Spring Green Literary Festival Sponsors Community Read
The Spring Green Literary Festival is sponsoring a Community Read during the
month of October. The theme for this year’s event is Banned Books. The theme
was chosen because of a national surge in book bans and the increasing challenges
to libraries and threats to librarians that stand up for the freedom to read. The book
recommended for reading is That Librarian by Amanda Jones. It is not a banned
book but rather a real-life story about a librarian’s fight against censorship. The
book is available on loan from the Spring Green Community Library with a South
Central library card and for sale at a discount at Arcadia Books.
The Community Read offers those living in the River Valley an opportunity to
explore the reasons for book bans--who bans books, what examples are there of
banned books throughout history, and what are the trends in book banning today.
The Literary Festival also supports other cultural activities that engage the theme
throughout the month, including films that have been banned, songs and poetry
that have been challenged over time, plus an art exhibit inspired by banned book
covers, a panel discussion led by Jacki Lyden formerly with NPR, and a series of
discussions on the recommended book.
The Community Read kicks off with a display of creative canvases designed by
local artists and on exhibit in Nina’s front windows in downtown Spring Green
throughout the month. Each is the artist’s interpretation of a banned book cover.
The art will be available for sale at a Community Reception at Wyoming Valley
School on October 25 beginning at 6:00 pm. Desserts and sparkling wines will be
provided. The event is free and open to the public. Tokens to purchase a canvas
will be available for sale in advance at $30 on the Spring Green Literary Festival
website or at the event, if still available. Money raised will go to support reading
programs in the River Valley.
An Evening of Prohibited Poetry featuring the Wisconsin Poet Laureate Brenda
Cardenas and celebrated poet James Roberts of the Wisconsin Fellowship of Poets
plus American Players Theatre actors David Daniel and Alys Dickerson will read
poems that have faced banning attempts through history, including Shakespeare,
Walt Whitman, Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem in 2021 and the poetry of today.
The event is on October 7. Doors open at 6:00 pm, and the program begins at 7:00
pm at SlowPoke Lounge on Jefferson Street in Spring Green.
Discussions on the recommended book are at the Spring Green Community
Library beginning October 8 at 6:00 pm and continue on October 14 at 5:00 pm
and conclude on October 22 with a discussion at 2:00 pm. Films will be shown
every Tuesday at the Gard Theatre at 7:00 pm beginning October 14 with the 1992
film Malcom X; the 2007 animated film Persepolis on October 21, and the 1973
film The Exorcist on October 28.
On October 18, the band Jambidextrous at the SlowPoke Lounge will close their
first set with songs that were banned for one reason or another. The Community
Read closes on October 29 at the Gard Theatre with a panel discussion on the
theme, led by Jacki Lyden, former reporter with NPR.
Spring Green Literary Festival Sponsors An Evening of Prohibited Poetry
The Spring Green Literary Festival is sponsoring An Evening of Prohibited Poetry
on Tuesday, October 7 at the SlowPoke Lounge on Jefferson Street in Spring
Green, WI. Doors open at 6:00 pm with the program beginning at 7:00 pm,
featuring Brenda Cardenas, Wisconsin Poet Laureate and James Roberts,
celebrated poet and member of the leadership team for the Wisconsin Fellowship
of Poets and American Players Theatre actors David Daniel and Alys Dickerson.
All will speak poems that have faced banning attempts throughout time, including
Shakespeare, Walt Whitman, Amanda Gorman’s inaugural poem in 2021, and the
poetry of today.
This event is the first in a series as part of the Community Read programming
during the month of October that is sponsored by the Spring Green Literary
Festival. This year’s theme is Banned Books. The Community Read activities
offer an opportunity to explore the reasons for banned books, who bans books,
what examples are there of banned books throughout history, and what are the
trends in book banning today. The book recommended for reading is That
Librarian by Amanda Jones. It is not a banned book but rather a real-life story
about a librarian’s fight against censorship.
The Literary Festival also supports other cultural activities that engage the theme
throughout the month, including films that have been banned, songs that have been
challenged overtime, plus an exhibit of works of art inspired by banned book
covers, a panel discussion on the theme led by writers, and a series of discussions
on the recommended book. The Community Read closes with a Community
Reception and sale of the creative canvases designed for the art exhibit. Money
raised will go to support reading programs in schools and the public library.
For a calendar of all events, go to springgreenlitfest.org. All events are free. The
Community Read is made possible by funds provided by River Valley Arts and the
Wisconsin Arts Board.
As always, reach out with specific questions to Jan (jlmcormick@aol.com)