Fall Travel at the Emily Dickinson Museum

The Emily Dickinson Museum brings a cornucopia of fun events this Fall starting in September with the 5th Annual Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon. Read on for more information about Autumn Happenings at the Emily Dickinson Museum!

Contact Info:
Donna M. Abelli
Development & Marketing Manager
413/542-5084
dmabelli@emilydickinsonmuseum.org
Yahoo IM: donnaabelli

 

5th Annual Emily Dickinson Museum Poetry Marathon

On Saturday, September 26, Emily Dickinson lovers of all ages are invited to join the Emily Dickinson Poetry Marathon, a day-long marathon reading of all 1,789 poems by Emily Dickinson. The event, which is sponsored annually by the Emily Dickinson Museum, will take place from 7 a.m. to approximately 10 p.m. at the Dickinson Homestead and will involve several other activities. All are welcome to read or to listen, participate in the entire free event or drop by to appreciate just a single poem.

Whether you're a long-time Emily Dickinson fan or someone hoping to experience her work for the first time, the marathon is the perfect chance to engage with Dickinson's poetry in the place where she composed it. Attracting poets, writers, journalists, children, college students, families, teachers, poetry lovers and even people who thought they didn't like poetry, anyone interested in reading during the marathon is especially encouraged to attend, as it is an excellent opportunity to become freshly connected to Dickinson's poetry. As Greg Mattingly, a devoted participant of past marathons, says, "Don't just read Emily Dickinson, join in the Marathon and experience her!"

In addition to the poetry readings, the marathon will feature the following activities:

•  11 a.m.-Hedge and Fence Tour and Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony. In mid-February, the museum began to restore the overgrown hemlock hedge and historic fences, gates and gateposts spanning the front of the Dickinson property. The project has returned a significant Amherst landscape feature to its original 19th-century appearance, and Jane Wald, director of the museum, will lead a brief ribbon-cutting ceremony and special tour of project where she will discuss highlights and provide information about the project.

• 1 to 4 p.m.-The Many Faces of Emily. This activity will enable participants to have their faces videographed in a "cut-out" of the renowned Emily Dickinson daguerreotype portrait by James MacAllister, the videographer for the film A Poet in Her Bedroom. MacAllister, who has specialized in making medical and science programs for television, is currently a graduate student at the University of Massachusetts. B.Y.O.C. (Bring your own camera for a copy to take home)!
  

• 2 p.m.-Hedge and Fence Tour. Last chance to take a tour with Jane Wald as she shares the significance and meaning of the restoration project. "One of the museum's goals is to bring back the Dickinson homes and grounds to their appearance during the period the poet lived and wrote here," she explained. "The natural world and this landscape were vitally important to the Dickinson family, and we want our patrons to be able to see and imagine how it looked then."

"WOULD YOU LIKE SUMMER? TASTE OF OURS - "(FR 272):  THE DICKINSONS' HEIRLOOM FRUITS AND VEGETABLES
A PROGRAM WITH MARTA MCDOWELL, LANDSCAPE HISTORIAN AND GARDENER

As harvest-time draws near, the Emily Dickinson Museum invites you to get your taste buds ready.  On Saturday, October 17, at 10 a.m., landscape historian and gardener Marta McDowell will lead a program about the fruits and vegetables that the graced the Dickinson family table.  She will discuss what the Dickinsons grew, how they cooked, what they ate, and how you can grow and prepare your own vegetables and fruits in honor of Emily Dickinson and her family.  

The morning will begin with a lecture, followed by a tasting of seasonal produce and sample recipes that the Dickinsons and their contemporaries used.  The program will conclude with a tour of the Dickinsons' grounds and discussion of  gardening techniques that will help you plan your own home garden for next year. 

Participants will receive a handout of recipes.  There is no charge for this event, which is part of the Amherst 250th Anniversary programming.  Participants are asked to register in advance by contacting Nan Fischlein, Program Coordinator, at nfischlein@emilydickinsonmuseum.org or 413-542-2034.

 

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