Justin Salisbury Quartet
Aug
10
3:00 PM15:00

Justin Salisbury Quartet

The Clatskanie Arts Commission is honored to present Clatskanie born and raised jazz musician, Justin Salisbury, in concert, Sunday, August 10, at the Birkenfeld Theater, 75 S. Nehalem in Clatskanie.

Jazz pianist Justin Salisbury will return to his hometown of Clatskanie for a special performance with his international quartet. The group—which features an Italian saxophonist, bass player, and drummer—will performer Salisbury’s music at Clatskanie’s Birkenfeld Theater on August 10 at 3 p.m.

In 2022, Salisbury released his first solo recording, Evergreen, to critical success. He released a follow up recording as a leader in 2023, entitled Of Wonders Wild and New. In 2024, he was featured on a recording by Puerto Rican rapper, Residente, which won a Grammy award.

 The pianist has been developing his musical voice and an international reputation ever since. He’s now working with an international band that features some of Italy’s best young musicians—Daniele Germani on saxophone, bassist Giuseppe Cucchiara, and drummer Andrea Nicolai. The group will be on a tour of the west coast, and Salisbury is looking forward to making a special stop in his hometown to play at its historic theater for one afternoon only.

Salisbury grew up in Clatskanie and studied studying with several of the Pacific Northwest’s finest musicians, such as Sharon Moe, Clay Giberson, Derek Sims, and Alan Jones. He received a full scholarship to the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston. While there, he honed his skills by studying and performing with some of America’s jazz elders, such as saxophonist Joe Lovano and pianist Joanne Brackeen.

 After school, he relocated to Brooklyn, where he became an in-demand musician for jazz and pop bands, performing at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and multiple international festivals.

His concert at Clatskanie’s historic Birkenfeld Theater is a special event celebrating one of the many important artists who have grown up in the Lower Columbia region and left to make their mark on American culture. The most recent of those who also spent part of their youth in Clatskanie, is Cole Escola, who recently won a Tony for the Broadway musical, Oh, Mary!

Salisbury, like Escola, found artistic inspiration in the Clatskanie area, and the August 10 concert is a chance for him to return and share that inspiration with his hometown. It’s a rare concert, and one not to be missed.

Tickets are available online at clatskaniearts.org, by calling Elsa at 503.728.3403 or at the door the day of the performance.  Tickets are $20/adults; $18/seniors and students; $15 children.

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Lean on Pete Movie Showing
Aug
17
2:00 PM14:00

Lean on Pete Movie Showing

Clatskanie Library presents:

Lean on Pete is a 2017 coming-of-age drama written and directed by Andrew Haigh, based on the novel of the same name by Willy Vlautin.

Discussion scheduled after movie showing.

This Program was made possible in part by a grant from Oregon Humanities and the Nation Endowment for the Humanities.

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Raymond Carver Writing Festival - Writing Workshop
May
3
2:00 PM14:00

Raymond Carver Writing Festival - Writing Workshop

Writing Workshop
2-3pm at the Clatskanie Cultural Center, Ballroom
Presenter: Martha Gies (Portland, OR)
In this workshop, we will use prompts suggested by two or—time permitting—three of Carver’s poems. I have found this exercise to be fun for writers of prose and poetry alike. No public sharing required. Bring your notebook and a pen.
Pre-registration appreciated

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Raymond Carver Writing Festival -Publisher's & Writer's Fair
May
3
10:00 AM10:00

Raymond Carver Writing Festival -Publisher's & Writer's Fair

Publishers & Writers Fair
10am-12:15pm at the Clatskanie Cultural Center, Ballroom
Vendor tables by local authors, regional writing organizations and presenters.
Allen Braden (Tacoma, WA), C.C. Stern Type Foundry (Clatskanie, OR), Martha Gies (Portland, OR), Empty Bowl Press (Chimacum, WA), Holly Hughes (Chimacum, WA), Laura Moulton (Portland, OR), Dayle Olson (Cathlamet, WA), Rain Magazine (Astoria, OR), Raymond Carver Podcast (Port Angeles, WA), Salal Review (Longview, WA), Armin Tolentino (Vancouver, WA), Evan Williams (OR), Write Around Portland (Portland, OR), The Writer’s Guild (Astoria, OR), and more!
A select assortment of Raymond Carver books will be for sale at the event. We’ll also have merch available from the Raymond Carver Writing Festival including commemorative posters, stickers, postcards, book bags and badges. Maybe even a few t-shirts in random sizes!
Presented by Astoria’s The Writer’s Guild.

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Shizue: An American Story
Nov
10
2:00 PM14:00

Shizue: An American Story

Portland Opera is proud to present the second youth opera in the Our Oregon Series, Shizue: An American Story

Written for students 4th grade and up, but easily enjoyed by all ages.

Shizue Iwatsuki was 19 years old when she cam to Hood River, Oregon as a newlywed with her husband Kamegoro, to make a new life on their orchard. A poet and artist, Shizue was unprepared for life on the farm, but she learned- all the while surprising herself with her resilience. But no one in the Japanese American community was prepared when the United States government issued Executive Order 9066 sending all people of Japanese descent to “relocation centers.” Through it all, Shizue created beauty around her, writing poetry and creating Ikebana (floral arrangements) with any materials she had to hand. Hers is the true story of a quiet hero and her perseverance in the face of tremendous adversity.

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Journey Under the Sea
Aug
8
6:00 PM18:00

Journey Under the Sea

Dive into an ocean of hands-on science fun while exploring Oregon’s underwater environments. Join us to discover beautiful kelp forests and rugged, rocky reefs with activities that will inspire you to protect this amazing world under the waves.

Sponsored by the Clatskanie Library District and the Museum of Natural & Cultural History

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C.C. Stern Foundry Poetry Reading w/ Kathleen Flenniken
Jun
22
4:00 PM16:00

C.C. Stern Foundry Poetry Reading w/ Kathleen Flenniken

Please join us for the launch of the letterpress broadside of Kathleen Flenniken’s poem “Where Are You Going.” The event will feature a reading of new poetry by Washington Poet Laureate Emerita Kathleen Flenniken and a discussion of the broadside creation with letterpress printer Laura Bentley. This event marks the release of the fourth broadside to be printed as part of the C.C. Stern Type Foundry’s Pacific Northwest Poets Laureate Project.

The broadside is illustrated and printed by Laura Bentley of Pinwheel Press using metal type cast at the C.C. Stern Type Foundry. It is one in a series that uses traditional type founding and printing techniques to present poems in broadside form in order to spark conversation. Working with past Poets Laureate from Oregon and Washington, the C.C. Stern Type Foundry will publish a series of poetry broadsides over the course of the project, launching each work by hosting a discussion about its topics and methods used in its creation. The poem is copyright Kathleen Flenniken and will appear for the first time in the Spring–Summer 2024 issue of Crab Creek Review.

Kathleen Flenniken is an award-winning poet who served as Washington State Poet Laureate from 2012–2014. She is author of three poetry collections: Post Romantic (University of Washington Press, 2020), Plume (University of Washington Press, 2012), and Famous (University of Nebraska Press, 2006). Her awards include a Pushcart Prize and fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts and Artist Trust. She teaches poetry through arts agencies like Writers in the Schools and Jack Straw.

This event will be held at the Clatskanie Cultural Center from 4:00-5:30pm Pacific Time. The event is free and open to the public, but your RSVP at the attached website is appreciated.

“Where Are You Going” broadsides (edition of 50) will be available for sale beginning June 22, 2024 at the event and from the C.C. Stern Type Foundry marketplace.

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Raymond Carver Writing Festival
May
17
to May 18

Raymond Carver Writing Festival

  • Clatskanie Cultural Center (map)
  • Google Calendar ICS

The Raymond Carver Writing Festival takes place annually in Clatskanie, Oregon, the birthplace of Raymond Carver. This year’s theme is “Where I’m Calling From,” taken from the title of one of Carver’s short stories, and meant to be open to creative interpretation.

All efforts have been made to keep events free and open to the public, thanks to the contributions of organizations, businesses, and a volunteer committee of organizers. The festival is held at venues downtown Clatskanie, in walking distance from one another and from centrally located lodging.

FRIDAY MAY 17th

Publishers & Writers Fair
5pm at the Clatskanie Cultural Center, Ballroom
Vendor tables by local authors, regional writing organizations and presenters.
C.C. Stern Type Foundry (Clatskanie, OR), Clatskanie Historical Society (Clatskanie, OR), Clatskanie Library (Clatskanie, OR), Columbia River Writers Group (Clatskanie, OR), FisherPoets (Astoria, OR), Joseph Green/Peasandcues Press (Longview, WA), Scott MacGregor (Clatskanie, OR), Mother Foucault’s Books (Portland, OR), Kelley Jaquez (Clatskanie, OR), Laura Moulton (Portland, OR), Ben Parzybok/Gumball Poetry (Portland, OR), Raymond Carver Podcast (Port Angeles, WA), The Raymond Carver Review (online), Robert Michael Pyle (Grays River, WA), Salal Review (Longview, WA), Kim Stafford (Portland, OR), The Writer’s Guild (Astoria, OR)

A select assortment of Raymond Carver books will be for sale at the event. We’ll also have merch available from the Raymond Carver Writing Festival including commemorative posters, stickers, postcards and badges. Maybe even a few t-shirts in random sizes!


Reception
6-7:30pm at the Clatskanie Cultural Center, Ballroom
Welcome to the Raymond Carver Writing Festival!
Introduction: Deborah Hazen (Clatskanie, OR)
Guest presenter: Chad Wriglesworth, The Raymond Carver Review (Waterloo, ON), “A Particular Way of Seeing the World: Raymond Carver on the Craft of Writing”
Keynote speaker: Kim Stafford (Portland, OR), “Where I’m Writing From”

Evening Readings
7:30-8:30pm Storytelling/Prose at Fultano’s Pizza
Readers: Mac Stripling (Westport, OR), Ben Parzybok (Portland, OR), Scott MacGregor (Clatskanie, OR), Michael Mills (Port Angeles, WA)

7:45-8:45pm Poetry at Flowers n Fluff
Featured poet: Robert Michael Pyle
Readers: Marianne Monson (Astoria, OR), Joseph Green (Longview, WA), Robert Michael Pyle (Grays River, WA)

8:45-10:00pm Readings at Colvin’s Pub & Grill
Line-up curated by Mother Foucault's Bookshop
Readers: Ed Skoog (Portland, OR), Justin Taylor (Portland, OR)

SATURDAY MAY 18th

A Conversation about Writing: “The World According to You”
10-10:45am at the Clatskanie Cultural Center, Ballroom
Presenter: Kim Stafford (Portland, OR)
Raymond Carver says in his essay “On Writing” that every writer describes a particular world, and has a particular way of seeing things. What is your “native place” as a writer? How are you a “native speaker” of the language of that place? We’ll have a conversation about these matters, and how this particular background makes you want to tell a certain kind of story or poem or song.

Writing Workshops
Presented by Astoria’s The Writer’s Guild.
Pre-registration for workshops is not required, workshops are appropriate for all levels of writers.

“Prose Poetry as Memoir”
11-11:45am at the Clatskanie Cultural Center, Ballroom
Presenter: Asher Finch (Astoria, OR)
Where does the line cross between prose-poetry and memoir storytelling? Does there need to be a distinction between the two? The lyrical and abstract nature of prose poetry to tell the story of one’s life in a memoir style can be used to illustrate the art of memory, blended with the accuracy of a timeline. Join Asher Finch for a brief lesson in prose poetry and its use in narrative storytelling, open writing time, and a brief sharing session at the end. 

“Overcoming Procrastination and Writer’s Block”
1-1:45pm at the Clatskanie Cultural Center, Ballroom
Presenter: Vicki (Vee) Lind (Portland, OR)
In the first part of this hands-on workshop, we’ll review tips from successful authors on external environmental factors conducive to activating your muse: place, time of day, support from others. As Annie Lamott said, “My mind is a neighborhood I try not to go into alone..” In the second part, we’ll focus on the internal environment of their mind. Through free writing exercises, participants will identify their patterns of critical self-talk that block creativity. They will then learn to befriend and reimagine that self-talk.

“What We Write About When We Write About Love: A Readers Write Workshop”
2-3:30pm at the Clatskanie Cultural Center, Ballroom
Presenter: Nancy A. Cook (Astoria, OR)
This workshop will celebrate one of Ray’s most famous short stories “What We Talk About When We Talk About Love”, which served as the creative inspiration for The Academy Award Best Picture “Birdman”. The workshop will include a brief history of the story, close reading focused on Carver’s fine minimalist craft, a pertinent clip from “Birdman”, and some fun writing prompts suited for nonfiction, story scenes, or poetry. This will be fun!  All are welcome! 


Explore Carver in Clatskanie 
A walking tour with presentations and participatory readings at local sites. Bring a poem or short story to share!
11:15-11:45am at The Castle/Thomas J. Flippin House/Clatskanie Historical Society
Presenter: Deborah Hazen + time to browse memorabilia
12:30-12:45pm at the Carver Mural/old Clatskanie hospital building
Presenter: Michael Calvin Mills + you!
1-1:15pm at Evenson Logging Co. parking area
Presenters: Evenson Logging, Chad Wriglesworth + you!
1:30-1:45pm at Raymond Carver Memorial Sculpture/Cope’s Park
Presenters: Scott MacGregor, Ben Parzybok, Gumball Poetry + you!

Parking Lot Poetry
12-2pm at the Evergreen Shopping Center/Safeway parking lot
Readings of Raymond Carver poems and other works on the theme “Where I’m Calling From”. Bring your own favorite or select from poems provided to read aloud. This fun event is inspired by Tess Gallagher and Raymond Carver’s 1984 parking lot reading at this very site.
Hosted by Laura Moulton (Portland, OR) and the C.C. Stern Type Foundry (Clatskanie, OR)

Steal Time to Write
11:45am-12pm, 12:45-1pm, 1:45-2pm at the Clatskanie Library
Writing prompts at quarter to the hour, 15 minute sessions. Pop in to the library and spend a few minutes writing to short prompts from festival writers Michael Mills, Laura Moulton, and Robert Michael Pyle. A different prompt will be offered at each session, so plan on stealing time for all three!


Youth Poetry Contest Award Ceremony
4:30-5pm at the Clatskanie Cultural Center, Birkenfeld Theater
Awards and readings from the winners of the 2024 Poetry Contest.
Award Presentors: Mayor Robert "Bob" Brajcich, with Joseph Green (poet) and Maryanne Hirning (librarian)

Festival Finale! : Poetry and Pie 
6-9pm at the Clatskanie Food Hub
Pie was Raymond Carver's favorite dessert, and as part of the 2024 Raymond Carver Writing Festival, we’re closing out the activities with a last slice of deliciousness. 
The dinner requires a paid reservation. Community pie potluck, award presentation and Poetry Jam are free!

6pm Catered dinner (reservations required, $20 per person)
Whimsical and seasonal Farm-to-table pies featuring a menagerie of locally grown savory delights handcrafted by Bluebell Bakeshop. Non-alcoholic beverages supplied by The Wild Locals, beer and wine available for purchase.

… and a community pie potluck! (free)
Bring a homemade pie to share after dinner -- your best recipe, a sweet treat using the remainder of last year’s harvest, or a regional favorite. Perhaps we will have prizes.

7-8:30pm Adult  Poetry Contest Awards and Poetry Jam (free)
Awards and readings from the winners of the 2024 Adult Poetry Contest
followed by an Open Mic Poetry Jam hosted by Joseph Green

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Jugglemania with Rhys Thomas
May
5
3:00 PM15:00

Jugglemania with Rhys Thomas

Family Friendly Jugglemania!

Like a Pixar movie, JuggleMania appeals to all ages with non-stop “hilarity & dexterity.” Juggler enough to compete at international street performer festivals and comedian enough to headline on cruise ships, performer Rhys Thomas brings a rare blend of serious skills and silly shenanigans. 


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Spencer Day - Frank Sinatra Tribute
Apr
26
7:30 PM19:30

Spencer Day - Frank Sinatra Tribute

The unique #1 Billboard charting pop/jazz performer, has appeared at venues from Lincoln Center to the Hollywood Bowl. His show 'A Night Out With Sinatra" will feature some of Frank Sinatras most beloved songs, all interpreted by a singer and songwriter who has been called “One of the most beautiful singing voices around today” – by Time out New York and New York Public Radio/WNYC’s American Standards. 

Will Martin tickets will be honored for this performance.

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