Beth McDermott, The Gardner News
The National Baseball Poetry Festival is returning for its third season, according to a community announcement.
The festival will begin with two national poetry contests, one for students in grades 4 to 12 and another for adults 18 and older. The deadline for adult submissions is March 28, while youth submissions are due by April 16.
The festival will culminate in Worcester from May 2 to 4, featuring a welcome reception, a youth poetry event, an open mic night, two Triple-A baseball games, a fireworks display and other activities. Prizes will be awarded to 80 poets, with 20 winners in each category: elementary school, middle school, high school and adult.
The National Baseball Poetry Festival is returning for its third season, according to a community announcement.
The festival will begin with two national poetry contests, one for students in grades 4 to 12 and another for adults 18 and older. The deadline for adult submissions is March 28, while youth submissions are due by April 16.
The festival will culminate in Worcester from May 2 to 4, featuring a welcome reception, a youth poetry event, an open mic night, two Triple-A baseball games, a fireworks display and other activities. Prizes will be awarded to 80 poets, with 20 winners in each category: elementary school, middle school, high school and adult.
Pamela Gemme, a participant in the 2024 festival, encouraged both students and adults to submit their work and attend the event.
“It was wonderful to meet poets from far and wide who love baseball, a pleasure to read publicly, and delightful to take part in the festival’s activities,” Gemme said. “I would encourage student and adult poets throughout the Gardner area to try their hands and make submissions, and then join us at Polar Park in Worcester in May.”
Steven Biondolillo, the festival’s founder, said the event is unique in its combination of sports and the fine arts.
“For the youth who make submissions and/or attend the event, the festival fosters the appreciation of poetry and the fine arts through the lens of baseball,” Biondolillo said. “In addition to the youth contest and reading event, the festival features the work of baseball illustrators and songwriters, including a Worcester-based opera composer.”
Teachers interested in involving their students can find a lesson plan and contest form at baseballpoetryfest.org. The website also includes a schedule of activities, videos and a list of poets expected to attend and perform at the festival’s open mic night.
The National Baseball Poetry Festival is a project of the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce and Biondolillo Associates LLC. Worcester, the birthplace of Ernest Thayer, author of “Casey at the Bat,” is the festival’s permanent home.
This story was created by reporter Beth McDermott, bmcdermott1@gannett.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process.
