Lowell celebrates Kerouac
by Sean McGahey
The 18th Annual Lowell Celebrates Kerouac! Festival will occur
October 6-9, 2005 in Lowell, Massachusetts. This year the theme
is ‘Jack’s Roots.’ The festival will examine the rich multi-ethnic,
and literary heritage that influenced his work as well as his
association with classical culture and contemporary events.
This year the festival coincides with the biennial University of
Massachusetts Jack Kerouac Conference on Beat Literature.
The keynote speaker is Sam Kashner, author of the book, ‘When I was
Cool,’ his account of being the first poetry student at the Jack
Kerouac School of Disembodied Poetics at the Naropa Institute.
Kashner will speak on Friday afternoon at the O’Leary building, room
222, South Campus, which is located on Wilder Street.
Kerouac was a track and field athlete and a preliminary lead-in event
that will occur the preceding Sunday, October 2, is the third annual
running of the Kerouac 5K road race beginning near Kerouac Park and
ending on Worthen Street.
On Thursday, October 6, Lowell’s, Destination World will feature
food, film, music, and readings in cooperation with Lowell Celebrates
Kerouac! and the University of Massachusetts, with a focus on Franco-
American culture with origins in Canada.
Numerous non-conference related events are happening in a number
locations. Please check listings and schedules available from the
Lowell National Historical Park and the Greater Merrimack Valley
Convention and Visitors Bureau for times and locations.
Saturday will feature tributes to Hunter S. Thompson, Lucien Carr,
Robert Creeley, and Philip Lamantia. Poetrybay editor George Wallace
is among those who will speak at the Lamantia tribute.
There will be a talk on Allen Ginsberg by Bill Morgan as part of
the Parker Lecture Series, following David Amram’s Cairo to Kerouac
music extravaganza at the Pollard Library.
John Ventimiglia, widely known for his role in the film Jesus’ Son
and the character Artie Bucco on The Soprano’s will be joining Lowell
Celebrates Kerouac! with David Amram on Saturday night for an evening
of Jazz in Jack’s Town. Neil Cassady’s son, John Allen Cassady, named
after Jack (John) Kerouac, and Allen Ginsberg will be joining
Ventamiglia for an evening of Jazz that also celebrates the DVD
release of a performance done by Cassady, Amram, and Steve Edington,
at the 2004 LCK! Festival in Lowell. There will also be a raffle at
the event for one (possibly two) of the now Baseball Hall of Fame
famous Kerouac Bobbleheads!
In addition to several Lowell National Historical Park (LNHP)
hosted Kerouac-related walking tours and a boat tour, LNHP will host
a bus tour and an evening walking tour led by Roger Brunelle. Also,
there will be a Lowell Celebrates Kerouac! hosted tour of local
establishments where Jack socialized with friends and family while
living in Lowell during the mid-1960’s.
There will be open mics, a high school poetry contest, book
signings, film showings, including one on Michael McClure and one on
Charles Olson, nearly 30 events over four days. Admission is free to
the vast majority of these events and minimal, or a small suggested
donation, at the few that are not free.
For more information see the Lowell Celebrates Kerouac! website
http://lckorg.tripod.com, or dial 877-Kerouac. You may also contact
Lawrence Carradini, President of Lowell Celebrates Kerouac! by email
at lcarradini@earthlink.net.