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PSOV Summer Festival 2025
August 16, 2025 @ 10:00 am - 3:00 pm
click here to Sign Up
- Elmore State Park Beach House
- August 16, 2025
- 9:45-10:00 am: Arrive and Sign in
- 10:00 am: Opening with President Joy
- 10:10-11:30 am: Workshop w/Kelsey: Poetry as a Coping Tool
- Life has a way of throwing heavy stuff at us, and it’s our job to manage our mental health through it all. In this workshop, Kelsey Bigelow walks you through methods for writing poetry as a coping tool. From free writing and responding to prompts to observing your situation and trying a poetic form, poetry can help you process and manage your emotions through the heaviness.
- 11:30-12:30 pm: Lunchtime Workshop: Poetry in Motion: Amplifying Verse at Home and on the Road
- Join us for a casual lunchtime panel with poets Caleb and Kelsey, facilitated by PSOV President, Joy. Over lunch, we’ll explore how to celebrate and amplify poetry, whether you’re rooted in your community or touring new terrain. Expect stories, practical insights, and inspiration for bringing poetry into everyday spaces. Bring your lunch, and bring your questions for an optional Q&A following the conversation.
- 12:30-2:00 pm: Workshop w/Caleb: Making Your Performance Pop!
- Whether it’s Amanda Gorman’s inauguration poem, Brandon Leake winning America’s Got Talent, or simply videos found online, performance poetry is capturing the attention of millions and it’s no surprise. In this workshop, Caleb “The Negro Artist” Rainey will teach attendees the basics of performance with techniques ranging from vocal performance to choreography. Whether you’ve never read your work out loud before or you’re an open mic regular, you are sure to walk away from this workshop with new tools to really make your next performance pop!
- 2:00 – 3:00 pm: Favorite Poem Open Mic:
- Come prepared to share your most beloved poem(s) written by you or someone else!
- 3:00 pm : Closing with President Joy
~ click here to Sign Up Today
~ click here for more about Kelsey Bigelow and Caleb “The Negro Artist” Rainey