This Weekend in Literary Pittsburgh

There's a lot coming up in Literary Pittsburgh this long weekend. Thursday morning, a new pop up bookstore opens for four days (9am-9pm). Named Clowder & Pack, the store will be located in the back of Cats & Dogs Coffeehouse at 4059  Penn Avenue, and proceeds will benefit Assemble.

Thursday night at 8:00pm, a four-man lineup of readers (poet GM Holder from Portland Oregon and locals Mike Knapps, Mark Mattern, and Robert Walicki) ends this season at The New Yinzer Presents reading series at ModernFormations. Read more at the TNY Presents blog.
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Friday night I'll be reading prose at the pop up bookstore with poet Lori Jakiela. (7:00pm) Check out the Clowder & Pack blog to find out about more talks and teach-ins that will be held there this weekend, including writing workshops and a book binding class.

Sunday night, one of Pittsburgh's newest reading series, Strange Animals, features one of Pittsburgh's newest small presses, Hyacinth Girl Press. Hambone's in Lawrenceville will host readers Juliet Cook, Sarah Kain Gutowski, Deena November, and Niina Pollari, followed by an Open Mic. 7:00pm.

Monday night, Garfield Artworks welcomes Soft Skull Press founder, Sander Hicks, into Pittsburgh as he tours the country with his newest book, Slingshot to the Juggernaut. Pittsburgh readers include Artnoose, Vince Eirene, & Joseph Flatley. 8:00pm.

Pittsburgh Small Press Festival Schedule

Thought I would just post the full schedule for The Pittsburgh Small Press Festival as it's posted on their website.

I guess I have two questions which may be out of line-

The first is why an event like this would be scheduled for the summer, a time when a lot of the college students and energy is missing?

The second is why at least a few regional small presses from places like Ohio and West Virginia are not included. Wouldn't it help gain a wider audience and buzz as well as wider opportunities for contacts?

I really love Open Thread Publications Tri-State Chap Book Contest. One almost never sees any attempts to link outside a narrow definition of the Pittsburgh Region.

SPF Expo 2009

The Expo is the crowning event of SPF. It will feature two floors tables of small presses and vendors, as well as a full day of workshops, panels and readings.

The Expo will run from 12-6pm on Saturday, July 18th and Sunday, July 19th. The calendar of events is listed below.

Entrance to the main Expo is free, and a weekend ticket for events can be purchased for only $5!
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SATURDAY, JULY 18th

1pm
Small Press, Big Impact?* (followed by Karen Lillis' presentation on the smallpresspittsburgh wiki)
Panelists: Adam Atkinson (Open Thread), Hattie Fletcher (Creative Nonfiction), Savannah Guz (author), Karen Lillis (LDP Distro, smallpresspittsburgh, Words Like Kudzu, author), and Scott Silsbe (The New Yinzer)

2pm
Starting a Small Press or Literary Organization
Panelists: Adam Atkinson (Open Thread), Kris Collins (The New Yinzer), Sue Rumbaugh (The Diner Divas), and Edward Simon (Thirty First Bird Review and Press)

3pm
Publication Design 101
Panelists: Scott Andrew (Open Thread), Stephen Knezovich (Creative Nonfiction), Deanna Mulye (LPPACS, BatCat Press), and a representative from Encyclopedia Destructica

4pm - 6pm
Bookmaking Workshop
Led by Deanna Mulye and her Bookbinding students from LPPACS


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SUNDAY, JULY 19th

1pm
Tri-State Chapbook Reading and Signing
The winners of Open Thread and Encyclopedia Destructica's Tri-State Chapbook Contest read from their chapbooks, launched at the expo: "Cloud Shaped Room" by Matt Anserello (WV), "Life as a Crossword Puzzle" by Noah Falck (OH), and "Aleph in the Cellar" by Colin C. Post

3pm
Art & Small Press
Panelists: Scott Andrew (Open Thread), Curt Gettman (Unicorn Mountain), Julia Stein (Juliacks), and a representative from Encyclopedia Destructica

4pm
Women in Publishing
Panelists: Nikki Allen (poet), Margaret Bashaar and Laura Davis (Weave Magazine), and Mary Biddinger (Barn Owl Review)

5pm
Weave Magazine Writing Workshop
During this workshop we will discuss poetry and flash fiction (under 1000 words). Participants are asked to bring at least 5 copies of their work for feedback from Weave editors and other workshop participants. If you have never been to a workshop before, we will review our workshop format and flow, as well as etiquette. This is a great way to meet other writers in Pittsburgh and get meaningful feedback in a safe setting.

Update-- I can see from the website that publishers from outside Pittsburgh were allowed. Hopefully this will attract more of them in the future.

The New Yinzer is an online literary journal dedicated to forming an updated image of Pittsburgh/ers and to writing that evokes a strong sense of place. Their periodic events draw impressive crowds to hear the work of local writers, get serenaded by local bands, and dance to a select few of the city's many DJs.

This Friday, February 9th, The New Yinzer will host the latest bash, LOVE BITES, at Brillobox. Readings at 8:00pm, Bands at 9:15pm, DJs at Midnight. Yinz come, now, hear?