: April 28--May 1, 2011
WHERE: href="http://www.vipf.org/venues.html">Click Here 2011 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 28, 2011
Boundless 2011: Anthology Release Reception (McAllen)
7:00 – 9:00 p.m.
McAllen Creative Incubator: 1001 S. 16th St., McAllen

Meet special guests: featured poet Olivia Gatwood, star of HBO's "Brave New Voices," and featured poets Ken Jones and Jon Davis.
Listen to readings from anthologized poets. Wine and cheese. Copies of Boundless 2011, the anthology of the Rio Grande Valley Poetry Festival, available for $10 apiece. 124 pages of poetry by authors from across the United States, and even poems from Spain, Brazil, Portugal, Iran.
Note: Copies of Boundless 2011 are perfect-bound; anthology includes poems by 49 poets. Wine and cheese reception and readings to follow; Registered poets check-in.

Friday, April 29, 2011
Poets in the Schools (private)
Poets in the Schools (private)
McAllen Memorial High School: Olivia Gatwood—8 to 4 p.m.
San Benito High: Jon Davis
UT-Pan American: Ken Jones
Youth Poetry Slam Contest
Friday, Apr. 29 @ 6:00 – 7 p.m.
Weslaco Public Library Theatre: 525 S. Kansas Ave., Weslaco, TX
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 (Weslaco)
Friday, Apr. 29 @ 7 – 8:15 p.m.
Weslaco Public Library Theatre: 525 S. Kansas Ave., Weslaco, TX

Featured Poet Reading: Ken Jones
Friday, Apr. 29 @ 8:15 – 8:30 p.m.
Weslaco Public Library Theatre: 525 S. Kansas Ave., Weslaco, TX

Featured Poet Reading: Jon Davis
8:30 – 8:45 p.m.
Weslaco Public Library Theatre: 525 S. Kansas Ave., Weslaco, TX

Featured Poet Reading: Olivia Gatwood
8:45 – 9 p.m.
Weslaco Public Library Theatre: 525 S. Kansas Ave., Weslaco, TX

Adult Poetry Slam (Mission)
9 – 10:15 p.m.
Weslaco Public Library Theatre: 525 S. Kansas Ave., Weslaco, TX

Note: Poetry Slam contest open to registered poets only.
Slam Rules: www.vipf.org/slam.html

SATURDAY, APR. 30, 2011
*Potluck Desayuno/Breakfast: 9 to 10 a.m.
Narciso Martinez Cultural Arts Center, 225 E. Stenger St., San Benito
Hostess: Brenda Nettles Riojas, Founder, VIPF
Note--please bring food for yourself and something to share.
McAllen Creative Incubator, 1001 16th St., McAllen, TX
Hostess: ¡Vanessa Brown!, Founding Creative Director, VIPF
Note--please bring food for yourself and something to share.
* Workshops: 10 to 11 a.m.
Vidas Cruzadas: Linda Romero
Narciso Martínez Cultural Arts Center, 225 E. Stenger St., San Benito, TX
Writing testimonio/testimony/memoir poems. Bring a photo that is personal—of a time, a place, a person that is important.
Writing Slam Poetry: Olivia Gatwood
McAllen Creative Incubator, 1001 16th St., McAllen, TX
Youth are especially encouraged to attend.
*Lunchtime Readings: 11:15 a.m.—1 p.m.
Cocina del Caribe, Conway Ave. & 6th St. (105 6th St.), Mission, TX
Hostess: Julieta Corpus
Poets: Alejandro Cabada Fernández, Arturo Saldaña, Julieta Corpus, Jay Álvarez, Juan M. Pérez, Melitón Hinojosa, Irma Guadarrama, Kenneth Treviño
Carino’s Italian Restaurant, 421 E. Nolana Loop, McAllen, TX
Host: Barrio Poet, Edward Vidaurre
Readers: Ken Jones, Olivia Gatwood, Diana Domínguez, Alan Oak, Barrio Poet, Chris Carmona, Sarah E. Williams, Rolando Villafuerte, ¡Vanessa Brown!, Laura Reagan-Porras, Daniel García Ordaz (a.k.a. The Poet Mariachi)
Galeria 409, 409 E. 13th St., Brownsville
Hosts: Mark & Betty Clark
Readers: Jon Davis, Brenda Nettles Riojas, Gene Novogrodsky, Kathy Raines, Virginia Torres, Lady Mariposa, lauren, Lina Suárez, Linda Romero, Kaitlin LaMoine Martin, La Erika
*1:30—3 Afternoon Readings
Paragraphs On Padre, 5055 Padre Blvd., South Padre Island, TX
Hostess: Joni Montover
Readers: Kathy Raines, Mona Sizer, Lori Vermaas, Linda Romero, Olivia Gatwood, Virginia Torres, Lady Mariposa, Lina Suárez, lauren, Kaitlin LaMoine Martin, La Erika
Jitterz Coffee Bar, 1625 Conway Ave., Mission, TX
Host: Gabe de la Garza
Readers: Juan M. Pérez, Ken Jones, Diana Domínguez, Alan Oak, Rolando Villafuerte, Edward Vidaurre, Melitón Hinojosa, Irma Guadarrama, ¡Vanessa Brown!, Daniel García Ordaz
*Late Afternoon Readings: 3-4:30 p.m.
Mexican Consulate/Consulado de México, 301 Mexico Blvd., Suite F-2, Brownsville, TX
Hostess: Brenda Nettles Riojas
Readers: Jon Davis, Brenda Nettles Riojas, Jay Álvarez, Gene Novogrodsky, Alejandro Cabada Fernández, Julieta Corpus, Arturo Saldaña, Laura Reagan-Porras
Weslaco Museum, 500 S. Texas Blvd., Weslaco
Host: Xavier Reyes
Featured Reader: Ken Jones (book signing after presentation)
Readers: Diana Domínguez, Christopher Carmona, Barrio Poet—Edward Vidaurre, Alan Oak, Melitón Hinojosa, Irma Guadarrama, !Vanessa Brown!
*3:30—5 Valley Late Afternoon Readings
Narciso Martínez Cultural Arts Center, 225 E. Stenger St., San Benito, TX
Hostess: Lady Mariposa
Poets: Lady Mariposa, Rolando Villafuerte, Juan M. Pérez, Lina Suárez, lauren, Sarah E. Williams, Kaitlin LaMoine Martin, La Erika, Corey Mangan, Kenneth Treviño
POETRY PACHANGA V
*6—7 p.m. Private Dinner—Registered Poets & Guests (the only private event)
Narciso Martínez Cultural Arts Center, 225 E. Stenger St., San Benito, TX
($10 per guest—pre-pay by Apr. 25 with Brenda)
*7—7:30 p.m. Music by Karen Eubanks
Community Building, 210 E. Heywood St., San Benito, TX (Doors open at 6:30 p.m.)
*7:30—10:30 p.m. Poetry Pachanga V
Community Building, 210 E. Heywood St., San Benito, TX
Welcome: Brenda Nettles Riojas and Daniel García Ordaz, Founders and ¡Vanessa Brown!, Creative Director
Featured Poetas: Jay Álvarez, Jon Davis, Ken Jones, Olivia Gatwood
Poetas: ¡Vanessa Brown!, Jay Álvarez, Alejandro Cabada Fernández, Christopher Carmona, Julieta Corpus, Jon Davis, Diana Domínguez, Lauren Espinoza, Daniel García Ordaz, Olivia Gatwood, Irma Guadarrama, Melitón Hinojosa, Katherine Hoerth, Ken Jones, Corey Mangan, Lady Mariposa, La Erika, Kaitlin LaMoine Martin, Brenda Nettles Riojas, Gene Novogrodsky, Alan Oak, Juan M. Pérez, Laura Reagan-Porras, Linda Romero, Kathy Trenfield Raines, Arturo Saldaña, Mona Sizer, Lina Suárez, Virginia Torres, Lori Vermaas, Edward Vidaurre, Rolando Villafuerte, Sarah E. Williams
SUNDAY, MAY 1, 2011
Gloria Anzaldúa Readings
Meet @ 10 a.m. at UT-Pan American Bookstore parking lot; travel at 10:10 a.m. to Gloria Anzaldúa burial site. Readings onsite. Lunch afterwards.
Hostess: Lina Suárez
Readers: Lori Vermaas, lauren, Lady Mariposa, La Erika, Virginia Torres, Daniel García Ordaz

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[2011 Registered Poets] [2011 Featured Poets] [2011 Schedule of Events] [2011 Venues] [2011 Poetry Pachanga] [2011 Sponsors & Sponsorship Opportunities] [2011 Volunteer Opportunities] [2011 Youth Poetry Slam] [2011 Adult Poetry Slam] [2011 Registration] [Boundless 2011 Anthology Submissions] [2011 VIPF Home]