Wordstock

New Mexico Literary Arts first presented Wordstock as a poetry gathering in 2005 in Santa Fe. By bringing small presses and poets together with comic book artists, teen slam teams, oddball events, and food, the event was an unabashed day of camaraderie and fun. The buzz has been to do it again and so it will now be held at the Harwood Art Center as part of STIR: A Festival of Words on Saturday, September 13 from 10 am to 3:30 pm. Wordstock will feature a small press book fair with tables of established publishers such as La Alameda Press, Tres Chicas Books, Old School Books, West End Press & many others; Acequia Booksellers and others will offer rare & out-of-print books; Libros will be on hand to display and demonstrate bookmaking; other book arts, comic books, and all sorts of printed matter will be on display. Along with the fair will be readings by poets associated with the preses plus a Haiku HooHa “rapid mic” open to all tiny poem afficionados. Harwood Art Center will have their wonderful outdoor Poet’s Plaza in full gear. Workshop and panel discussions will happen concurrently on publishing issues and alternatives. Rumors have it that a poetry catapult will be set up in the yard to fling “clay messages to the universe” and see who can go the distance. The Harwood will also have their kitchen going with guest chefs and delicious food. WORDSTOCK as part of STIR: A Festival of Words should once again prove that bringing all the elements of the poetry community together as celebration can be

downhome revelatory…