Pop-up haiku poets, haiku readings and workshops will be celebrated at the Woodend Haiku Festival to be held throughout April.
Local poet and festival director, Myron Lysenko, is a representative of the Australian Haiku Society and has organised a range of activities to celebrate all things haiku, coinciding with International Haiku Day on April 17.
Lysenko is the convenor of the monthly spoken word event Chamber Poets, and is an avid promoter and teacher of haiku.
From April 1-30, pop-up haiku poets will entertain at various locations. Poets will give short readings of haiku, or write a haiku for you as they appear spontaneously in public places.
Enjoy a BYO Haiku Picnic Woodend Children’s Park’s barbecue area on April 2, from 10am to 1pm. Learn how to write haiku with the help of experienced haiku poets. Visit for a few minutes or stay the full time. Bring your own picnic lunch. Event is free.
Chamber Poets #109, Woodend RSL, will feature internationally renowned poets from the Victorian-based haiku group The Fringe Myrtles on April 12 from 1pm to 4pm. There will also be an Open Section and music by Black Forest Smoke. Food and drink available. Entry by $10 donation.
Woodend Library will host a free event to celebrate the magical, wonderful world of haiku on April 17 from 10am to midday. Listen to readings or be guided into writing your own.
Woodend Neighbourhood House will host a free event from 1.30pm to 3.30pm that afternoon. Poets will read haikus, write one about you or help you write one yourself.
A Haiku Dinner will be held at The Victoria Hotel, Woodend, on April 30 from 6pm to 8pm. Cost is $22 which includes a meal and drink.
Once people have sharpened their skills in the art of haiku they can test them in a festival competition with the theme of ‘autumn’.
There will be Under 18 and Open Age sections. Book prizes will be announced for the two winners. Entry is free.
Email one to three haiku you have written to the festival director via: myronlibrary@gmail.com
For more information, visit the Australian Haiku Society website: australianhaikusociety.org or join the Facebook page: facebook.com/profile.php?id=61565799118780
