The Steamboat Mountain Reading Series is excited to be hosting a Helper Spring Poetry Reading and Workshop on April 8 and April 9. There will be a poetry reading on April 8 from 7:00 pm till 8:00 pm and the workshop will be held on April 9 from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. This event is free, open to all poetry lovers of all levels who are 18 years and older. Castle Country Radio was able to sit down with Helper’s Poet Laureate, Nancy Takacs to discuss all the details of the event.

There will be two guest speakers/presenters sharing their knowledge and love for poetry, Sunni Brown Wilkinson who teaches at Weber State University and Mike White who teaches at the University of Utah. “So two really interesting, younger poets, who are going to teach a workshop to poetry lovers of all levels, 18 and over preferably. People can contact me, it’s all free because its supported by the Helper Project, Peczuh, Utah Division of Arts & Museum, KT Gallery and Helper Art Workshops,” stated Takacs. The reading and workshop will be held at KT Gallery at 76 South Main Street in Helper. Organizers would like to get a headcount so you can sign up by contacting hemlockb@live.com.

Takacs’s time as the Helper Poet Laureate will come to an end in May and she has enjoyed her time in the position, although her time served was during the COVID pandemic she was still able to host some events for the community.  “A Poet Laureate in general serves the community by bringing poetry to their community in many different ways. We’re wondering, well after seven of our events had to be canceled when it first started, we decided that we would quickly go online and do some things on Zoom,” said Takacs. This allowed for her to better serve her community and teach/present different concepts of poetry writing during what was a difficult time for large gatherings.

If anyone in the community would like to serve as Poet Laureate can easily apply with the city for the 2-year term/position. “They want to know that someone is serious about working to serve the community for the next couple of years and to make poetry present everywhere in Helper, by you know, perhaps bringing people in to teach workshops, or to have poetry in the streets, or poetry in the windows, some kind of project that the would-be Poet Laureate is interested in doing,” said Takacs. Those that may be interested but would like more information can contact Takacs to speak with her about her experience as Poet Laureate by email at hemlockb@live.com