Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District – March 21, 2025: Beginning on World Poetry Day and running through May, the Sierra Poetry Festival is supported by a months’ long fringe festival. Full of pop-up poetry events of all varieties and styles, most are free to the public and open to everyone. The fringe festival is a collaboration between local poets, community members, businesses and Nevada County Arts Council as we head into National Poetry Month and Arts, Culture & Creativity month both locally and at the state level.
Celebrating UNESCO World Poetry Day
Friday, March 21, 12:00-4:00pm at The Book Seller, Grass Valley
Join Nevada County poets throughout the day, as they explore this year’s theme, Poetry as a Bridge to Peace and Inclusion. Poems will be posted on a bulletin board and will be displayed at the Sierra Poetry Festival Main Stage event on April 12, 2025.
Third Annual Ekphrastic Fantastic
Friday, March 28, 5:00pm at ASiF, Grass Valley
A celebration of live poetry in conversation with art created by Artists Studio in the Foothills’s Artists in Residence.Its mission is to bring together—to celebrate and cross pollinate—two distinct and thriving communities of local visual artists and poets, followed by book sales and signing.
Poetry Pub Crawl
Saturday, March 29, 4:00pm participating venues in Nevada City
A festival fundraiser! With performances and workshops hosted at 4:00, 4:30, 5:00, and 5:30, you might have a hard time choosing who you want to see. So get your friends together and join us! Maps are available on the Sierra Poetry Festival Website. This event is free, so we ask you to grab a pint and a pretzel, a poetry themed cocktail, or a glass of wine, from the stops you choose and most importantly, have fun!
Passing of the Laurels
Saturday, March 29, 6:30pm at the Stone House, Nevada City
Following the Poetry Pub Crawl join us at the Stone House for dinner and a poetry themed drink. In celebrating The Passing of the Laurels we are honoring Poet Laureate Emerita, Kirsten Casey, and welcoming our new Nevada County Poet Laureate, Karen Terrey.
Writing Poems Inspired by the Poets and Musicians You Love – a writing workshop for teens
Wednesday, April 2, 3:30pm at the Truckee Library, Truckee
Led by Nevada County Poet Laureate Karen Terrey, participants will use favorite lines and lyrics, along with poetic forms and styles, to breathe inspiration into their own writing.
Five Nevada County Women Poets Read
Thursday, April 3, 6:00pm at The Miners Foundry, Nevada City
In this, their 9th Sierra Poetry Festival pop-up event, five Nevada County Women read their poems. Featured poets include: Nevada County Poet Laureate Emerita Kirsten Casey, Judy Crowe, Molly Fisk, Ingrid Keriotis, and Judie Rae.
Writing Poems of History and Hope
Friday, April 4, 10:30am at the Truckee Library, Truckee
Led by Nevada County Poet Laureate Karen Terrey, participants in this workshop will look at a few insightful poems that integrate social experience of the moment with personal experience. With fun prompts you will write one or two new poems and leave with many more ideas and techniques to play with. No writing or poetry experience necessary! The approaches in this workshop are useful for fiction and memoir too.
Music and Poetry with Quantum
Sunday, April 6, 4:00pm at the North Columbia Schoolhouse, Nevada City “People are always saying how wonderful the meeting of poetry and music can be—but rarely put this opinion to the test. Seeing (and hearing it) in actual practice is rare. Quantum takes the poems of e. e. cummings head on—poems seldom spoken of at all these days—and bends both music and poetry to elegance. He surprises us with control, calm, and power, and makes us look at these poems again, with new eyes and ears, as well.”-Gary Snyder
Poem in your Pocket Day
Wednesday, April 9, at the Madelyn Helling Library, Nevada City
Write a poem, listen to a poem, illustrate a poem, read a poem to a dog. Decorate the Poet Tree. Take home a free poetry book to keep forever.* This program is open to children, youth, and their caregivers.
*Listening dog will be available from 3-4 p.m.
*Free books are available while supplies last.
Wild Writing Wednesday
Wednesday, April 9, 4:00pm at Nevada City Picture Framing & Gallery, Nevada City
Led by Sands Hall, join community members in a lively and fun generative writing session where you will be guided from prompts inspired by the theme of the Sierra Poetry Festival.
Open Mic Poetry Slam Lottery! – Hosted by Jori Phillips
Thursday, April 10, 5:00pm, The Iron Door at The Holbrooke, Grass Valley Now in its second year, readings begin at 5:45pm sharp! Show up early to reserve your space. Compete for the opportunity to read your poem on the Main Stage as part of Sierra Poetry Festival. Three finalists will be selected by our judges. Looking forward to this flash round of poetic voices!
Judged by Clay Stockton, Karen Terrey, and Kirsten Casey.
Sierra Poetry Festival Media Lounge – Hosted by Kimberly Ewing
Friday, April 11, 5:00pm at Nevada City Winery, Nevada City
Join us in welcoming our visiting poets and presenters, and celebrating our founding festival benefactors.
Each one will be interviewed, wine will flow thanks to our no-host bar, and the public is welcome as our media lounge is broadcast live!
Poetry Happy Hour with Kirsten Casey
Thursday, April 17, 5:00pm at Communal Cafe, Nevada City
Led by Poet Laureate Emerita Kirsten Casey, join with community members for a fun afternoon of listening, writing and sharing new works.
Timeless Inspirations: Poetic Persian Music – Reflections in Art
Friday, April 18, 5:30pm at Nevada City Winery, Nevada City
This art exhibition, talk and performance features internationally acclaimed Persian vocalist Marjan Vahdat. Come sip lovely wine while you view the music inspired artwork; then be suspended in timelessness and the pure sound of the heart’s landscape, with a performance by Marjan Vahdat. Her silken voice will stay with you forever.
Survival is a Success of Sorts – Poetic Crossings 2025
Saturday, April 19, 6:00pm at North Columbia Schoolhouse, Nevada City
If poets are the namers of things, as has been suggested, then this work of naming has become, over time, ever more complex. Only by looking back can we observe how well we have named our times, our lives in relation to culture, community, and our place. So, this is an opportunity to look back at our own work, and that of others who have done well in this naming. Featuring Doc Dachtler, Wang Ping, Molly Fisk, and Davis Reeves.
Bear Yuba Land Trust presents – Interactive Poetry Readings for Earth Day Tuesday, April 22, 5:00pm at Wildflower Ridge Preserve, Grass Valley Celebrate Earth Day with an interactive outdoor poetry reading at Bear Yuba Land Trust’s Wildflower Ridge Nature Preserve. Under the cover of heritage oaks with a view of the mountains beyond, Youth Poet Laureate of Nevada County Joey Henry, Poet Laureate of Nevada County Karen Terrey, and Poet Ingrid Keriotis will read poems to the earth, with prompts to inspire participants to write their own odes to nature.
Poetry in Parks
Saturday, April 26, 1:00pm at Empire Mine State Historic Park, Grass Valley Join host Kirsten Casey, Poet Laureate Emerita of Nevada County, for the fourth annual Poetry in Parks event. Listen to poetry under the trees, on the grounds of the historic Empire Mine State Park. High school students from SAEL join local and visiting poets, as they reflect on the history of our community during National Poetry Month.
What: Sierra Poetry Fringe Festival
When: Begins Friday, March 21 through May
Where: Various locations throughout Nevada County
Who: Sponsored by Nevada County Arts Council and Sierra Poetry Festival
Admission: Most events are free, check website for details
Info & Tickets: www.sierrapoetryfestival.org/spf-fringe-2025