Stroll of Poets Society

We are pleased to announce the launch of our 2022/2023 Poets’ Haven Reading series. This year we are celebrating our long awaited return to in-person poetry at the Upper Crust Café.

Appropriately, our theme this year is “Out of the Box!” We have all felt contained by the experiences of the past couple of years and the restrictions the pandemic has placed on us. Here is a chance to express the joy of being out of your various boxes, bubbles or other metaphorical containers.

Please join us on Monday, September 12, 7 pm at the Upper Crust Café. The format will be open mic with sign up taking place that night. The cost is still a very reasonable $5.

Hope to see you there as we celebrate being “Out of the Box!”

Hear ye, hear ye Stroll members: the Stroll of Poets board is pleased to announce that the Haven Reading Series 2022/2023 season will be commencing with a return to the Upper Crust restaurant on September 12th with an all open mic engagement.

The Haven will then occur at the Upper Crust every second Monday night after that (biweekly for at least the first half of the season) with a special reading at Audrey’s Books in November as well. Four 8 – 10 minute featured reader spots will be available at each Haven Reading.

Each session will also require additional volunteers to mic host and to assist as a door host so we ask that you sign up for one of these spots also if you can. Once you have signed up, confirmation and reminder notices will be sent to you via e-mail.

To check out the available dates and sign up for reader and volunteer spots please use this link to access the Haven Reading Series SIGN UP PAGE.

Saturday, August 20, 2022 — 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm

For those who were not able to collect their copy of the Stroll of Poets Anthology 2022 on the first pick-up day in May, a second Anthology Distribution Day is scheduled for Saturday, August 20, 2022, from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

If you would like to receive details about the pick-up location, please request this information from the anthology editor at: strollantho@writersguild.ab.ca.

In order to streamline the distribution process and to maintain security (since the anthologies are being distributed from a private residence), details regarding the location and other relevant information will be sent on Monday, August 15th to everyone who requests this information.

Exciting news! The day and location for the launch for the 30 Years of Strolling Chapbook has been finalized. Everyone is welcome to attend. Contributors to the chapbook are invited to read their piece at the launch. Please bring your own seating (camp chairs, picnic blanket, etc.). Please note that the bandshell does have stairs (about 5 steps) or a ramp, so footwear with a good grip is recommended.

Date:               Monday, June 27, 2022
Time:               6:30 pm to 7:30 pm
Location:        Alberta Legislature Grounds South
                         Bandshell (9515 Fortway Dr NW, Edmonton)

In the meantime, copies of the chapbook will be available to pick up as previously announced, along with The 2022 Stroll of Poets Anthology, on the scheduled distribution date of May 28th at the home of Deborah Lawson.

Congratulations to Max Vandersteen, whose winning photograph, taken in Olympic National Park, Washington, is titled “Wilderness Portal.”

It presents a man-made bridge crossing a river and transitioning, through wilderness, to an open space within the forest. Yet, like poetry, what lies beyond the obvious is unknown until explored, which is what the bridge invites us to do. It also portends the transition of time from summer to autumn, and suggests nature’s ongoing changes to the landscape.

Well done, Max!