Some of the North State’s most accomplished writers will be reading their words in downtown Chico on Saturday, but not before seven poets from the Inspire School of Arts and Sciences inaugurate the Allies Lit Fest.
The Inspire students will present at the all-day literary festival beginning at 11:15 a.m., with readings, discussions, performances and book signings continuing into the evening at The Allies Pub. The event is free and open to the public.
The pub is located in the 400 block of Broadway Street next to Stoble Coffee. Its entrance is on the west side of the building facing Salem Street.
The Inspire students range from freshmen to seniors. They took part in a poetry enrichment class taught by Inspire Principal Becky Brown called “The Poetry of Things.”
“In the class, we discussed spoken word poetry and the power of words to help us process and share our experiences,” Brown said. “We are delighted to have been invited to Lit Fest and to celebrate and learn more about folks in Chico practicing their art through the written word.”
Inspire poets listed on the festival’s schedule include Aspen White, Arabella Alido, Jordan Pinnow, Lyn Boucher, Onyx Wells, Lazuli Hart and Allyson Avery.
Steve Kay, proprietor of The Allies Pub, has high hopes for the festival, which he wants to become an annual event.
“What I hope to see will be students, educators, local authors and the community enjoying coming together in one space,” Kay said. “I hope attendees discover new writers, engage in thoughtful conversation, and walk away energized about the role literature plays in building a thoughtful, connected community.”
Saturday’s festival will begin at 11 a.m. with welcoming remarks from Steve Metzger, followed by the Inspire students’ readings. A “Short Story Showcase” hosted by Rob Davidson will be held from 11:45 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. Among those reading excerpts from their works will be Davidson, Jean Hegland, Anna Moore, Dimitri Keriotis, Hailey Murphy, Sarah Pape and Casey Lee.
From 12:45 to 1:30 p.m., a book-signing booth will be held for local authors. A “Life in Literature” panel moderated by Pape is scheduled from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. Participating in the discussion will be Davidson, Metzger, Nancy Wiegman, Michelle Ott, Bonnie Pipkin, and Susan Browne. Their theme will be “Why We Read, Why We Write.”
A journalism session featuring Dani Anguiano, who co-authored “Fire in Paradise,” will be held from 2:30 to 3 p.m.
From 3 to 4 p.m., a “Battle of the Bards” hosted by Michael Bertsch will pit human poets vs. AI. An “Open Mic Poetry” session is scheduled from 4 to 5 p.m. Scheduled readers include host Phillip Hemenway, Danielle Alexich, Megan Irene, Amy Antongiovanni, Phil Elkins and Lynn Elliott.
Beginning at 5:30 p.m., Jason Cassidy will perform modern poems set to music with his group J.T. Woodhouse & The Leaves of Grass.
“For The Allies Pub, we hope this is just the beginning of something that continues to grow — a tradition where literature has a visible, vibrant home in downtown Chico,” Kay said. “That’s one reason we’re continuing to underwrite a monthly ‘spoken word’ and ‘battle of the bards’ evening going forwards.”
More information about the Allies Lit Fest may be obtained from Kay at 530-570-9526 or st***@*******************ry.com.
Freelance journalist Dave Waddell is a festival participant.