Nearly Here!

Local Haiku Gatherings.

International Haiku Poetry Day features that most important of haiku functions: face-to-face gatherings where we can “talk shop,” share poems, and remind ourselves of the communal aspect of our work. IHPD is the perfect excuse to get together, and this year, in addition to meetings in the United States, we’re aware of similar celebrations in Hungary, Croatia, India, and New Zealand, and probably more we don’t know about.

Huntsville, Alabama



The Huntsville Public Library is offering an introductory haiku class which will be held on 
the first three consecutive Fridays in April. On the 17th, participants will take a ginko walk and hang weathergrams. The library is located at 915 Monroe Street, Huntsville, AL.


Contact: Terri Hale French at askus [at] hmcpl [dot] org.

Hopewell Township, New Jersey



A ginko (aka a haiku walk) is planned for Saturday, April 18, from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. at the Watershed Center for Environmental Advocacy, Science and Education, Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Reserve, 31 Titus Mill Rd., Hopewell Township, NJ
Celebrate and explore haiku, a traditional Japanese form of poetry with its luminous focus on nature. Haiku poet Jeff Hoagland will provide a brief overview of the haiku tradition before facilitating a ginko or haiku walk on the Watershed Nature Reserve. Adults and teens are welcome regardless of experience!
Enjoy the emergence of spring, crafting your own haiku from observations on the trail. Bring a writer’s journal and dress for springtime trail conditions – possibly wet or muddy. Also bring a favorite haiku book and/or journal to share on the haiku table, and a haiku to share as a warm-up. Light refreshments provided.
FREE admission.
Please RSVP in advance – for more information or to register, please call (609) 737-7592. This event is co-sponsored by the host, the Stony Brook-Millstone Watershed Association.
Contact: Jeff Hoagland at jhoagland13 [at] aol [dot] com



Los Angeles, California



The Southern California Haiku Study Group has several events planned.

 First, members of the group will be reading their haiku at a Haiku Station at “The Garden of Verses” at the Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden on Saturday, April 11, from 10 am to 3 pm. Featured readers include Don Baird, Peggy Castro, Marcyn Del Clements, William Hart, Mariko Kitakubo, Deborah P Kolodji, Gregory Longenecker, Genie Nakano, Victor Ortiz, and Susan Rogers. The garden is located at 1500 North College Avenue, Claremont, CA.


On Friday, Cal Tech Poetry will feature haiku in honor of International Haiku Poetry Day with a celebration afterwards.
Contact: Kathabela Wilson at poetsonsite [at] gmail [dot] com


On Saturday, April 18, the group has its monthly workshop at the USC Pacific Asia Museum, from 2-4 p.m. with a celebratory dinner afterwards. All are welcome. The museum is located at 46 N. Los Robles Ave, Pasadena, CA.


Contact: Deborah P Kolodji
 at dkolodji [at] aol [dot] com




Mineral Point, Wisconsin


International Haiku Poetry Day 2015 will be celebrated in Mineral Point, WI with a HAIKU reading on April 17th, at The Foundry Books, 105 Commerce Street in Mineral Point. The reading begins at 7:00 PM. Featured readers will be Francine Banwarth of Dubuque, IA, who is the editor of Frogpond, the journal of the Haiku Society of America; Bill Pauly of Dubuque, IA, who taught for many years at Loras College and studied under Raymond Roseliep; Charlie Baker of Mineral Point, a haiku poet who combines his etchings and engravings with his haiku (haiga); Melissa Allen of Madison, WI, who is an accomplished poet and recent editor of Haibun Today; and Shan Thomas of Mineral Point, a newcomer to haiku. 

Other poets are encouraged to bring haiku to read. Each poet can bring five to seven haiku to read. Beginning haiku poets are encouraged to come and read, listen and learn about haiku.
Refreshments will be served.

Contact: Gayle Bull at jgbull [at] mtc [dot] net



San Diego, California



Haiku San Diego will celebrate International Haiku Poetry Day at its monthly workshop, Sunday, April 12, 2015 from 12:30-2:30 p.m., at Java Joe’s, 3536 Adams Ave., San Diego, CA 92116


Contact: Naia at naia01 [at] yahoo [dot] com

San Francisco, California



The Haiku Poets of Northern California are hosting their spring meeting on April 19, at Fort Mason in San Francisco, from 1 to 5 pm in Building C. The featured reader is Johnnie Johnson Hafernik, and Cherie Hunter Day will offer a presentation and workshop on “one-line haiku”.


Contact: Fay Aoyagi
 at fayaoyagi [at] gmail [dot] com




San Jose, California



“Shining Wind: Forty Years of English Haiku” April 5-19. Sat-Sun, 12-4 PM. Japanese American Museum San Jose, 535 Fifth Street, San Jose, CA.
Haiku Reading/Reception: April 11, 1-3 PM. (Come early when the museum opens at 12 to visit the museum’s other excellent exhibits.)

Contact: Patricia Machmiller at patriciajmachmiller [at] msn [dot] com



Shreveport, Louisiana



On April 17, 2015, Shreve Memorial Library’s Broadmoor Branch, 1212 Captain Shreve Drive, will be celebrating “International Haiku Poetry Day” from 3:30 – 6:00 p.m. in Study Room A. The reading will feature members of the Northwest Louisiana Haiku Society, a co-sponsor along with the library and The Haiku Foundation. The event is free and open to the public. Participants are encouraged to read up to five haiku. A haiku critique will be available if you wish to have your poems evaluated.
For more information or to sign up to read, contact Carlos Colón at 868-8932 or 678-3889.
Contact: Carlos Colón at ccolon423 [at] comcast [dot] net

Victoria, British Columbia


Haiku Arbutus from Victoria, BC is busy preparing for the Haiku Canada conference, May 15th to 17th at the James Bay New Horizons Community Centre, 234 Menzies Street, Victoria, B.C.


Contact: Terry Ann Carter
 at terryanncarter3 [at] gmail [dot] com

Be a part of it — celebrate International Haiku Poetry Day, April 17, 2015.