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You were wrong. That “X” you placed on the calendar after a night of peppermint schnapps and orange juice – intended to predict the season’s first real snow – was out by three weeks. This knocks three weeks from the season, you reason, and you wonder if this prediction wasn’t a lame trick you tried to play on yourself. A weak dodge, but yours to sit with. Your Christmas rooibos has arrived, and it is delicious. The LL Bean catalog has been relegated to firestarter for the eighth year in a row. The mall santa sits in wait, red-nosed and patient. The aluminum shovel, found on the roadside last year, has developed a razor edge. It could slice a grizzly if need be. It has scarred the front walk, damaged the back deck, and once, scissored your mitten open to the hand below. Another few millimetres, and you’d have ended up with stitches. While out shovelling you enter a reverie that stirs from rhythmic scraping and visible expiration. You bring your good mitt to your nose. The faint smell of gasoline reminds you that Christmas is the best kind of codswallop, and that your snowblower, bless its aged motor, is patient enough for your bravado.

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BYOV Venue Submissions – Deadline December 10.

There is never enough time, space, or money to showcase all the incredibly talented poets we have in this city. This year, we invite local poets to submit events to be part of the Festival.

Sunday April 19th has been set aside as the Edmonton Poetry Festival’s “Bring Your Own Venue” day. We are accepting inquiries of interest for local poets who want to showcase at the festival, deadline December 10th.

Up to six events will be presented on our opening day and they will be all yours. Tell us your idea and let’s work to make it happen. Much like other BYOVs, you will be responsible for finding your own venue and paying your artists. We help market your event, you’ll be on our official schedule and in the program. We will work with you to help organize the details and keep the dates on track.

*Note that this opportunity is for Local Poets/Groups only.