California State Parks Hosts Star-Studded Poetry in Parks Event at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve
Contact:
Scott Green, Program Manager
530-523-3257
Newsroom@parks.ca.gov
(Clockwise from top left) U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón, Pulitzer Prize winner Forrest Gander, Tenth Gate Prize winner Nicole Callihan, Sonoma County Poet Laureate Emerita Iris Jamahl Dunkle. Photos from California State Parks.
GUERNEVILLE — California State Parks invites the public to a powerful afternoon of poetry and live music with the return of Poetry in Parks on Saturday, July 26, at Armstrong Redwoods State Natural Reserve (SNR). This free event will feature an acclaimed lineup of literary voices, including Pulitzer Prize winner Forrest Gander, U.S. Poet Laureate Ada Limón, and 2023 Tenth Gate Prize winner Nicole Callihan. The event is hosted by Iris Jamahl Dunkle, Sonoma County Poet Laureate Emerita.
“California’s state parks are remarkable living landscapes—places where you can fully immerse yourself in the present while imagining the past and the possibilities of the future,” said California State Parks Director Armando Quintero. “We invite you to join us for Poetry in the Parks, an afternoon of verse and community set in the heart of a redwood canyon within the Russian River watershed.”
Poetry in Parks brings together poets, musicians, tribal leaders, students, and community voices in the stunning landscapes of California’s state parks. This event will open with a land acknowledgment and tribal song by Kashaya Pomo elder Hannah Banuelos, followed by a reading from Emily Fordham, 2025 Sonoma County Poetry Out Loud winner. Live music will be provided by clarinetist Nicholas Xenelis, Principal with the Sonoma County Philharmonic and member of the Ukiah Symphony and Symphony of the Redwoods. Beverages and snacks will be available for purchase. Books will be sold onsite by Russian River Books & Letters.
Details of the event:
WHEN: Saturday, July 26, 1–3 p.m.
WHERE: Redwood Theater, Armstrong Redwoods SNR
17000 Armstrong Woods Rd., Guerneville, CA 95446
RSVP: Please RSVP at www.stewardscr.org/events
PARKING: Parking is limited. Please arrive early and allow for a
15-minute walk to the theater. Do not park in the roadway or in
front of driveways of private residences. Parking is prohibited
on the east side of Armstrong Woods Road. There is a parking
fee of $10 per vehicle ($9 with a senior passenger, age 62+).
Fees apply whether or not the kiosk is staffed. Please
self-register if unattended. Note that the small Forest Theater
parking lot will be reserved for those with restricted mobility. For
more information call (707) 869-9177 ext. 2.
DIRECTIONS: Armstrong Redwoods SNR is located three miles north of
Guerneville on Armstrong Woods Road. From Highway 101 -
coming North or South - take the River Road exit (in Santa
Rosa). Go west on River Road until you reach Guerneville. At
the second stop light make a right hand turn onto Armstrong
Woods Road. Directions on Google Maps.
Dogs must be always controlled on a leash during your visit to the park. Dogs on leash are only allowed on the main, paved road, in one of the developed picnic areas or within your registered campsite at Bullfrog Pond Campground. Dogs are NOT allowed on any dirt trail or dirt road. If camping, your pet will need to stay in your tent or in your vehicle overnight. Service animals are welcome per California State Parks' Service Animals Policy.
About Poetry in Parks
Arts in California Parks is a new program from California State Parks. This initiative brings together talented artists, wise culture bearers, California Native American tribes, and our diverse communities. Poetry in Parks is a successful pilot program for Arts in California Parks and meets the goals of the program by inspiring park visitors with creative performance art that “celebrates our past, reflects our present and dreams up our future”.
Poetry in Parks celebrates its tenth year in 2025, as an annual statewide special event program celebrating the inspiration from the natural world found in State Parks for performance and honoring the legacy of literature in California. This is the third Poetry in Parks event in the Redwood Theater at the reserve. The event is presented and supported by the Stewards of the Coast and Redwoods, Parks California, and California State Parks.
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California State Parks provides for the health, inspiration and education of the people of California by helping to preserve the state’s extraordinary biological diversity, protecting its most valued natural and cultural resources, and creating opportunities for high quality outdoor recreation.