The Big Read: Edgar Allan Poe Community Events

To coincide with the reading of Edgar Allan Poe's collected short stories and poetry, there are several events happening in the Galesburg and Monmouth communities.  A few upcoming events are listed below.


Photo from Wikipedia Commons

From the National Endowment for the Humanities Calendar:

Paranormal Investigator: Sylvia Shults Local author and paranormal investigator Sylvia Shults will present a bone-chilling program about ghosts in Illinois. She will also discuss her book, Ghosts of the Illinois River. The first 20 attendees will receive a FREE copy of Ghosts of the Illinois River. Teens and older children are invited to join!

Event Location: Galesburg Public Library (40 E Simmons Street), Galesburg, IL 61401
Date: Thu, Apr 7, 2011
Time: 7:00pm – 8:00pm

Book Discussion: The Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan PoeThe book club will be discussing selected works by the master of macabre and madness, Edgar Allan Poe. Pick up free copies of the book at the Galesburg Public Library in March.
Event Location: Galesburg Public Library (40 E Simmons Street), Galesburg, IL 61401
Date: Tue, Apr 12, 2011
Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm

Paranormal Investigator: Sylvia Shults Local author and paranormal investigator Sylvia Shults will present a bone-chilling program about ghosts in Illinois. She will also discuss her book, Ghosts of the Illinois River. Teens and older children are invited to join!
Event Location: Warren County Public Library (62 Public Square), Monmouth, IL 61401
Date: Tue, Apr 12, 2011
Time: 7:00pm – 8:00pm

Slam Poetry Performance by The Xplicit Poet Brandon Thornton. This event is free and open to the public.
Event Location: Carl Sandburg College (2400 Tom L. Wilson Blvd., Student Center, Building B), Galesburg, IL 61401
Date: Wed, Apr 13, 2011
Time: 12:30pm – 1:00pm

Photography Contest
Amateur photographers are invited to enter the Sandburg Days 2011 Photography Contest. The contest will be judged by Trent Foltz, an award-winning commercial and Midwest landscape photographer. An awards reception, catered by Q's Cafe, will be held at the Galesburg Public Library's Sanderson Room on Saturday, April 16, at 11:30 a.m. A $25 cash prize will be awarded to the Best of Show. A $20 gift certificate from the Frame Works will be awarded for first place in three categories: Landscape and Nature; People and/or Pets; and Architecture. All photos (8 X 10 maximum print size) must have been created within the last year. A limit of three photographs per person, one per category will be accepted. There is no fee to enter. Prints in a matt are preferred, but prints not in a matt are also acceptable. All submissions must have a secure wire on the back so it is ready to hang on display board. Professional photographers are welcome to enter, but will not be eligible for prizes (please identify yourself as a professional on your entry). Entries can be submitted (with the photographer's name, photo title, category, e-mail, postal address and phone on the back) to the Galesburg Public Library, 40 East Simmons St., Galesburg IL 61401. Conventional and digital prints are acceptable. A selection of photographs entered will be exhibited at the Galesburg Public Library. Not all submissions will be exhibited. The decisions of the judge will be final. For more information, please contact Tom Foley, Foley Photo Studio, 113 S. Cherry St., 309-342-9411 or tom@foleyphotostudio. The Photography Contest is sponsored by The Frame Works, Foley Photo Studio, Galesburg Public Library, Q's Cafe, and the Galesburg Register Mail.
Event Location: 40 E Simmons Street, Galesburg, IL 61401
Date: Wed, Apr 13, 2011
Time: 8:00pm – 8:00pm

Photo of the Exterior of the Poe National Historic Site, from Wikipedia Commons

Book Discussion: The Stories and Poems of Edgar Allan Poe
Join us at the Beanhive Coffeehouse for a discussion of works by the master of macabre and madness, Edgar Allan Poe. Pick up free copies of the book at the Galesburg Public Library in March.
Event Location: The Beanhive Coffeehouse (124 E Simmons Street), Galesburg, IL 61401
Date: Thu, Apr 14, 2011
Time: 6:30pm – 7:30pm

Writer’s Workshop by Cyn Kitchen
Cyn Kitchen is Assistant Professor of English at Knox College where she teaches creative writing and literature. Her first book, Ten Tongues, was released in October 2010 by MotesBooks of Louisville, KY. Cyn has been called a 'fierce new voice in American literature.' Her work has appeared in numerous literary magazines and several anthologies, and she was a Top Ten Finalist for the 2009 storySouth Million Writers Award. Cyn was born and raised in Galesburg where she still makes her home. She earned an Associate in Arts from Carl Sandburg College, a Bachelor of Arts in English from Knox College and a Master of Fine Arts in Writing from Spalding University. The workshop will cover elements of craft as they relate to writing fiction, particularly with regard to characterization and the power of creating a strong sense of place. To register, contact Mary Ann Nelson, mnelson@sandburg.edu or call (309)341-5328. This workshop is free and open to the public.

Event Location: Carl Sandburg Historic Site Barn (313 E. Third), Galesburg, IL 61401
Date: Sat, Apr 16, 2011
Time: 2:00pm – 4:00pm