Celebrate National Poetry Month with Milkweed Editions at Open Book! Join us for an evening honoring poets, their vital place in our culture, and their unique capacity to imagine, enliven, connect, and delight.

At 5:30 p.m., join poet and poetry fans for a party in the Milkweed Editions office suite featuring poetry-themed drinks and hors d’oeuvres. (Ticketed reception: $25 General admission | $10 Student Ticket | FREE for Poets.)

At 7:30 p.m., the party continues with a free reading in the Target Performance Hall featuring the finalists for this year’s $10,000 Lindquist & Vennum…

Rigoberto González continues to change the landscape of American literature through his groundbreaking poetry, prose, and scholarship, providing readers with a redocumentation of our shared cultural memory. Join us for a conversation with González followed by celebratory readings from Elizabeth Alexander, Eduardo Corral, Hannah Ensor, U.S. Poet Laureate Juan Felipe Herrera, Saeed Jones, Erika Sanchez, Elisabet Velasquez, and Vickie Vertiz. Co-hosted by Natalie Diaz and Ada Limón. Presented by Poets House in partnership with the Academy of American Poets, Letras Latinas at Notre Dame’s…

Local events organization Dissonance presents an evening of conversation and performance in partnership with Milkweed Books. Acknowledging the often unspoken difficulties that can accompany the holidays, Dissonance approaches the season with support and humor, “as we gather to say ‘Hey, we’re all in this together.’” Light appetizers and non-alcoholic beverages provided, Q&A following program. Featuring: Nora McInerny Purmont, author of It’s Okay To Laugh (Crying is Cool Too), local musicians Katy Vernon and Davina Sowers. Hosts: David Campbell and Sarah Souder Johnson.

The 4th annual Bread Loaf Orion Environmental Writers’ Conference is a week-long writers’ conference, based on the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference model, that’s designed to hone the skills of people interested in producing literary writing about the environment and the natural world. The conference is co-sponsored by the Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, Orion Magazine, and Middlebury College’s Environmental Studies Program. Faculty will include acclaimed nature and environmental writers Megan Mayhew Bergman, Camille T. Dungy, John Elder, Ross Gay, Ted Genoways, Robin Wall Kimmerer, and Joe…

Poet and language activist Natalie Diaz hosts an evening of writers reading about love, and the necessity of both giving and receiving love in a world upon which we hurt so easily. Each of our readers will read one, new, short piece that they have written especially for this night. The event will run 7pm–10pm, and the readings will take place from 7:15pm–9:15pm. Limited complimentary beer and wine will be served. Books by the authors appearing are donated to Housing Works. To learn more about Housing Works’ efforts, please visit our brand new health care website https://healthcare.housingworks…

Milkweed Books joins other local vendors for a Holiday Bazaar at the Low & Friends Christmas performance at First Avenue, presented by 89.3 The Current. Milkweed’s selection will include books by local and regional authors, as well as local music books and holiday titles. A portion of all proceeds benefits Second Harvest Heartland.

A night of local and global flavors with local food advocate Beth Dooley, author of IN WINTER’S KITCHEN. Featuring recipes from Naomi Duguid’s beautiful new cookbook TASTE OF PERSIA, reinterpreted with fresh and local Minnesota ingredients. Enjoy delicious snacks, Beth’s culinary wisdom, and the bookstore’s eclectic selection of cookbooks. You can join us for this event at Milkweed Books, our new bookstore on the first floor of the Open Book building.