The Raymond Carver Writing Festival takes place annually in Clatskanie, Oregon, the birthplace of Raymond Carver. I’ve been involved the last couple years as a volunteer through the C.C. Stern Type Foundry, but this year Brian and I were asked to head up the six person organizing committee. This year’s theme is “Where I’m Calling From,” referencing the title of one of Carver’s short stories and a short story collection.
The 2024 Raymond Carver Writing Festival is May 17th-18th! Starting Friday evening at 5pm the festival offers a writers & publishers fair, reception and keynote presenters, followed by poetry and prose readings at multiple venues. From 10am-5pm Saturday there are participatory readings, workshops, and chances for writers to gather at various locations around the town of Clatskanie. Saturday evening culminates with “Poetry and Pie” a catered farm-to-table dinner, community pie potluck, and open mic poetry reading from 6-9pm.
Featured presenters include Kim Stafford, Robert Michael Pyle, and Chad Wriglesworth (Raymond Carver Review); joined by Joseph Green, Scott MacGregor, Michael Mills (Raymond Carver Podcast), Marianne Monson, Laura Moulton, Ben Parzybok, Ed Skoog, Mac Stripling, Justin Taylor, and more.
Join in for a weekend of fun to celebrate the craft of writing and support a community of regional writers. All efforts have been made to keep events free and open to the public.