Dear Friends,

The festival is upon us! And so is a gorgeous new website, with the whole festival laid out in an easy-to-read grid. Check it out!

In three days, 500 of you beautiful poets, activists, and dreamers will descend on Washington, DC to share your work and poetry and ideas, and engage in the necessary and important conversations that the world needs. We are working hard to ensure that your 2014 Split This Rock Poetry Festival experience is going to be one for the books. We can't wait to see you! 

Here are some things to keep in mind as you prepare for the festival:   

• The Human Rights Campaign Equality Forum will act as the festival headquarters.(1640 Rhode Island Avenue, NW, DC) Come here to check in & pick up your badge, come to register, come with any questions you may have, come for panels, stay awhile and relax in the lounge area! We've got you covered in this space. Oh, come for coffee, too...   

• Our friends at Vigilante Coffee Co. (ahem--voted Best Pop Up Cafe in 2013 by DC City Paper) will be hosting a pop-up cafe during the festival located in the HRC Equality Forum. You'll be able to grab single origin farm direct coffees and baked goods!  

  
  

  Festival pop-up cafe hours:

  Friday - 8:30am-noon
  Saturday - 8:30am-2pm

• If you can only make it out to the featured readings, that's cool too. They're going to be stupendous! See the schedule of readings, the bookfair, and the public action at our new website here. It's pretty gorgeous!

• It's hard to say what the weather will do...but we're hopeful for sunshine and kind temperatures. The current report predicts mid-50s to mid-60s over the four days. Chance of rain on Friday, the day of the public action. Check with us for a rain location. Meanwhile, keep checking the Weather Channel to prepare accordingly.

• Many of the downtown lunch venues are closed on the weekends. Tip: we suggest you head just north on Connecticut Ave. to the Dupont Circle area for more (and delicious!) options.     

• Presenters --though we would love to, we are unable to officially sell your books. Please bring copies and offer them for sale or trade at your sessions and whenever you meet simpatico folks.  

• Please don't wear scented products! Some folks have chemical sensitivities. Thanks!      

• Large-print versions of the program book and Braille summaries will be available at registration. Please ask!  

• If you have a Smart Phone, download the festival mobile app to keep connected, be the first to know about schedule changes (if they occur), and to quickly and easily share your experience via social media! Scroll down for more information or click the link. 

Also, if you haven't seen yet,  we've added several exciting new panels and discussions to the schedule. Read on for the details about sessions on cultural boycotts, the gender spectrum, black masculinity, and how political engagement affects the writing life.