by Portia Choi | Jun 4, 2026 | Events, Kern County Poet, news
Andrew Robert Sanchez Andrew was born in Santa Maria, CA, June 17, 1945. He died on April 7, 2026 in Bakersfield at the age of 80. He was a proud U.S. Army veteran. Andrew participated with 82nd Airborne during the Dominican Revolution in 1965, and served with the 7th...
by Portia Choi | Nov 2, 2025 | Events, Featured Poet, Interviews, Kern County Poet, Poems
Interview with Carla Joy Martin, featured poet at Dagny’s Open Mic on Friday, October 3, 2025 By: Portia Choi Carla Joy Martin shared poetry with us from The Coffee Café, her second chapbook. Other participants in the evening’s Open Mic were: Q. What are two of the...
by Portia Choi | Mar 27, 2025 | Events, Featured Poet, Future Events, Kern County Poet, Poems
APRIL IS NATIONAL POETRY MONTH! APRIL 4th – 6 pm – First Friday Open Mic at Dagny’s Featuring: SAMUEL RAIN BENJAMIN – Kern County Poet Laureate “open mind open heart, the thoughts of Dark Man Blues” Sharing his latest work for the first 15-20...
by Portia Choi | Sep 1, 2024 | Events, Featured Poet, Features, Interviews, Kern County Poet
Interview with Samuel Rain Benjamin, Kern County Poet Laureate 2024-2026 A formal announcement was made on Friday, April 5th, 6 PM at Dagny’s Coffee in Bakersfield To name Samuel Rain Benjamin as the Kern County Poet Laureate 2024-2026 Interview with Samuel...
by Portia Choi | Jun 11, 2024 | Events, Future Events, Kern County Poet, Poems
POETRY & CONCERT THIS SAT 6/15 AT WORLD RECORDS Check this out! POETRY plus BLUES CONCERT! THIS SATURDAY, JUNE 15TH – 7:30 PM OUR KERN COUNTY POET LAUREATE – SAMUEL RAIN BENJAMIN Performing his passionate verse OPENING FOR ELVIN BISHOP & THE BIG...
by Portia Choi | Apr 18, 2024 | Events, Featured Poet, Features, Future Events, Kern County Poet, Poems
2 OPEN MICS IN ONE! ZOOM SPECTACULAR SATURDAY – APRIL 20, 2024 WE ARE THE WORLD 4 pm Pacific Time – We will be joined by poets from the UK and across the US – all are welcome! 6 pm Pacific Time – Our usual Open Mic time – Poets from many...
by Portia Choi | Mar 26, 2024 | Events, Featured Poet, Features, Future Events, Kern County Poet, Poems
News for our Kern Poetry Community: THE ARTS COUNCIL OF KERN PRESS EVENT A select committee of professors, professional poets and community members have the honor of naming: SAMUEL RAIN BENJAMIN Poet Laureate of Kern County, 2024-2026 Qualifying nominees also include...
by Portia Choi | Dec 20, 2023 | Events, Featured Poet, Future Events, Kern County Poet, Poems
CELEBRATE THE NEW YEAR WITH VERSE! JAN 5TH, 2024 – FIRST FRIDAY OPEN MIC AT DAGNY’S – 6 pm FEATURING KERN COUNTY’S INAUGURAL POET LAUREATE DON THOMPSON: “Some poems to remind us that metaphor matters” Don will read his poetry for 15-20 minutes Then...
by Portia Choi | May 10, 2023 | Events, Featured Poet, Interviews, Kern County Poet, Poems
Interview with Matthew Woodman – Featured Poet – First Friday Open Mic – April 7, 2023 By: Carla Joy Martin Matthew Woodman, our Kern County Poet Laureate, was our featured performer for First Friday Open Mic on April 7, 2023. He shared poems from...
by Portia Choi | Mar 26, 2023 | Events, Featured Poet, Future Events, Kern County Poet, Poems
FIRST FRIDAY OPEN MIC, APRIL 7, 2023 AT 6 PM AT DAGNY’S COFFEE CAFE – 1600 20TH STREET Featuring: MATT WOODMAN reading poems centered on Kern County’s Red Rock Canyon. Matt Woodman is our Kern County Poet Laureate – After Matt shares for 15-20 minutes,...
