LITERARY EVENTS
+ TALKING GOURDS POETRY GATHERINGS
Bardic Trails
- September 1 will feature Michele Battiste
- First Tuesday of every month: 7:00 – 8:30pm on Zoom
The brainchild of the Talking Gourds Poetry Club, each Bardic Trails poetry night features an award-winning guest poet sharing their new and exciting work. The reading will be followed with a Q & A about the poet’s work and inspirations, with time afterwards for poetry sharing from attendees – a Gourd Circle of sharing whatever poetry attendees wish, or just listening in.
Pre-registration is no longer required, please subscribe to the Talking Gourds mailing list to receive monthly emails and zoom information automatically. If you have a problem with the zoom link above, call 970-729-0220 as the meeting is starting to gain access.
Stories & Poems: Telluride
- Third Tuesday of every month
- 5:15 pm at the Wilkinson Public Library (Magazine Room)
Stories & Poems follows a simple format. Our featured guests will give a 15-20 minute presentation each, followed by a short question and answer period after the presentation. Then there’s a passing of the gourd, where community members are encouraged to share stories or poems. A collaboration of the Library and the Telluride Institute’s Talking Gourds poetry program, Stories & Poems Telluride is free and open to all ages, thanks to the generosity of the library, a Town of Telluride CCAASE grant, private donors and Talking Gourds’ Fischer & Cantor poetry contests. For more information, text 970-729-0220 or email Goodtimes at art@tellurideinstitute.org.
Learn more about the Stories & Poems Telluride program here.
West End Stories & Poems
- Formerly Naturita Stories & Poems
- Now the second Thursday of every month at 6 p.m. at the Naturita Public Library
Stories & Poems follows a simple format. Our featured guests will give a 15-20 minute presentation each, followed by a short question and answer period after the presentation. Then there’s a passing of the gourd, where community members are encouraged to share stories or poems. A collaboration of the Lone Cone Library and the Telluride Institute’s Talking Gourds poetry program, West End Stories & Poems is free and open to all ages, thanks to the generosity of the library, a Town of Telluride CCAASE grant, private donors and Talking Gourds’ Fischer & Cantor poetry contests. For more information, text 970-729-0220 or email Goodtimes at art@tellurideinstitute.org.
Learn more about West End Stories & Poems here.
Book Cliffs Poetry Festival
- First Book Cliffs Poetry Festival set for September 26 in Grand Junction at the Art Center (1803 N. 7th St)
- Tickets will be available at the door: $50 for the entire festival and $20 for the five individual shows
The Art Center of Western Colorado and the Telluride Institute’s Talking Gourds Poetry Program have announced a one-day Book Cliffs Poetry Festival on Saturday Sept. 26 featuring performances, award ceremonies, an afternoon lecture, a morning playground (aka workshop), an open mic and regional poetry program tables.
Learn more about Book Cliffs Poetry Festival here.
Special Events
POP-UP-POETRY
- Lawton Eddy of Salida to do a Pop-Up Poetry performance May 15th at 1 pm. Learn more here.
These happen irregularly and at different venues. Those on the listserve will receive notices and we will post them here.
OTHER EVENTS
- On Sept. 13, 2025, Talking Gourds hosted Spoken Word Blues which featured poet Bill Nevins of Taos (NM) performing with the local poets the Electric Angel, Mary Hearding, Ruth Duffy and Mike Olschewsky at the Telluride Arts headquarters.
- On Nov. 15, 2025, Talking Gourds and the Mendocino Coast Mushroom Club’s Fungus Fair & Cultural Convergence hosted the Mendocino Poets Reading with Devreaux Baker, Kirk Lumpkin, Blake More, Larry Felson, Janiferie Stone and Liz Helenchild at the Caspar Community Center (CA) during the Fungus Fairand later that evening Art Goodtimes hosted a Talking Gourds Poetry Circle at the JD Center in Fort Bragg (CA) for poets and mushroom attendees.
- Time and dates will vary as new events are added, check back often.
Archived Projects
Stories & Poems: Norwood
Temporarily on hold due to declining attendance and loss of library co-funding
Stories & Poems follows a simple format. Our featured guests will give a 15-20 minute presentation each, followed by a short question and answer period after the presentation. Then there’s a passing of the gourd, where community members are encouraged to share stories or poems. A collaboration of the Lone Cone Library and the Telluride Institute’s Talking Gourds poetry program, Stories & Poems Norwood is free and open to all ages, thanks to the generosity of the library, a Town of Telluride CCAASE grant, private donors and Talking Gourds’ Fischer & Cantor poetry contests. For more information, text 970-729-0220 or email Goodtimes at art@tellurideinstitute.org.
Learn more about the Stories & Poems Norwood program here.
Live Telluride Artwalk Poetry Series
The first Thursday of each month, June through October, at 6 p.m. at the Telluride Arts Headquarters on 135 W. Pacific St.
- Featured guests will give a live 15-20 minute presentation each.
Learn more about the Telluride Artwalk Poetry Series here.
