“Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there, wondering, fearing, doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before.” — Edgar Allan Poe
Once upon a Thanksgiving dreary, we’re filled with gratitude (not weary!) for you, Poe Nation, our beloved supporters, friends, and fans who keep the spirit of Edgar Allan Poe alive in Baltimore and beyond.
This season, we humbly ask you to consider an end-of-year gift to Poe House. Your contributions sustain our work, allowing us to preserve this hallowed site and continue sharing Poe’s hauntingly beautiful legacy. Your donations are critical as the next chapter for Poe House (including expansion!) is already being written.
Yours in Poe,
Enrica Jang Director, Poe Baltimore
Two months to Poe!
It feels INSANE to say we are fewer than 60 days away from the 2024 International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards. This year is particularly special as we roll out the crimson carpet for The Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum’s 75th Anniversary coinciding with the 175th anniversary of Poe’s death in Baltimore.
Programming for this FREE community event does not happen without support from our sponsors. For a second year, Wells Fargo Foundation has committed $100,000 to grow festival programming and to celebrate Poe’s legacy here in Baltimore and beyond. They join La Cite Development, RavenBeer, Maryland Public Television, Hippodrome Foundation, Poe’s Magic Theatre and over 40 organizations contributing funds and programming for this event. All proceeds benefit The Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum. Poe Baltimore will share plans for expansion of the museum with attendees at our Diamond Anniversary events this October.
Read this month’s newsletter for updates on festival and museum program announcements including The Poe Museum (Richmond), the NSA’s National Cryptologic Museum, and year two of the Costume POErade. And congratulations to all of the Official Nominees for the 2024 Saturday ‘Visiter’ Awards, presented by Poe Baltimore, recognizing a new generation of artists and writers inspired by the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe. Winners will be announced festival weekend at The Black Cat Ball, the official party of Poe Fest International.
Yours in Poe, Enrica Jang Director, Poe Baltimore
P.S. Our year-long commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Poe House & Museum in Baltimore continues. Each month we’re sharing facts, points of interest, and hidden history of Poe House, from its savior from demolition in 1940, to the future of the museum as we look ahead to transformation and expansion. This month, meet the first tour guides at Poe House!
This year we commemorate two very special anniversaries: the 175th Anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s Death in Baltimore in 1849 and the 75th Anniversary of The Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum established in 1949. Join us festival weekend for three days of programs, exhibits, and of course the street festival just outside Poe’s chamber door at the Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum in Baltimore!
Poe Fest International is a free, family-friendly weekend of events featuring Edgar Allan Poe-themed performances, art, vendors and food, celebrating Poe’s life, works and his influence in the arts. The street festival takes place at The Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum at 203 N. Amity Street in Baltimore, in the newly-built “Poe Park” at Center/West. Additional exhibits, tours, and programs at several locations in Baltimore City, October 4-6.
The festival includes Poe-themed performances, vendors, booksellers and music, plus family-friendly activities, poetry and art. Attendees will also get to learn about Poe’s life and works from some of the United States’ preeminent “Poe Places”, with representatives from The Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum (Baltimore), The Poe Museum (Richmond, Virginia), The Poe Cottage (Bronx Historical Society, NYC), and The Edgar Allan Poe Society of Baltimore.
General Admission to Poe Fest International is FREE. Additional tours and events require tickets. The winners of the 2024 Saturday ‘Visiter’ Awards will also be announced festival weekend!
Tours inside the Edgar Allan Poe House and additional exhibits at Westminster Hall & Carroll Mansion are not included as part of the general festival program and require paid tickets.
June events from Poe Baltimore
Blame it on my historian heart, but I love marking anniversaries. 2024 is especially full of them, however, and all these numbers are a tad alarming: it’s the 175th Anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s death in Baltimore, the 75th Anniversary of the Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum, the 60th Anniversary of Roger Corman’s 1964 classic horror film Masque of the Red Death starring Vincent Price, and the 200th Anniversary of the Marquis de Lafayette’s triumphant 1824 return to the United States after the Revolutionary War.
One of these things seems not like the others? <insert historian voice> Well, actually… Edgar Allan Poe’s grandparents served in the Revolutionary War and were noted by the Marquis during that eponymous visit for their contribution to the cause of Liberty. We’re excited to share plans for an upcoming exhibit, “Poe, Revolution, and the Marquis de Lafayette,” at a fundraiser in June!
Poe events are springing up all over Baltimore City as the Season begins in earnest for the Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum. Along with extended schedule for weekly tours of Poe House and the return of monthly Poe’s Death in Baltimore Bus Tours, The Poe Death Exhibit and new Ghastly Galentine Pop-up Shop are now open every weekend at Carroll Mansion.
Equal parts elation and fear? That lingering dread is the knowledge our newest offering, a series of monthly speaker events at Carroll Mansion, is doomed before it even begins: Poe Baltimore is honored to host the National Edgar Allan Poe Theatre’s third annual DOOMSDAY, a 24-hour reading of Poe stories and poems. The event series will continue in June as we welcome the return of POEetic Justice, the organizers of Ravenfest in Ayrshire, Scotland, for ALLAN vs. POE, a Discussion About Fatherhood. All events are held in-person and stream live from Carroll Mansion.
It’s a lot to take in, we realize. Gird yourselves, the pressure won’t let up: deadline approaches for artists and writers to enter the Saturday ‘Visiter’ Awards! Poe Baltimore is thrilled to announce this year’s slate of judges and our esteemed guest-of-honor, Mark Dawidziak, for the awards at this year’s International Edgar Allan Poe Festival. VIP Festival pre-sales are ON SALE NOW! <Insert evil laughter emoji here.>
P.S. Our commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Poe House & Museum in Baltimore continues. Each month we’re sharing facts, points of interest, and hidden history of Poe House, from its savior from demolition in 1940, to the future of the museum as we look ahead to transformation and expansion. This month we share the history of Poe House and the Edgar Allan Poe Homes Housing Project.
Poe was Irish on his father’s side, his great-grandfather and grandfather having immigrated to Baltimore from County Cavan, Ireland. This month we’re celebrating those Irish roots and poetical tradition with a Pints for Poe: Dead Irish Poets Edition party to kick-off St. Patrick’s Day weekend. Dead Irish poet-ry readings and traditional Irish music are promised, and this event is sponsored by Baltimore’s own RavenBeer.
Poe Programs will continue at Carroll Mansion this season: we’ve partnered with Carroll Museums to open the historic Carroll Mansion & Phoenix Shot Tower for weekend tours from April thru November. Visit The Poe Death Exhibit and new Ghastly Galentine Pop-up Shop at Carroll Mansion starting April 6: each ticket includes the exhibit, a mansion tour and drop-in access to the Shot Tower. More events, parties, readings and chamber concerts TBA.
Springing forward, next month Poe House will open expanded hours once more, Wednesday thru Sunday. We’re also bringing back monthly bus tours of Edgar Allan Poe’s Baltimore. Stops include Poe House, the site of Poe’s Death, and Poe’s grave and monument at Westminster Hall. Add the Death exhibit and mansion/tower tours for only $6.
P.S. Our commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Poe House & Museum in Baltimore continues. Each month we’re sharing facts, points of interest, and hidden history of Poe House, from its savior from demolition in 1940, to the future of the museum as we look ahead to transformation and expansion. This month we delve deeper into the scholarly effort by May Garrettson Evans to research and save Poe House.
Last month we saw a huge outpouring of support from you, Poe Nation, at a time it was truly needed. This month’s newsletter is a Valentine to all the ticket-donors and supporters who exceeded our goal with $7K raised for Poe House for Poe’s 215th Birthday. It takes more than love to keep our mission going, and these wonderful people contributed.
Very special thanks to Chris Riehl at Baltimore Rent-A-Tour, Academy Buses, and Westminster Hall, as well as the team at the NSA’s National Cryptologic Museum and Poe’s Magic Theatre for rescheduling for next year!
Finally, the focus in February is on Valentines, but as we’ve seen, love comes in many forms, including friendship and inspiration. To that end, our Ghastly Galentine’s Pop-up Shopping Event is next week; tickets are moving fast. And call for entries has opened for the 2024 Saturday ‘Visiter’ Awards, recognizing a new generation of artists and writers inspired by Poe. If you are moved to support your literary love, be our Valentine this and every month.
Common sentiment to feel a bit beleaguered after the mad season of the holidays and return to work and school. But beleaguered is bread and butter for us, Poe Nation. Plus there’s little time to feel weary as January is jam-packed with events as we close in on celebrations for Edgar Allan Poe’s 215th Birthday!
Can’t be in Baltimore? The Poe Museum Richmond & The Poe Cottage in NY have birthday celebrations, too!
And finally, we’re very proud to kick off commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Poe House & Museum in Baltimore. Each month we’ll share facts, points of interest, and hidden history of Poe House, from its savior from demolition in 1940, to the future of the museum as we look ahead to transformation and expansion. We begin with a list of great events in literary history from 1949, the first year Poe House was opened to the public–read the newsletter here!
Yours in Poe, Enrica Jang Director, Poe Baltimore
P.S. We’re planning a “Ghastly Galentine” event at Carroll Mansion, February 13. Tickets on sale next Friday!
We at Poe Baltimore wish to thank all of you, Poe Nation, for your support and shared love of poetry, literature, and history. As we continue our 10-year retrospective of programming highlights in the Poe Baltimore yearbook, it’s clear that all we have accomplished–and all that we dream to do–only happens with the continued support of our patrons, donors, volunteers, and friends. However you contribute to our mission, past, present or future, Poe Baltimore is thankful for YOU.
Happy recognition of the 10th anniversary of our organization’s founding will roll into a jubilant year of commemoration, as 2024 marks the 75th Anniversary of the Poe House & Museum in Baltimore. We look forward to sharing some of the hidden history of Poe House, from its savior from demolition in 1949, to the future of the museum as we look ahead to transformation and expansion. And don’t forget, 2024 is also the 175th Anniversary of Edgar Allan Poe’s mysterious death in Baltimore, coinciding with the International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards.
Get a sneak peek at the coming year’s programming when you donate for Giving Tuesday: ALL purchases and donations in the Poe House online gift shop through December will include a QR code link to a special festival preview and ticket opportunity!
Yours in Poe,
Enrica Jang Director, Poe Baltimore
P.S. Deadline to complete Poe-inspired works for the 2024 Saturday ‘Visiter’ Awards is December 31! Like or subscribe to our Facebook and YouTube channel to be notified for the return of our LIVE Q&A and Info sessions.
It’s official: 2023 was the absolute biggest and best Poe Fest International on record! Double the vendors, double the events and tours, nearly 3000 attendees estimated over two days, our biggest crowd yet. All proceeds support the Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum in Baltimore. On the 10th aniversary of Poe Baltimore’s stewardship of the museum, thank you to everyone who made this month the biggest POE-tober since our founding.
Couldn’t join us this year? You can still see all the Poe things! Official photos from the street festival and The Black Cat Ball have posted, and for Halloween we will stream The Best of Poe Fest, a compilation of the best events and stage moments from festival weekend. The video also includes the WINNERS of the 2023 Saturday Visiter Awards. Happy Halloween, Poe Nation!
