Two-day literary celebration brings award-winning authors, writing workshops, live performances and family fun to campus and downtown Elizabeth City
Elizabeth City, N.C. — Festivals usually bring to mind food, music, vendors and crowds. But Elizabeth City State University (ECSU) is adding a few new attractions to the mix: books, authors, poetry, storytelling and a celebration of the written and spoken word.
ECSU will host Gathering Voices: A Young People’s Literary Festival Nov. 13-14, bringing award-winning authors, poets, illustrators, students and families together for two days of writing workshops, live performances, book readings and interactive activities on campus and throughout downtown Elizabeth City.
Made possible by a $29,000 grant through the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources’ America 250 NC initiative, the festival will celebrate creativity, literacy and the power of storytelling while commemorating the 250th anniversary of America’s founding.
While books are at the heart of the celebration, festival attendees will discover that stories don’t always stay on the page. The festival will showcase the many ways stories are written, performed, illustrated and shared across generations. From songwriting and spoken word to graphic novels, romance writing and a family-friendly rap battle, ECSU’s Gathering Voices will present a variety of story avenues.
ECSU’s English Department organized the event in collaboration with community partners. The celebration will begin Friday, Nov. 13, with writing workshops and an evening literary performance on campus before moving into downtown Elizabeth City for a free, daylong street festival Saturday, Nov. 14.
The festival also creates opportunities for local students to connect with professional writers and discover new ways to express themselves. Participating authors will engage young people through school outreach, writing instruction and activities designed to encourage the next generation of storytellers.
Friday, Nov. 13: A Day to Write, Create and Celebrate
The celebration begins with the ECSU One-Day Writing Workshops, scheduled from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. in Moore Hall on the university’s campus.
Led by published authors and creative professionals, the workshops will introduce participants to a range of literary genres and techniques, offering opportunities to learn directly from writers who have turned their creativity into published works and performances.
Workshop offerings include:
· Researching and Writing Historical Fiction: Andrea Blackstone, Room 200; 9, 10 and
11 a.m. and noon.
· Self-Publishing: Patsy Robertson, Room 201; 9 and 11 a.m.
· Writing Graphic Novels: Sarah Clawson Willis, Room 204; 9 and 11 a.m.
· Songwriting: Pearl Napolitano, Room 206; 9 and 11 a.m.
· Romance Writing: Kianna Alexander, Room 212; 9, 10 and 11 a.m. and noon.
· Poetry and Spoken Word: SeLisa Godfrey, Room 220; 9, 10 and 11 a.m. and noon.
· Writing Flash Fiction: Jenna Miller, Room 222; 9, 10 and 11 a.m. and noon.
The celebration continues Friday evening with Gathering Voices: A Celebration of American Literature and Arts, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Mickey L. Burnim Fine Arts Center auditorium.
ECSU First Lady Tracy Hargrove will serve as mistress of ceremonies for an evening featuring literature, music, poetry and performances reflecting the diverse voices and experiences that have shaped American storytelling.
Award-winning author Carole Boston Weatherford and her son, author, illustrator and performance poet Jeffery Boston Weatherford, will deliver the keynote performance.
The program will also feature Andrea Blackstone, niece of acclaimed author Alex Haley, whose literary legacy includes Roots: The Saga of an American Family.
ECSU alumna, professor, author and spoken word poet SeLisa Godfrey will also be featured, along with a student performance of Langston Hughes’ 1936 poem, “Let America Be America Again.”
The evening will open with three musical selections from the ECSU Concert Choir led by Walter Swan, professor and director of choral activities.
Saturday, Nov. 14: Where the Stories Hit the Streets
Saturday, the celebration moves beyond the classroom and into the heart of downtown Elizabeth City, where North Poindexter Street will become a gathering place for books, creativity and community.
The Gathering Voices Literary Festival will run from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., offering a free, family-friendly street fair featuring storytelling, live performances, book giveaways, the library bookmobile and hands-on activities for readers and aspiring writers of all ages.
Festival highlights include:
· 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. — Author Meet and Greet Market: Madrin Studio, 115 N. Poindexter St. Visitors can meet award-winning and local authors, purchase books, win prizes and create keepsake buttons, bookmarks and typewriter poetry.
· 9 a.m. to noon — Picture Book Read-Alouds: Recycled Reader Bookstore, 606 E. Main St. Authors Carole Boston Weatherford, Jeffery Boston Weatherford, Dorothy Price, Ganelle Sutton and Monica Roe will share their books with young readers during scheduled readings every 30 minutes.
· 1 p.m. — Family-Friendly Rap Battle: Madrin Studio. Jeffery Boston Weatherford will serve as emcee for a lively, family-friendly rap battle celebrating rhythm, rhyme and creative expression.
· 2 p.m. — Character Costume Guess Who? Game: Madrin Studio. Authors and audience members will put their literary knowledge to the test as they guess favorite characters and compete for prizes.
Young readers and their families can enjoy the following scheduled picture book readings at Recycled Reader:
· 9 a.m.: Wowrus — Monica Roe
· 9:30 a.m.: Black Hands: Builders of Our Nation — Carole Boston Weatherford
· 10 a.m.: Double Dutch — Ganelle Sutton
· 10:30 a.m.: Daddy-Daughter Day — Dorothy Price
· 11 a.m.: Rap It Up! — Carole Boston Weatherford and Jeffery Boston Weatherford
· 11:30 a.m.: Nana’s Favorite Things — Dorothy Price
· Noon: Wowrus — Monica Roe
The downtown celebration is presented in partnership with Arts of the Albemarle, Pasquotank County Library, Downtown Elizabeth City and Recycled Reader Bookstore.
A Celebration of Voices, Past and Present
The America 250 NC initiative is a statewide effort to commemorate the nation’s 250th anniversary through programs that encourage communities to explore American history, culture and identity.
ECSU lecturer Debra Rook, who developed and submitted the grant proposal, helped bring the festival to life as an opportunity to connect young people with literature and the creative arts.
The initiative builds on ECSU’s commitment to education, cultural engagement and community partnerships by creating spaces where young people can learn from established authors, explore their own creativity and recognize the value of their experiences.
The festival also provides an opportunity to celebrate the voices that have contributed to America’s literary history while encouraging a new generation to add its own stories.
With books to discover, authors to meet, performances to enjoy and stories waiting to be written, Gathering Voices promises a celebration of literature and an invitation for the entire community to become part of the story.
For more information about the festival, visit www.ecsu.edu.
