Local Luminaries Flock to Pleasanton Poetry, Prose and Arts Festival

Pleasanton will pull out all the literary stops this weekend to welcome writers to the held April 17 - 18.

Hosted by the Pleasanton Cultural Arts Council and City of Pleasanton, the festival is a labor of love for the many literary enthusiasts around the Tri-Valley. The event draws poets and prose writers to various poetry and prose workshops, hear a dynamic keynote speaker, mingle with published and unpublished writers and enter writing contests.

Pleasanton Teen Poet Laureate Vivienne Chen, who is a senior at Amador Valley High, will be volunteering at the event.

"I think the Festival is one of the defining moments in the year for local writers, young and old," Chen said. "The tradition has grown in Pleasanton's community, and the best indication that our literary culture thrives is the youth who come to the festival, enter their work into contests, and show amazing talent and potential."

Organizer Dave Wright expects a little over 100 attendees this year and notes this is the first year in the festival's history that youth writers outnumber the adults.

Perhaps the two Pleasanton Teen Poet Laureates, Vivienne Chen and Nick Quan, have something to do with this by working in the schools to encourage their younger peers to put pen to paper.

"I remember myself at that age: ambitious but a little insecure with my writing. I think it helps kids to see someone older talk about their writing career with confidence and passion," Chen said. "I've become inspired by inspiring others."

It is this passion that pushes many young writers to register for this event.          

"At the Festival, youths spontaneously delve into themselves and their own experiences—to create, grow and enrich their artistry in communicating," Wright said.

Poet Laureate Deborah Grossman said that when kids see past winners like Isabel Brooks, who at 7 years old accepted writing awards at the festival, they become more confident in writing and public speaking.

Although pre-registration is over and organizers are no longer taking contest entries, last minute literati can still walk in the day of the event to register for one or two days of workshops. The popular Literary Row on Saturday afternoon, which is a gathering of thirty published writers selling their books, is free to the public. Authors man tables side by side to sell their books, sign autographs and answer questions of passersby.

Along with Literary Row, Pleasanton Art League and regional artists will provide a free fine arts exhibit. Jim Steinke, a regular fixture at the festival with his acclaimed music, returns with his classical guitar to enhance the mood. Saturday evening, the Festival Banquet will present awards to the contest winners in the youth, teen and adult poetry and prose categories.

This year's keynote speaker is versatile artist and storyteller Bob Jenkins, who will discuss how to define success as an artist, which often goes deeper than critical acclaim and monetary success. He will also be one of twelve workshop leaders, which also includes Susan Browne, Rebecca Foust, Gerald Haslam, Tim Meyers and Susan Wooldridge, among others.

Author Susan Wooldridge returns by popular demand this year to present workshops in poetry and nonfiction.

"I've loved the playful, collaborative nature of the festival community, beginning with Charlene Villella and on to Kirk Ridgeway [both former Pleasanton Poet Laureates]. The Festival combines a welcoming, down home experience with a high standard of excellence," Wooldridge said.

For more details about the festival and fees, visit www.pleasantonarts.org.

Vivienne Chen is a Pleasanton Patch youth contributor.