WoodyFest is proud to work with the Woody Guthrie Poets Coordinating Committee in conjunction with our festival each year!

WoodyFest is pleased to welcome back the Woody Guthrie Poets for their 15th consecutive year at the festival! Starting in 2005 the Woody Guthrie Poets have had a presence at WoodyFest. Initially the poets showcased their talents at the History Center, eventually moving their location to the Methodist Church where they remained for the next several years. As their audience continues to grow, this year their location has been moved to the Bound for Glory stage at the corner of Broadway and Third Street.   

Woody Guthrie rarely went a day, if not an hour or a minute, when he didn’t have a pencil in his hand – writing. His writings have inspired countless others to do the same. A description of Bonnie Christensen’s book Woody Guthrie: Poet of the People says that “Woody Guthrie spent his life putting into words and music what the rest of America was thinking. He roamed from coast to coast and captured the despair of those displaced by the Great Depression and the dust bowl, eulogized workers, and celebrated the great natural beauty of America.”   The Woody Guthrie Poets are continuing where Woody left off!

If you have never attended their poetry readings at the festival, we encourage you to make this the year!  And please note that this remains a FREE event although all other performances on the Bound for Glory stage require a wristband. 

Many thanks to the Woody Guthrie Poets Committee: Jessica Isaacs (Poetry Reading Selection Committee Chair), Dorothy Alexander (Anthology Editor & Publisher, Village Books Press), Terri Cummings, Branwyn Holroyd, Nathan Brown, & Benjamin Myers

Friday, July 12, 7 pm

Individual Artists of Oklahoma (IAO) Gallery
706 W. Sheridan Ave.
Oklahoma City, OK 73102

Hosts: Jessica Isaacs, Dragon Poet Review and Dorothy Alexander, Village Books Press

Poets:

Robin Carstensen
John Yozzo
Alan Gann
Sandra Soli
Tom Murphy
Danielle Defoe
Paul Juhasz
Jennifer Kidney
Catherine Katey Johnson
Katherine Book
JC Mahan
Jack Hays


Saturday, July 13, 10:30 am

Bound for Glory Outdoor Stage
3rd & Broadway
Okemah, OK 74859

Hosts: Dorothy Alexander, Village Books Press and Jessica Isaacs, Dragon Poet Review
Musical Accompaniment: David Amram

Poets:

David Amram
Dorothy Alexander
George Wallace
Geraldine Green
Mark Johnson
Margaret Dornaus
Tina Baker
Ron Wallace
Julie Chappell
Vivian Nida
Hank Jones
Bill McCloud


Sunday, July 14, 2 pm

Woody Guthrie Center
102 E. Mathew B. Brady St.
Tulsa, OK 74103

Host: Branwyn Holroyd & Benjamin Myers

Poets:
Branwyn Holroyd
Annmarie Lockhart
Alice Byrd
Nathan Gunter
Sly Alley
Ken Hada
Daryl Halencak
Richard Dixon
Larry Griffin
Paul Austin
Mary Hanafee
Sharon Edge Martin