So forgive me for posting bi-event blog, but Progressive Festival and Poetry Walk are both important to us, and again this year, on the SAME DAY…
Sun., Sept. 15th, Petaluma Progressive Fest takes over Walnut Park, 12:30-5pm while Petaluma Poetry Walk starts up at Viva Cocolat, 10 Petaluma Blvd., 11am and goes on from there (pick up a flier w. map) – takes place all around downtown Petaluma. For speakers, readers, musicians and actors bringing all this, get thee to for the Festival and here’s Petaluma Poetry Walk site:
For Poetry Walk, 1pm at Apple Box looks like a winner for me – Mother/Daughter team of dear friends, Geri DiGiorno, the Matriach of Poetry Walk, and her devoted daughter, Michelle Baynes, author, Homeless on the Street, joined by wildman and also fine poet, Daniel McKensie. Worth finding him on Facebook – what incredible and rare images he finds to share. Lots of other fine writing to experience on this walk! Start at 11am at Viva Cocolat…
I read, write, on occasion publish poetry. My new Haiku from walking barefoot in Russian River (just sent through Redwood Writers of which I am a member):
Swallows skim
The water’s surface;
Schools of black fish
Dart swiftly beneath.
SOMEHOW I’ll honor the joys and perturbations offered by poetry and speechifying simultaneously – clone self. Check schedules for fav poets and activists and lean into both.
We always go to Progressive Fest – usually drawn by SF Mime Troupe, not available this year – but our OWN Petaluma in-your-face political comedy troupe, Pounce and Denounce Playhouse – is pretty amazing! Good work, guys and gals! Greatly impressed last year and expect the same 9/15/13. I consider myself an activist, coming from good Methodist Ministers in my Dad’s family, artist parents on both sides, we welcomed the first black family to our town, worked for Adlai Stevenson when I was 5. Later, helped start a Students for Democratic Society chapter at Northern Illinois University, looking to make a contribution somewhere – but you’ve got me sidetracked again.
www.petalumaprogressivefestival.org
From their site: The Petaluma Progressives are a local, grassroots, political education and action group. In addition to hosting The Progressive Festival each year, we have held public protests and vigils, lobbied elected officials, done work in our local schools, endorsed and worked on progressive candidates’ campaigns, hosted one night a month at the Friday Night Film series at the Foundry Wharf, etc. etc. Our monthly meetings are held the first Tuesday of each month, at 7 pm, downstairs in Copperfields Books, 140 Kentucky Street, Petaluma. All are welcome.
The Petaluma Progressives Present:
Coming this
September 15th
the Sixteenth Annual Progressive Festival
Co-hosted by The Petaluma Progressives and Occupy Petaluma
Sunday, September 15, 2013
12:30pm to 5:00pm
Walnut Park
downtown Petaluma, CA
Speakers:
Daniel Ellsberg – Pentagon Papers whistleblower, supporter of Bradley Manning and Edward Snowden http://www.ellsberg.net
Jill Stein – 2012 Green Party Presidential candidate http://greenshadowcabinet.us
Norman Solomon – author, activist, community organizer http://www.normansolomon.com
Therese Mughannam-Walrath – Palestinian peace activist http://nccpal.org
Michael Nagler – Director, Metta Center for Nonviolence http://www.michaelnagler.net
Marc Armstrong – Director, Public Banking Institute http://publicbankinginstitute.org
Kamal Prasad – food issues activist
Also speakers on:
Immigration issues
Stopping mass incarceration
Fukushima nuclear plant
Unite Here labor campaign
Labeling GMOs
Entertainment:
The Pounce and Denounce PlayHouse – Occupy Petaluma’s own theater troupe
De Colores with special guest, Francisco Herrera (Musica de las America)
Spoken Word and Drums by Masaba (the Last Poets), &
Michael Rothenburg (100K Poets for Change)
Many Social Justice, Environmental, Labor, and Community Organizations will have Informational booths/tables.
The event is produced by the Petaluma Progressives and is cosponsored by KPFA 94.1 FM (kpfa.org), the Peace & Justice Center of Sonoma County, The Bohemian (bohemian.com) and the Committee for Immigrant Rights (immigrantrightssonoma.org), Sonoma County (peaceandjusticesonomaco.org). It takes place at Walnut Park, Petaluma Blvd South and D Street, downtown Petaluma. It is free to the public.
Tamales, Rice, Beans, Other Delish Goodies and Drinks Available.
Eat, Drink, Listen, Talk, Make a bit More Sense out of our crazed world!