Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District – Nevada County Arts Council proudly announces the return of Sierra Poetry Festival, a premier literary event set in the heart of California’s Gold Country. From the rolling foothills to the rugged High Sierra, this vibrant gathering of poets, thinkers, and literary voices celebrates the power of words to inspire, challenge, and transform.
Spanning late March through early May, Sierra Poetry Festival unfolds as a month-long literary celebration, culminating in a full-day mainstage event on Saturday, April 12 at The Center for the Arts. This festival is more than a single day—it’s a movement. The accompanying SPF Fringe Festival spreads poetry across the region through pop-up readings, performances, and interactive workshops, all coinciding with National Poetry Month and California Arts, Culture & Creativity Month.
This year’s festival takes inspiration from Seamus Heaney’s The Cure at Troy, echoing its most stirring lines:
History says, Don’t hope On this side of the grave. But then, once in a lifetime The longed-for tidal wave Of justice can rise up, And hope and history rhyme.
With Hope and History as this year’s guiding theme, the festival delves into poetry’s role in capturing the past, confronting the present, and imagining a more just future. Through readings, performances, and discussions, poets explore their role as chroniclers of history and visionaries of change.
A Celebration and a Feast
“The Sierra Poetry Festival is a treasure—a celebration and feast. The range and caliber of the poems, the community spirit, the generosity and thoughtfulness running through every part of the event— all were an enormous pleasure to be a part of, as speaker and as listener.
Long may it thrive.”
—Jane Hirshfield, 2024 Festival Keynote Speaker
This year’s keynote is delivered by the inimitable Kim Addonizio, an award-winning poet, novelist, and essayist renowned for her fearless, emotionally charged work. A recipient of NEA and Guggenheim fellowships and two Pushcart Prizes, Addonizio fuses poetry with music, creating evocative spoken-word albums such as My Black Angel. Her latest poetry collection, Exit Opera (2024), explores time, mortality, love, and loss—an unflinching meditation on art’s place in the human experience.
Joining Addonizio on the Main Stage are:
- Anthony Cody, CantoMundo fellow and National Book Award finalist (Borderland Apocrypha, The Rendering)
- Brynn Saito, award-winning poet and CSU Fresno professor (Under a Future Sky)
- Armen Davoudian, Stanford PhD candidate and poet (The Palace of Forty Pillars)
- Mai Der Vang, Pulitzer Prize finalist and author (Yellow Rain, Afterland)
- Cloudy Rhodes Carrier, Sacramento’s 2020 Youth Poet Laureate (Receipts of Ungiven Gifts)
Local Voices & New Traditions
Nevada County’s own literary talent takes center stage with:
- Karen Terrey, Nevada County Poet Laureate
- Joey Henry, Nevada County’s inaugural Youth Poet Laureate
- Judy Crowe, acclaimed poet (Flat Water: Nebraska Poems, The Watching Sky)
The festival proudly highlights emerging voices, featuring finalists from the county’s Poetry Out Loud competition and winners from the community Open Mic, hosted by Jori Phillips.
In Conversation: The Intersection of Hope & History
One of the festival’s most anticipated events, the Annual Conversation, brings together:
- Randall Mann, celebrated poet
- Christopher Childers, acclaimed translator and classicist
- Annie Finch, visionary poet and scholar
Moderated by Maxima Kahn, this thought-provoking dialogue examines poetry’s role in shaping memory, resilience, and renewal.
SPF Fringe: Poetry Without Borders
Beyond the main event, the SPF Fringe offers a dynamic lineup of literary experiences:
- Ekphrastic Poetry at ASiF – A beloved tradition now in its third year
- Experimental collaborations between poets, musicians, and dancers
- Workshops in cafés and libraries, inviting the public to explore poetry in an intimate setting
- Nevada City’s first-ever Poetry Pub Crawl, where poetry and revelry intertwine
New events are added regularly—visit www.sierrapoetryfestival.org for updates.
Get Your Tickets!
Sierra Poetry Festival believes in making poetry accessible. Students of all ages, active military, veterans, and Gold Star families enjoy free admission with valid ID. Secure your tickets today at www.sierrapoetryfestival.org.
For more about Nevada County Arts Council, visit www.nevadacountyarts.org.
What: Sierra Poetry Festival
When: Saturday, April 12, 2025
Doors Open: 8:30AM | Concludes: 6:00PM
Where: The Center for the Arts, 314 W Main St, Grass Valley
Who: Hosted by Nevada County Arts Council
Admission: $20-$45 | Free for Students, Military, Veterans, and Gold Star FamiliesInfo & Tickets: www.sierrapoetryfestival.org