Asheville Poetry Series and poet Kevin Evans are teaming up to present a two-day celebration of the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at THE BLOCK Off Biltmore on January 19 and 20.
Beginning on Jan. 19 at around 5:00 pm, there will be a celebration to honor the late great Dr. Martin Luther King. This event will be held at the BLOCK Off Biltmore and will be called the “I have a dream Slam-Jam.” It will include a recital of a portion of MLK’s famous “I have a dream speech” followed by original poetry by original artists from the Asheville Slam team as well as other local artists.
Following the featured opening set there will be a friendly competition/mash up between one poet and one musician in a slot, names will be placed in a hat to determine the favorite duo who will split the pot. The cost is $5 to attend and $10 to compete.
Let’s bring community and genres together! On a side note, Jan. 19 happens to also be the birthdays of Edgar Allen Poe and Janis Joplin. Let us attempt to channel and infuse the magic of all of these great spirits!
On January 20, at 7:30 pm, Asheville Poetry Series presents the annual MLK Day reading, featuring guest speaker Barbara Milford and poets Kevin Evans and Caleb Beissert, plus an open mic, where all are invited to share poems and thoughts on Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and his teachings of peace, racial harmony, and economic equality. Stick around after the reading for live jazz and funk. There will be a $5 suggested donation at the door.
Find more information about Asheville Poetry Series at facebook.com/groups/ashevillepoetryseries.