Contact: Bridget Eileen and Suzanne Mercury, Artistic Co-Directors
Phone: 401-405-4175
Email: thebostonpoetrymarathon@gmail.com
Boston Poetry Marathon 2021 - Online for One More Year
[BOSTON, July 27, 2021] The Boston Poetry Marathon is back! Though this three day poetry reading festival will remain online for 2021, the over 20-year long tradition of Boston’s legendary poetry reading marathon event continues with as great a line-up and community of poets as ever.
This year’s online event will take place, on Thursday, August 5, and Friday, August 6, starting at 6pm both nights, and run all day long on Saturday, August 7, starting at noon.
Each year for the Boston Poetry Marathon, poets from around the globe read their work, for a short designated time, throughout the weekend-long poetry reading event. This year, like last year, it will be held virtually, due to the Covid19 public health emergency.
Over 100 poets will be participating, including Eileen Myles, January Gill, Lloyd Schwartz, Amy King, and Stephanie Burt, among many other notable participants. Though Boston remains the hub of this poetry marathon, many poets from neighboring Rhode Island will be participating, including organizers Christina Liu (Pawtucket) and Bridget Eileen (Woonsocket), as well as RI State Senator Cynthia Mendes, Mairead Byrne, Sawako Nakayasu, and Kate Colby. As is usual with the Boston Poetry Marathon, each participant gets just a short allotment of time to read, this year for 5 minutes a-piece.
The 2021 Boston Poetry Marathon is also a fundraiser for three local social justice organizations: Urban League of Eastern Massachusetts, SISTA Fire RI and the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center. Donations can be made at https://www.gofundme.com/f/boston-poetry-marathon-2021-fundraiser.
Suzanne Mercury and Bridget Eileen return as artistic directors for the Boston Poetry Marathon, for the fifth year in a row. This year, as last, they are joined by two additional organizers, Xtina Strong and Christina Liu. The team has been "wrangling poets" (similar to herding cats) throughout the summer, and they look forward to another exciting, successful event.
“For safety’s sake, we decided to keep it virtual for one more year,” said artistic director Bridget Eileen. “As much as we miss seeing everyone in person, with so many variables, it was the better option. Thankfully this means another year with readers from around the country and the world who can attend more easily than if we were having our event face to face.”
In 2019, the Boston Poetry Marathon was held at Copley Square’s Community Church of Boston. “It’s a wonderful venue, and we can’t wait to be back to see everyone there next year,” said the other artistic director, Suzanne Mercury.
All those who wish to watch the Boston Poetry Marathon can do so over one of three of the BPM social media channels: YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter/Periscope. “Admission” is free and open to the public, with a suggested donation of $10+ to the fundraiser. Links to those channels can be found at https://bostonpoetrymarathon.wordpress.com/watch/
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About the Boston Poetry Marathon
The Boston Poetry Marathon is an over-20 year summer tradition of poets from around the globe, representing many different aesthetics and backgrounds, coming together for a weekend-long poetry reading festival. Admission is free and open to the public. Donations of $10+ to the fundraiser is recommended. More information at bostonpoetrymarathon.com.