Join Cleveland Heights Poet Laureate Ray McNiece on a seasonal morning ginkgo (haiku walk), learning and creating poetry according to centuries-old traditions. These customs cultivate a seasonal awareness that improves one’s powers of poetic and natural observation.

Hikes will begin with a formal introduction to haiku, continue with 4 stops along the way, then conclude with a final sharing. Sign up for one session or all seasons in a series we’re offering in celebration of Cleveland Heights’ centennial anniversary. Locations for each hike are TBA but will be in the general Cleveland Heights area.

Fee per session:
$20.00 General
$15.00 Heights Arts Members

Fee for all four sessions:
$70 General
$55 Heights Arts Members

All hikes will take place between 10:00am and 12:00pm.Please bring a notebook, something to write with, and your thinking cap!
(limit 15 per hike)

Session 4 – Saturday, April 23rd

* tickets are non-refundable unless hikes are cancelled

MORE ON RAY MCNIECE:

Ray McNiece is Cleveland Heights’ current Poet Laureate. His tenure under the title has just been extended for another year. McNiece is the author of 11 books of poems and monologues, two music/poetry collaborations, and one collaborative theatre work with Shawn Jackson.

McNiece has been presenting his shows, writing and performance workshops for students from kindergarten through college for over 25 years.  He  has worked for both the Ohio Arts Council Arts in Education Residency Artist programs as well as doing presentations and workshops for The Center for Arts Inspired Learning (formerly Young Audiences) of Northeast Ohio.  He started his own educational company Page to Stage Productions in 1994.

He has worked as a consultant for WordForward in Singapore and for the nationally touring, Poetry Alive.  He is also an adjunct professor at John Carroll University.  He was recently awarded the Lifetime Achievement award for 2021 by the Cleveland Arts Prize. Follow him on his website.