The Oregon Coast’s commercial fishing community will soon enjoy a unique opportunity to join fisherpoets from Astoria’s annual FisherPoets Gathering and local storytellers, poets and musicians at events in several ports up and down the coast.
Venues in Port Orford, Coos Bay, Newport, Garibaldi, Pacific City and Lincoln City are hosting a FisherPoets Oregon Coast Tour, October 23–27, to celebrate Oregon’s vibrant coastal communities and encourage its creative voices.
West coast fisherman Rob Seitz, veteran deckhand Chelle Meyers, salmon troller Duncan Berry and other regular performers from the FisherPoets Gathering will join local talent for performances, panels and mug-ups organized variously by Port Orford Fishwives in Port Orford, Charleston Fishing Families in Coos Bay, Newport Fishermen’s Wives in Newport, Pacific City Dorymen’s Association in Pacific City, and FishHer Community Alliance in Garibaldi.
Amanda Gladics, of Oregon Sea Grant and an organizer of both the FisherPoets Gathering and the Oregon Coast Tour, looks forward to making more of the personal connections that knit coastal fishing communities together. A longer-term goal of this month’s tour is to recruit more coastal voices to participate in the FisherPoets Gathering. “The start of that,” she explains, “is making connections with kindred spirits on the coast who reflect and write about the work they are doing on the water, delivering or cutting fish, or making sure the books and the family are all set back on shore.”
Tour Schedule
• Port Orford – Friday, Oct. 23, 5–6:15 p.m., Mr. Ed’s Underground Pub (hosted by Port Orford Fishwives)
• Port Orford – Saturday, Oct. 24, 10 a.m.– noon., Sixes Book & Tackle (mug-up and open mic; hosted by Sixes Book & Tackle and Port Orford Fishwives)
• Coos Bay – Saturday, Oct. 24, 7 –9 p.m., 7 Devils Brewery (hosted by Charleston Fishing Families)
• Newport – Sunday, Oct. 25, 2–5 p.m., Pacific Maritime Heritage Center, 333 SE Bay Blvd. Presented as Saltwater Stories featuring FisherPoets; general admission $15 (3–5 p.m.), VIP $25 (2–5 p.m., includes artist meet-and-greet and hosted bar). Benefiting Newport Fishermen’s Wives and the Pacific Maritime Heritage Center. Tickets: https://www.newportfishermenswives.com/saltwater-stories
• Garibaldi – Monday, Oct. 26, 1–2:30 p.m., Tillamook Bay Seafoods (hosted by FishHer Columbia Pacific Community Alliance & Tillamook Bay Seafoods). Garibaldi’s commercial fleet is invited to meet the touring fisherpoets and swap stories; light refreshments provided.
• Pacific City – Monday, Oct. 26, 7–9 p.m., Kiawanda Community Center (hosted by Pacific City Dorymen’s Association)
• Lincoln City – Tuesday, Oct. 27, 6 p.m., Pelican’s Siletz Brewery. The world premiere of a film on the Biosphere Foundation’s 50th anniversary, fisherpoetry readings, and a custom “Biosphere” brew developed by Pelican.
With the exception of the ticketed Newport stop, all tour events are free and open to the public.
About
The FisherPoets Gathering celebrates its 30th season next February 26–28 in Astoria. For more information see www.fisherpoets.org.
