Press Releases

Naropa Kerouac Festival Schedule Set
Celebrate the Life of Jack Kerouac Saturday, June 30 through Monday, July 2

BOULDER, Colo. (May 22, 2007)— This summer, Naropa University celebrates the 50th anniversary of On the Road with a festival including musical performances, a marathon reading of the book, and the premiere of a film dedicated to the life of Jack Kerouac featuring Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Amiri Baraka.  The Kerouac Festival marks the midway point of Naropa's renowned Summer Writing Program, held in Boulder every year.

The Kerouac Festival kicks off Saturday, June 30 with a marathon reading of On the Road that includes several performances as well as refreshments and free beer.  Sunday events include scholar panel discussions on Kerouac's work, the premiere of the long awaited film On the Road Now: Artists and Writers respond to Kerouac in the 21st Century, and an evening musical celebration with headliner Nick Urata of "DeVotchka."  Other guests slated to perform are Beat collaborator David Amram, jazz-poetry duo "Merge," as well as Naropa faculty members Anne Waldman, Steven Taylor, Janet Feder, and Junior Burke.  Monday wraps up the fest with a Kerouac School alumni reading at the Laughing Goat located at 1709 Pearl in downtown Boulder.

"Allen Ginsberg and I named the poetics program at Naropa after the brilliant and original work and 'mind' of Kerouac," says Beat poet legend Anne Waldman, who is also the artistic director of the Naropa University Summer Writing Program. "His work is taught at Naropa and the pedagogy of our school is part of the 'Outrider' tradition, exemplified by the Beats."

Additionally, festival organizers, Naropa friends and community, will continue to blog throughout the year, sharing news of Kerouac celebrations around the world, updates about the Kerouac Festival and perspectives of special guest bloggers . The blog and more information on the festival can be found at http://www.naropa.edu/kerouac.

Sponsors of the Kerouac Fest include Colorado Tourism Office, New Belgium Brewery, Savory Cuisines, Izze, Elephant, and the Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art.  Please see below for full schedule and ticketing information along with available packages.

Accredited by the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, Naropa University is a private, nonprofit, nonsectarian liberal arts institution dedicated to advancing contemplative education. This approach to learning integrates the best of Eastern and Western educational traditions, helping students know themselves more deeply and engage constructively with others. The university comprises a four-year undergraduate college and graduate programs in the arts, education, environmental leadership, psychology and religious studies.

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The Kerouac Festival  June 30 – July 2, 2007  Boulder, CO
 
Saturday, June 30, 1pm
On the Road Marathon Reading
Yes, dear readers, the whole book! Lend your voice to a festive community reading with performances, refreshments, and New Belgium Beer.
Sunday, July 1, 11 am – 12:30 pm
Jack Kerouac's Literary Legacy
Join scholars Hettie Jones, Joshua Kupetz, and George Mouratidis for a discussion of Kerouac's work.
Sunday, July 1, 1 pm – 2:30 pm
The Musical Kerouac
Kerouac collaborator and renowned composer David Amram, Clark Coolidge, and Kerouac School founder Anne Waldman explore the intersection of music and writing in Kerouac's work.
Sunday, July 1, 3:30 pm
Robert Frank's Kerouac Films
Special screenings of Beat classic Pull My Daisy (co-directed with Alfred Leslie) and This Song for Jack (filmed at the 1982 Kerouac Conference at Naropa—provided by the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston). Hosted by David Amram. Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art, 1750 13th St.
Sunday, July 1, 6 pm
Cocktail Hour
Mingle at this special pre-Gala cocktail hour. The Boulder Theater, 2032 14th St .
Sunday, July 1, 8 pm
Kerouac Gala Extravaganza
Featuring David Amram with Artie Moore and Tony Black, Anne Waldman, jazz-poetry duo Merge, Nick Urata of DeVotchka, Steven Taylor, Janet Feder, Junior Burke, and the film premiere of On the Road Now: Artists and Writers respond to Kerouac in the 21st Century featuring Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Amiri Baraka, and others.
Monday, July 2, 2007, 8 pm
Kerouac School Alumni Reading
Visit with old friends and share new writing! The Laughing Goat Coffee House, 1709 Pearl St.
Tickets
The Dharma Bum/$40
A Weekend Pass and Gala Gold Circle Seating
The Disembodied Poet/$45
A Weekend Pass, Gala Gold Circle Seating, and a copy of Naropa's Bombay Gin #33

The Rebel Angel/$50
A Weekend Pass, Gala Gold Circle Seating, a copy of Naropa's Bombay Gin #33, and a Kerouac Festival tote
All proceeds will support the Naropa Audio Archive and the Kerouac School's Visiting Writers Program
Call 303-245-4600 for tickets, information, or to contribute to this summer's fundraiser. SWP 07 students should call about free passes.
All events, unless otherwise indicated, are in Naropa University's Performing Arts Center, 2130 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, CO.