As the calendar flips to April, organizers around Fairfax County are prepared to celebrate National Poetry Month.
With the support of ArtsFairfax, Fairfax County Poet Laureate Angelique Palmer is launching a “Poetry &” initiative that will bring a handful of events to the county throughout the month, with some starting as soon as next week.
“My vision for ‘Poetry &’ is to demonstrate how poetry can augment other art forms, including visual art and the culinary arts,” Palmer, who will serve as poet laureate through September 2027, said. “Based on what we see, taste, and hear, how do we find the words that complement and enrich an artistic experience?”
Next week
Starting on Tuesday, April 7, Neutral Ground Bar + Kitchen in McLean will serve a three-course prix fixe dinner menu in collaboration with Palmer and ArtsFairfax.
At $40 per person, diners will indulge in a Bayou-inspired menu — reflecting the roots of both Palmer and chef David Guas. The menu starts with wood oven-roasted oysters before an entree of crawfish etouffee with a buttermilk biscuit, wrapping with a dessert of bananas foster tarte tatin.
The special menu will be available through April 14, when the restaurant at 6641 Old Dominion Drive will host a conversation between Palmer and Guas with drink specials and a live poetry reading from 5-6:30 p.m.
“Stay for a conversation and a meal, where every word and every bite earns its place,” Neutral Ground said in a press release.
Later this month
On April 16, Lorton’s Workhouse Arts Center will host a workshop focused on poetry and visual art. It aims to draw inspiration from Flourish, an art exhibition currently on display at the Workhouse.
“Participants will explore and create ekphrastic poetry—a poem that describes or responds to visual art … both novice and experienced poets are welcome and will have the opportunity to share their written creations,” ArtsFairfax said.
On April 25, Palmer will perform a poetry reading to close this year’s Earth Day festival at Lake Fairfax Park in Reston.
Just days later, on April 28, Palmer will join Fava Pot chef Dina Daniel at The Boro in Tysons “to explore how the foods we eat and the words we share create experiences that forge a culture, form an identity and enrich one’s heritage.”
Tickets for the one-night only event are available online via EventBrite.
