Sandburg Days Festival 2007

The Knox College English Department and Theatre and Dance Department are co-sponsoring a number of activities in conjunction with the 2007 "Sandburg Days festival for the mind." The annual festival celebrates the poetry of Galesburg native Carl Sandburg. Events will include performances by Marc Smith, one of the founders of the "poetry slam" movement.

This year, the festival is also promoting public events in conjunction with a federal program "The Big Read," which encourages community-wide reading and discussion of the classics of American literature.

The Big Read events will include free, public staged readings from "John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath." The readings by Knox students will be directed by Elizabeth Carlin Metz, associate professor of theatre, who also directed a production of the play in 2003.

Upcoming Events for Sandburg Days and The Big Read

April 19, 7 p.m.
Book Discussion "The Grapes of Wrath"
Kristen Coe of Abingdon High School will lead a book discussion in the Community Room at the John Mosser Public Library, 106 W. Meek St., Abingdon. 309-462-3129.

April 19, 6:30 p.m.
Free movie screening "The Grapes of Wrath"
Carl Sandburg College Theatre, 2400 Tom. L. Wilson Blvd., Galesburg.

April 24 & 25, Tuesday & Wednesday
Steinbeck Scholar Robert DeMott speaks at Carl Sandburg College, Knox College and the Galesburg Public Library. DeMott is one of the nation's foremost scholars on John Steinbeck and "The Grapes of Wrath." He received the 2006 Trustee's Award from the National Steinbeck Center and has authored or co-authored several books on Steinbeck and his works. DeMott also wrote the introduction and study notes in the edition of the novel distributed by the festival. All lectures are free.

• April 24, 12 noon, Carl Sandburg College
• April 24, 4 p.m., Alumni Room, Knox College
• April 25, 6:30 p.m., Galesburg Public Library

April 26, 7 p.m.
Poetry Performance, Marc Smith
Carl Sandburg Birthplace, 313 E. Third St., Galesburg
Poetry-performance by Marc Smith, creator of the Poetry Slam movement. Sponsored by the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency and the Sandburg State Historic Site. Free admission.

April 26, 6:30 p.m.
Carl Sandburg College Poetry Contest Awards Ceremony
CSC Student Center, 2400 Tom L. Wilson Blvd., Galesburg
Carl Sandburg College will honor the winners of the 18th annual Carl Sandburg Poetry Contest in elementary, intermediate, and adult divisions. Winners will read their poems. Sponsored by the CSC Humanities Department and the Carl Sandburg Historic Site Association. Free admission.

April 26, 7:00 ? 9:00 p.m.
Rootabaga Jammers
American Legion Post 285, 571 E. North St. Galesburg
The Rootabaga Jammers, directed by Bob Clark, perform dance classics from the Big Band Era.

April 27, 9 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Writer's Workshop
Carl Sandburg Birthplace, 313 E. Third St., Galesburg
Lecture, group discussion and readings. Participants are encouraged to bring several copies of poems and single-page snippets of "flash fiction" for feedback as time allows. Workshop led by Jane L. Carman, Sutherland Fellow in fiction at Illinois State University and faculty member at Carl Sandburg College. Lunch break at 1 p.m.; public poetry readings at 2 p.m. For information, send e-mail to truth_n_words@yahoo.com with questions.

April 27, 4 p.m.
Marc Smith "Sandburg to Smith ? Smith to Sandburg"
Studio Theatre, Knox College
A poetry and jazz presentation featuring Marc Smith and musical collaborators Al Ehrich and Scott Hirtenstein, inspired by Carl Sandburg poems and stories. Studio Theatre, Ford Center for the Fine Arts, Knox College. Sponsored by Knox College, The Illinois Historic Preservation Agency, Carl Sandburg State Historic Site, and Sandburg Days festival for the mind. Free admission.

April 27, 7:30-10:30 p.m.
The First Annual Rootabaga Poetry Slam
Cherry Street Bar & Restaurant, 57 S. Cherry Street, Galesburg
A unique form of performance-poetry competition, created in Chicago by Marc Smith and gaining in popularity across the country. Top "slammers" from across the Midwest will compete for cash prizes. Entry fee for competitors, nominal admission charge for spectators.

April 27, 7:30-11:30 p.m.
Surprisingly Hip, Jazz of the 1930s
Best Western Prairie Inn Lounge, I-74 and E. Main, Galesburg
Interpretations of jazz standards from the Golden Age of Jazz, featuring Julia Andrews, piano; Brian Daws, bass; Art Fowler, guitar and vocals.

Midwestern troubadour, David HB Drake
Time and venue TBA
Returning by popular demand, Midwestern troubadour, David HB Drake, an award winning musician and educator will be performing on multiple instruments such as the guitar, mountain banjo, dulcimer, Native American flute, concertina and others. His selections focus on unique aspects of the history of Illinois including songs of trains, rivers, the prairies, and the lives of Lincoln and Sandburg. He has appeared on public television and festivals in Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. Drake hails from Milwaukee, WI. Sponsored by the Burlington Northern Railroad Foundation, America 's Best Value Inn, and the CUSD 205 Public Schools Foundation.

April 28, 7 a.m.-12 noon
Masonic Pancake Day
Masonic Temple, 3415 Lincoln Park Drive, Galesburg. All the pancakes and sausage you can eat. Annual fundraising breakfast for local charities. Sponsored by Alpha and Vesper Lodges. $5 for adults, $2.50 kids under 12.

April 28, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Discovery Depot, 128 S. Chambers St.,
Build a Junk-alopy
Families are welcome to stop in anytime during the day on to create a "junk-alopy" or large vehicle constructed entirely from pieces of junk. Figure out how to make seats, doors, lights from scavenge items. Also parking lot painting, a penny toss game, and poetry reading. Outdoor activities free, indoor admission $3.50 per person.

April 28, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Sandburg Mall, 1150 W. Sandburg Dr., Galesburg
Entertainment and displays from the 1930s

• Displays: 1930s telephone technology from Gallatin River Communications; stamps by the Galesburg Stamp Club; portable phonographs and radios and broadcast equipment by Jim Noble; farm equipment and soil conditions exhibit by the USDA; quilting display by the CSC Literacy Coalition Quilting Book Club; and items from the historic Newman School in Knoxville, displayed by the Knox County Retired Teachers Association.
• Entertainment: Folk musician David Drake, jazz group Surprisingly Hip, and readings by actors from Galesburg High School, Knox College and the Prairie Players. Readings are excerpts from "John Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath adapted by Frank Galati," directed by Elizabeth Carlin-Metz of the Knox College Theatre Department, with folk music performed by Knox professor Jon Wagner.

April 28, 2 p.m.
Knox College Poetry Contest Awards Ceremony
Carl Sandburg State Historical Site 313 E. Third St., Galesburg
Sponsored by Knox College and the Carl Sandburg Historic Site Association.

April 28, 3 p.m.
Spoon River Creative Writers Prose Awards and Open Mic Reading.
Carl Sandburg State Historical Site. 313 E. Third St., Galesburg

April 28, 7:30 p.m.
Knox-Galesburg Symphony
Orpheum Theatre, 60 S. Kellogg, Galesburg, 7:30 p.m.
Concert features Graham Scott performing Grieg's Concerto for Piano and Orchestra in A minor. Bruce Polay, award-winning conductor and artistic director of the KGS, will present the World Premiere of his work, "Sparkle," commissioned by Dick Blick Company. Also Four Dance Episodes from Aaron Copland's ballet, "Rodeo." Tickets available at the door.

Prior Events:

March 16, 7 p.m.
Film: "The Grapes of Wrath," a free screening of the 1940 John Ford movie, starring Henry Fonda and based on the Steinbeck novel. The Orpheum Theatre, 60 S. Kellogg St.

March 20 & 27; April 10, 7 p.m.
Discussion group: Galesburg High School teachers Laurie Aten and Gayle Stewart lead free, public discussions of the novel "The Grapes of Wrath," Kaldi's Coffeehouse, 124 E. Simmons St.

Illustration of Carl Sandburg for the Sandburg Days Festival