Poetry fest drawing near Poetry fest drawing near (March 05, 2004)

Deadline tomorrow for early-bird entries, poetry contest

Things are gearing up for the third annual Pleasanton Poetry and Arts Festival and Poetry Contest being held Saturday, April 3. The daylong festival will be at the CarrAmerica Conference Center, 4400 Rosewood Drive, and will feature poetry workshops with nationally renowned poets.

Other activities include youth poetry workshops, an art show, music, a Poetry Contest Winners' Ceremony and Readings, and a banquet. New this year are poetry publishing workshops and a youth visual arts workshop.

Early registration for $65 requires a postmark of March 6 at the latest, then the price goes up to $80. Youth workshops are free but require registration.

Poetry contest entries must also be postmarked no later than March 6. Categories are youths in four different age categories and adults, and there is more than $1,000 in prizes. For more information, visit the Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council Web site at www.pleasantonarts.org.

Free activities will be open to the public between 3 and 5:30 p.m., and include a Fine Arts Show by the Pleasanton Art League and other regional artists; a book signing; and a meet-the-poets-and-artists reception hosted by Pleasanton Poet Laureate Kirk Ridgeway. There will also be musical entertainment by flute ensemble Con Moto, and by K.C. Jiang, playing classical and Celtic melodies.

Poets and artists include Robert Sward, William Minor, David Alpaugh, Susan Wooldridge and Madelynn Ellis.

The banquet, scheduled from 5:30-7 p.m., will include reading of the winning entries for the poetry contest. Banquet reservations must be made one week in advance. -Dolores Fox Ciardelli
A day of poetry

What: Third annual Pleasanton Poetry and Arts Festival Where: CarrAmerica Conference Center, 4400 Rosewood Drive When: Saturday, April 3 Who: Hosted by Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council, the city of Pleasanton, and CarrAmerica Realty Corp. Cost: $65 early bird; $80 after March 6; free to youths Banquet only: $25 adults and youths Information or banquet tickets: Charlene Villella, 931-5350

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