Where Words Come Alive: The Story of Poetry Night
Join us April 30, 2026 for the 31st Annual Poetry Night at the Evansville Art Center
There is something quietly powerful about hearing words spoken aloud—especially when they are shared from the heart.
In celebration of National Poetry Month, Poetry Night is a magical gathering of people of all ages, from all walks of life, who gather to share a few of their favorite poems with a respectful, receptive, and appreciative audience. Participants come from near and far. Some are accomplished poets, with published collections of their writings. Some are poetasters, seeking an opportunity to be heard. Some are avid readers who simply choose to share a favorite poem or two that are written by someone else.
Starting at 7:00 pm, every participant gets a chance to read for about five minutes. Once the entire roster of participants has read, and after a short break for some home-made goodies and hot tea, the emcee will start going through the list of readers all over again. In the second round he or she will designate the time limitation based on the number of readers and the time remaining. We strive to finish the evening by 9:00 pm, although sometimes we go slightly past that.
HISTORY
When Evansville Arts Coalition (Evansville Art Center) was first organized, we didn’t have a specific plan; I was just a 42-year-old artist with a daughter in junior high and a little pre-schooler, so I wanted EAC to sponsor arts events of all kinds that could engage people of our rural community, including school-age children.
I had attended a statewide conference for Artists in Education, and one of the handouts was a newsletter from Minnesota State Arts Board. In it was a reminder that April is National Poetry Month. That was it! The spark of an idea to celebrate Poetry Month right here in our little corner of Minnesota. Why not?
Just one little challenge: because we were just a recently organized group of local people, EAC didn’t have a physical place to hold meetings and events, either. *Come For Coffee, a local restaurant had recently changed hands. I approached the owner: would she be willing to stay open a couple hours past regular closing time so we could have a poetry-reading event? Thus, our first event was held in April of 1996. We called it “Coffeehouse Poetry Night.” During the years when we held it at Come For Coffee we would sit at four-person restaurant-style tables. In coffeehouse tradition, we would “applaud’ by tapping spoons against coffee cups or glasses of ice water.
MANY FOND MEMORIES
Poetry Night sparked something. There is truly something magical about hearing words printed in dusty old books come to life, when spoken. Something inspiring when you hear someone courageously read something they’ve written but never shared in public. Something stirs the heart, opens the mind, and often challenges one’s status quo when a gifted writer speaks their poetry. Poetry Night became one of my favorite events at EAC. It did for others, too. That’s why we continue to host it.
I have loved to listen to a wide and diverse range of readers at Poetry Night; following are some of my favorite memories. A 95 year-old grandma and former teacher, reading from 3-ring binders filled with pages of hand-written poems written and saved over her lifetime. A first-grader sharing his favorite Shel Silverstein poem. A woodcutter from a distant town, who saw one of our posters in a local restaurant; he shared a gut-wrenching poem written after his wife of many years had died. A creative writing instructor from Moorhead, who delighted the audience with the audio elements incorporated into his poetry. A plumber from another community, who made us chuckle with his “cowboy poetry.” From Hancock came a retired farmer in bib overalls to recite his poem about old King David. A talented local songwriter would sometimes sing her recitation upon my request, the seasonally appropriate lyrics about “the greening of the hills” that we so enjoy in the Evansville area. A Pope County commissioner who would recite Robert Burns from memory, complete with a Scottish brogue.
Our emcee this year will be Pastor Irv Arnquist. Irv served on the EAC Board of Directors and was the official Poetry Night emcee for many years. He would challenge himself by writing a short poem to read, sometimes waiting for inspiration until the very day of the event. Always witty, sometimes profound, often funny - if we’re lucky, maybe he’ll do that again this year.
And so each year, as voices rise and words are shared, Poetry Night reminds us that even in a small town, something meaningful—and a little bit magical—can still happen.
AN INVITATION
Even if you don’t want to read, I hope you’ll consider attending this year’s Poetry Night, on the last Thursday in April. I promise it is like no other event you’ve attended, so come with an open mind and expect to be entertained. Considering the times we are living in, I ask one thing of you: be respectful. As always, our event is free – but we appreciate any donations.
IF YOU WANT TO READ
Please register on the form below. We take walk-ins, too… but prefer preregistration if possible.
*Long after the restaurant was closed and for a few years after the present EAC building had been donated to us, the old lettering “Come For Coffee, Stay For Lunch” and a steaming cup of coffee were still on the front window.
Guest writer: Stephen Henning
Stephen was the original founder and organizer of the Evansville Arts Coalition, and president for its first 12 years.
Learn more about Stephen at https://stephenhenningfineart.com
