2021 Events

Haiku Northwest invites you to attend any of our free monthly meetings, which usually focus on rounds of sharing and workshopping our haiku, with occasional presentations and writing exercises. Listed here are all our meetings, a few special events, plus significant regional or national events. If you’re giving a haiku workshop or know of another haiku event in the area, please let us know so we can add it. Monthly meetings usually start at 6:30 p.m. with informal socializing, with a more formal start at 7:00 p.m., and occur on the second Thursday of each month, except as indicated. For 2021 we will also have quarterly meetings on selected weekends in place of that month’s Thursday meeting. All dates and details are subject to change, and will be confirmed via the Haiku Northwest Mailchimp mailing list (through which you may be provided additional details, such as Zoom links—if you have questions, please email haikunw1988@gmail.com). To suggest regional haiku-related events to add to the following schedule, please contact Michael Dylan Welch at WelchM@aol.com. We’ll update content as soon as we confirm the details. See you at our next event!

In addition to the following events, the Washington region of the Haiku Society of America usually has an annual regional meeting at a time and place to be determined.

2021 Meetings

All online via Zoom, unless specified otherwise, and all times Pacific Time.

January 9 (Saturday)

Quarterly Meeting, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Michelle Schaefer and Michael Dylan Welch, coordinators

12:45 p.m. — Zoom room opens

1:00 p.m. — News and announcements (Michelle)

1:05 p.m. — Break-out rooms (introduce yourself and share a poem that isn’t in the critique session)

1:15 p.m. — "Even in Kyoto" presentation by Michael Dylan Welch (followed by a writing exercise and sharing)

2:15 p.m. — Break

2:25 p.m. — Mystery Haiku Discussion (led by Michael; bring a published haiku you've read recently that you don't understand, and we'll discuss)

2:55 p.m. — Break

3:00 p.m. — Critique of poems (max of three haiku each; led by Michelle)

4:00 p.m. — Optional socializing


February

National Haiku Writing Month

Visit the NaHaiWriMo website and Facebook page

Write at least one haiku per day for each day of February


February 11

Monthly Meeting, 7:00 p.m.

Michelle Schaefer and David Berger, featured readers

Ron Swanson, coordinator


March 11

Monthly Meeting, 7:00 p.m.

Harriot West, featured reader

Bob Redmond, coordinator


April 9–11

Seattle Cherry Blossom and Japanese Cultural Festival

Seattle Center, Seattle, Washington (virtual for 2021)


April 10 (Saturday)

Quarterly Meeting, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Michael Dylan Welch, coordinator

12:45 p.m. — Zoom room opens

1:00 p.m. — Welcome, news, and announcements (Michael)

1:05 p.m. — Christopher Patchel: haiku reading

1:15 p.m. — Break-out rooms (introduce yourself)

1:25 p.m. — Round of reading (share your name and a poem that isn’t in the critique session)

1:50 p.m. — Break

2:00 p.m. — Scott Mason: “The Cor Curriculum” (presentation on Cor van den Heuvel)

2:50 p.m. — Break

3:00 p.m. — Rick Daddario: Selected haiga and haiga process presentation

3:15 p.m. — Sharing and optional critique of poems (max of three haiku each; led by Tanya McDonald)

4:00 p.m. — Optional socialization


April 17

International Haiku Poetry Day


April 17–18

Sakura Days Japan Fair

VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver, British Columbia (virtual for 2021)

Two free haiku workshops by Michael Dylan Welch on April 17 (online)


May 13

Monthly Meeting, 7:00 p.m.

Jacquie Pearce, featured guest, talking about her new train haiku anthology, Last Train Home

Gary Evans, coordinator


June 10

Monthly Meeting, 7:00 p.m.

Members of Vashon Island’s twenty-two-year-old haiku gathering, “Mondays at Three,” will read from their second anthology, a limited-edition hand-sewn collection published in 2020. Mondays at Three: Portage contains haiku and one rengay selected from seventeen years of monthly meetings.

Curtis Manley, coordinator


June 17

SoulFood Poetry Night, 7:00 p.m.

Anthology reading for Last Train Home, edited by Jacquie Pearce

Hosted by Michael Dylan Welch


June 26

Japan Fair (virtual for 2021; check the website for details)

Announcement of Japan Fair haiku contest results judged by Michael Dylan Welch


July 10 (Saturday)

Quarterly Meeting, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Michael Dylan Welch, coordinator

12:45 p.m. — Zoom room opens

1:00 p.m. — Welcome, news, and announcements (Michael)

1:05 p.m. — Featured reading: Gideon Young

1:15 p.m. — Featured reading: Anne Burgevin

1:25 p.m. — Break-out rooms (introduce yourself)

1:35 p.m. — Round of reading (share your name and a poem that isn’t in the critique session)

1:55 p.m. — Break

2:00 p.m. — Steven D. Carter: “When and Why? Reading Bashō’s Hokku”

Dr. Carter is Yamato Ichihashi Chair in Japanese History and Civilization, emeritus, at Stanford University. His books from Columbia University Press and other publishers include Haiku Before Haiku: From the Renga Masters to Bashō (2011), How to Read a Japanese Poem (2019), and Matsuo Bashō: Travel Writings (2020), among many other related books. He is currently working on a new biography of Bashō.

2:50 p.m. — Break

3:00 p.m. — Sharing and optional critique of poems (max of three haiku each, if time allows)

4:00 p.m. — Optional socialization


August 12

Monthly Meeting, 7:00 p.m.

Jeff Hoagland, featured reader

Ron Swanson, coordinator


September 9

Monthly Meeting, 7:00 p.m.

Chad Lee Robinson, featured reader

Bob Redmond, coordinator


September 10 and 11

Moon Viewing Festival, 6:00 p.m.

Seattle Japanese Garden

Haiku contest both nights


September 20

Porad Haiku Award Deadline

(received by this date, including postal submissions)

See submission guidelines (FREE to enter this year)

See 2021 winners

Winners announced at the Seabeck Haiku Getaway, on October 30

Judge: Susan Antolin

Coordinator: Ron Swanson


September 26

American Haiku Archives Honorary Curator Reading by Gerald Vizenor, 11:00 a.m.

Read bio and find Zoom link


October 4–9

Japan Week

Sponsored by Bellevue College, Bellevue, Washington

October 9 (Saturday)

Quarterly Meeting, 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

Business meeting

October 14–17

Haiku North America

Virtual conference, held via Zoom, hosted by the Victoria, British Columbia committee

October 28–31

Seabeck Haiku Getaway (our fourteenth annual retreat)

In-person gathering, with the weekend theme of togetherness, with Chuck Brickley as our featured guest


November 18 (one week later than usual)

Monthly Meeting, 7:00 p.m.

December 9

Monthly Meeting, 7:00 p.m.


January 8, 2022 (Saturday)

Quarterly Meeting, 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.


February 10

Monthly Meeting, 7:00 p.m.


March 10

Monthly Meeting, 7:00 p.m.


Please also check the schedule for the Seattle Japanese Garden (see this website also). Several of the garden’s events typically include a haiku component, such as the moonviewing festival, which usually includes a haiku contest.

Click also to see event listings for 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011, 2010, and 2009.


Haiku Northwest meeting at the Lake Forest Park Library, September 27, 2018. Left to right are Cara Izumi, Millie Renfrow, Ron Swanson, Curtis Manley, Arlene Springer, Philaah Jones, Terran Campbell, Tanya McDonald, Dianne Garcia, Gary Evans, and Angie Terry. Photo by Michael Dylan Welch. Please join us!

Haiku Northwest meeting at the Bellevue Regional Library, August 7, 2008. Left to right are Curtis Manley, Helen Russell, William Scott Galasso, Ida Freilinger, Bryson Nitta, Tanya McDonald, Connie Hutchison, Dejah Leger, Susan Miller, Terran Campbell, Joshua Beach, Angela Terry, Marilyn Sandall, and Herb McClees. Photo by Michael Dylan Welch. Please join us!