Colorado Poet Laureate Bobby LeFebre will perform his award-winning work, live, during a virtual open mic poetry event hosted by Garfield County Libraries on Tuesday.
LeFebre, a National Poetry Slam finalist and two-time Grand Slam champion, has performed for audiences across the country including to those on college campuses, at conferences and even in detention facilities.
LeFebre is also an Individual World Poetry Slam Finalist and a two-time TEDx speaker.
Gov. Jared Polis introduced LeFebre, who is from Denver, as Colorado’s new Poet Laureate in July.
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The Poet Laureate serves a four-year term and is selected by the governor.
“He responded on Instagram,” Alice Bedard-Voorhees, local writer and visual artist, said. “We were jumping up and down. We were pretty excited.”
Tuesday’s virtual open mic poetry event will be the second hosted by Garfield County Libraries to celebrate April as National Poetry Month.
Bedard-Voorhees and fellow writer and mixed-media artist DJ Hill have partnered with Garfield County Libraries to put on the poetry events each April beginning last year.
Despite the pandemic, the two writers wanted to keep the poetry open mic night intact and with the help of Carbondale Library Branch Manager Lacy Dunlavy were able to do so, virtually.
The virtual open mic poetry event begins at 6 p.m. Tuesday and anyone can access the Zoom event on Garfield County Libraries’ website.
In addition to LeFebre’s performance, Hill will also share some of her own writings and invited anyone tuning in to do the same.
“What a thrill to share the stage with the Poet Laureate,” Hill said. “He comes with his own incredible energy so it’s going to be a really engaging time.”
LeFebre will also participate in a Q&A session during Tuesday’s poetry event.
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