“I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.” — Edgar Allan Poe

March Newsletter Header

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.

Read about all of this and more in this month’s newsletter.

Yours in Poe,
Enrica Jang
Director, Poe Baltimore

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!

One event that pivoted to virtal rather than reschedule was our awards ceremony to announce the Winners of the Young Saturday ‘Visiter’ Awards. Congratulations to Naima Gordon and Renee Yates! See interviews with the winners and all the nominees in Poe House’s mobile app.

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.

Yours in Poe,
Enrica Jang
Director, Poe Baltimore

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 explore the spark of idea to create the museum at Amity Street, plus what was happening on the pop culture front in 1949.

Undone by the weather, Poe House’s celebration for Edgar Allan Poe’s 215th Birthday is canceled. On this of all days, help us weather the storm.

Donate to support the Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum

 

Due to inclement weather and University advisory, we are very sad to cancel The Poe Toaster Murder Mystery & Poe Birthday Event. Our disappointment is profound, and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this may cause our ticket-holders. This was a sold-out event just a day before the weather hit Baltimore. Ticket-holders will be offered refunds and/or the opportunity to donate their tickets. We also appeal to you, Poe Nation, to help us for Poe’s 215th Birthday.


Fellow lovers of literature, poetry, and history rightly imagine that working at an organization devoted to celebrating Edgar Allan Poe’s legacy is a dream position. It is also a weighty responsibility, as Poe Baltimore’s mission is to maintain and interpret the historic landmark and keep Poe’s chamber door open to visitors. Programs can be whimsical and fun, but our greater purpose is to raise support within our community. The dedication of museum funds and countless staff and volunteer hours invested in planning make this cancellation a financial setback.

Please help us recover funds lost to the storm. Our goal is $5000.

 

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!

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!

Click through the carousel or download PDF versions here:

Year-in-Review

10th Anniversary Yearbook

Proud-yet-humbled to look back at what turned out to be a transformative year for Poe Baltimore and The Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum. We hope you enjoy this glance back at an extraordinary year, as well as a yearbook commemorating a decade of celebrating Edgar Allan Poe’s legacy in Baltimore & beyond. Thank you, Poe Nation, and we look forward to more in the years to come!

 

DONATE TO SUPPORT POE BALTIMORE



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!

Still want more? Check out festival gear in the Poe House Gift Shop, also featuring a first look at commemoratives for the upcoming 75th Anniversary of Poe House!

Yours in Poe,

Enrica Jang

Director, Poe Baltimore

P.S. Deadline for Maryland High School students to enter the YOUNG Saturday Visiter Awards is November 17!

Baltimore, MD, July 31, 2023  – Today, Poe Baltimore, with the support of La Cite Development, announced that they have received a major investment from Wells Fargo Bank to support the Annual International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards taking place October 7 & 8, 2023.  The commitment of $300,000 over a three-year period will provide for the Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum’s largest program, keeping the festival a free community event and premier tourist destination for Poe-lovers from all over the world.

“Wells Fargo’s investment to the International Edgar Allan Poe Festival helps to support and maintain an important institution that not only continues Poe’s legacy, it also promotes the significance of education, the arts, and literature. This is a great opportunity for Well Fargo to contribute to the preservation of a literacy heritage for future generations to appreciate and celebrate,” said Wells Fargo Vice President and Senior Social Impact and Sustainability Specialist, Traci N. Horne. “We believe this is an opportunity for Wells Fargo to help bring excitement and legendary entertainment to a city we have supported over the years. Baltimore has been a city where Wells Fargo has been a pillar for many local nonprofit organizations and now the International Edgar Allan Poe Festival can be a part of our legacy that reflects positive impact for our communities.”

The funds for the festival will assist Poe Baltimore in expanding educational components and providing the festival with additional ways in which to partner with the community to promote art, culture, and literacy.

“We are extremely honored to work with the City of Baltimore, Poe Baltimore, and our local partners to help implement our shared vision of making communities stronger and more prosperous,” said Dan Bythewood, La Cité Development’s President. “Equally so, we are thrilled to have worked closely with Wells Fargo in securing this substantial commitment and look forward to continuing our efforts to building a broader, more inclusive neighborhood.”

 

Enrica Jang, Executive Director for Poe Baltimore, the nonprofit that maintains and interprets The Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum, says this level of funding from Wells Fargo is transformative: “We are extremely grateful for Wells Fargo’s investment in our vision to highlight Baltimore history, gothic literature and art, as well as educational programming.”

 

The 6th Annual International Edgar Allan Poe Festival is set to take place this Fall, October 7 & 8, 2023. For information about the festival, visit https://poefestinternational.org.

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Poe Baltimore is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization created to fund, maintain and interpret The Edgar Allan Poe House and Museum, and to celebrate the legacy of one of Baltimore’s most famous residents.  The organization is dedicated to maintaining the museum as a vibrant experience for the thousands of visitors who come from around the world each year, and as part of a broader mission of city-wide events and educational opportunities celebrating Poe’s legacy in Baltimore and beyond.

Poe Fest Int’l Tickets On Sale July 1!

We’ve been a little quiet the last two months, preparing for a very, very big announcement about the future of The Edgar Allan Poe House & Museum. Final details remain a tantalizing distance away, but I can assure you we are looking forward to a very exciting festival season and anouncements in the coming weeks. Click to watch our sizzle reel!

For now, only three days left to see your Paver for Poe Fest at the festival in October as pre-sales for the International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards are happening now thru Friday. 2022 festival merch is on sale now as we get ready to stock the store with all new 2023 festival gear! And this year’s exhibit at Westminster Hall is 2-for-1 and includes a PREVIEW WEEK: tickets for the Poe in Comics & Poe Death Exhibits are available now. See it for half off before the festival begins.

Festival weekend event tickets, Black Cat Ball, and Poe House tours go on sale to the public when the clock strikeds midnight July 1. But all you really have to do is SAVE THE DATE: Poe Fest International is for everyone, October 7-8, and General Admission is FREE! Click to read this month’s newsletter. 

Yours in Poe,
Enrica Jang
Director, Poe Baltimore

A WellSPRING at Poe

Wherever you are, Poe Nation, you too are more than likely experiencing some kind of maddening weather. Warmer temperatures in Baltimore = a rising pollen count + an uptick in visitors darkening Poe’s chamber door at Amity Street. The season has officially begun!

Festival weekend dates have been announced and pre-sales for the International Edgar Allan Poe Festival & Awards are happening now thru June 30. We are also very pleased to announce our 2023 Saturday ‘Visiter’ Awards Guest of Honor, Rodney Barnes, and our distinguished panel of Judges from Poe Places and Maryland Arts organizations. In May, look for changing hours (now open Wednesdays in May.) If you plan to stop by, be sure to pick up NEW “Legend of the Poe Toaster” Mystery Mugs in the Poe House gift shop! Read this month’s newsletter for all this and more details.

Yours in Poe,
Enrica Jang
Director, Poe Baltimore