Now in its fifth year, the Saint Paul Almanac again offers its eclectic and quirky mix of essays, history, reviews, photography and poetry about all things Saint Paul, written by the people who know and love the city best. On Thursday, September 16, at 6 p.m., contributors, editors and fans will come together to celebrate the launch of the 2011 Saint Paul Almanac at its annual Celebration through Stories.
Arcata Press announces the launch of its new website designed to turn learning about the people, places, history and “things we love” in Saint Paul into a time-saving, valuable experience for its online visitors and residents. The new site encourages people to become interactively involved with poets, authors and illustrators, restaurants and bars, museums and galleries, parks, libraries and all of the city’s cultural venues—all linked from a brand-new website at www.saintpaulalmanac.org
The Saint Paul Almanac presents an evening of “Nurturing the Soil of the Soul: Intentional Acts of Kindness and Peace Are the Seeds of Liberation and Peace,” the season finale of the Saint Paul Almanac’s Lowertown Reading Jam series. Hosted by Melvin Giles, the evening includes readings and expressions from the godmother of peace, Ms. Bertha Givins; KFAI radio show co-host Andy Driscoll of Truth to Tell; spoken word artist Tish Jones, executive and artistic director of TruArtSpeaks; Yer Kong of Paj Ntuab Voice; community activist and urban farmer, Metric Giles I; and performing artists of Saint Paul Central’s Synergy.
The Saint Paul Almanac continues its year-round literary celebration of Minnesota’s capital city with a provocative and inspiring spoken word performance by the Minnesota Quest Youth Slam Team. The Minnesota Quest Youth Slam Team is a talented group of multi-cultural poets, writers and performers from urban Minnesota high schools who give voice to an art form that honors and brings forward the stories, experiences, dreams, convictions and perspectives often silenced by the dominant culture.
Hosted by Deborah A. Torraine, the Lowertown Reading Jam takes place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Black Dog Café, 308 Prince Street. Joining Torraine for a lively and inspiring event will be local writers, poets, storytellers, playwrights, a gospel singer and spoken word artists, including Louis Alemayehu, Lisa Brimmer, Claire DeCoster, Lenora Harris, Lynette Harris, Michael Haynes, Q and Leonard Wilkes.
The April 5th Lowertown Reading Jam, curated by internationally acclaimed artist, Desdamona, will also feature performances by Reggie Harris, Tish Jones and Ibé. The Almanac has been hosting the monthly Reading Jams since October 2009, and they have been steadily gaining in popularity as excited audiences spread the word about their powerful shared experiences. The Jams provide an opportunity to explore and bridge the cultural and social breadth of Saint Paul throughout the year as stories are both given and received.
In anticipation of St. Patrick’s Day, five local Irish-American writers will be reading in a popular monthly event sponsored by The Saint Paul Almanac and curated this month by Saint Paul Poet Laureate, Carol Connolly. Presented Monday, March 1, 2010 at the Blackdog Coffee and Wine Bar in Lowertown, Connolly brings together a quintet of acclaimed Irish Poets to read from new and selected works. Joining Carol for the reading will be Kevin Fitzpatrick, Ethna McKiernan, Tim Nolan, and Mary Kay Rummel.
The Saint Paul Almanac continues its year-round literary celebration of the capital city with an entertaining and thought-provoking schedule of free author events throughout February. The events kick off with the Monday, February 1, Lowertown Reading Jam from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Black Dog Cafe, 308 Prince Street, by the Farmers’ Market in Saint Paul’s Lowertown. Hosted and produced by Tou SaiKo Lee, this month’s Reading Jam features the voices of more than a dozen local Hmong men.
The Almanac encourages writers to make their story personal and specific, have fun with the process, and think outside the box in terms of topics and format. Most selections in the Almanac are 650 words or fewer, with a small number being as long as 1,500 words. Tiny poems are encouraged.
The Saint Paul Almanac celebrates the start of the New Year with its first literary program of 2010, an event of the monthly Lowertown Reading Jam Series featuring emerging Native American writers. Hosted by Marcie Rendon, Anishinabe, the Monday, January 4 Lowertown Reading Jam takes place from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at the Black Dog Café, 308 Prince Street, located across the street from the Saint Paul Farmer’s Market. Rendon has been instrumental in creating a viable Native presence in the Twin Cities artistic community, and she wears many hats including those of poet, playwright, children’s author, freelance writer, and performance consultant.
Contributors to the 2010 Saint Paul Almanac include literary giants, everyday residents, students, journalists, new Americans, and lovers of Saint Paul who live in other corners of the world. Every story has a unique, individual voice that, when combined in the Saint Paul Almanac, become a chorus reflecting the energy of Saint Paul today. Publishing work by new writers alongside the likes of Garrison Keillor, Meridel LeSueur, Greg Watson, David Mura, Katie Ka Vang and other acclaimed Saint Paul writers uplifts and influences the artistic identity of the entire community.
The Saint Paul Almanac builds community through providing forums—in print, online, and at events around the city throughout the year—to share our individual stories. If you love Saint Paul and stories and believe in supporting local art and business, please consider making a donation to the Saint Paul Almanac as part of your charitable end-of-year giving.
Help us to SAVE OUR STORIES by supporting Saint Paul Almanac’s literary and visual artists, and filmmakers.
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