Summer Campfire Connections: River Poetry in the Park

Join us this summer for community connections around the campfire!

Join us for Wild Rivers Conservancy’s Summer Campfire Connections Series, led by Community Engagement Intern Alex Wojnicki! This summer, Wild Rivers Conservancy aims to connect communities that use the St. Croix and Namekagon Rivers with local traditions, stories, and art to promote equitable use of our beloved natural resource. Through multiple community events and programs across the rivers, we hope to foster a deeper connection and appreciation. Follow along as we journey from the Upper Namekagon all the way down to Afton, Minnesota, learning more about the river and gaining knowledge from those around us.

REGISTER HERE

Our fourth stop takes us to William O’Brien State Park, where we will connect our minds and bodies to the Riverway through the medium of poetry. This event will allow us to reach into our deeper thoughts about the river and what it means to us. By using our creative minds, we can envision what the river should look like and how we can use the river while not harming its inhabitants. We will end the night with a campfire social with s’mores.

Special guest: Rosie Peters

Rosetta “Rosie” Peters (https://rosettapeters.com/) is a poet, author, public speaker, storyteller, and activist. She is of Yankton, Crow Creek, and Oglala descent and is excited to be a part of the revitalization of her ancestral language, Dakota. Rosie is the recipient of a 2020 Minnesota State Arts Board Creative Support for Individuals grant and a 2021 Metropolitan Regional Arts Council Next Step grant. She has performed her poetry throughout the Midwest, often with live musical accompaniment by Minnesota composer/musician JG Everest (http://www.jgeverest.com/). In 2022, Peters and Everest recorded and released a chapbook album of original work titled “The Hummingbird’s Dance (https://rosettapeters.bandcamp.com/album/the-hummingbirds-dance).”

This event will include several sit and think opportunities at multiple locations throughout the park in order to inspire participants to share their ideas around the campfire at the end of the event.

A Minnesota state park pass is required for admission to the park. They can be purchased onsite or online at https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/state_parks/permit.html

Cost: Free

Vehicle Admission: MN State Park sticker/vehicle pass needed to park

Hike Length: less than a mile

Hike Difficulty: good for beginners

Bathrooms: Yes, available at the Vistors Center

Where to Meet: at the Vistors Center

What to bring:

• Long pants and long sleeves
• Shoes or boots with traction
• Adequate water
• Blanket
• Bug spray
• Camp chair
• Hat/sunglasses
• Bug spray

Can’t make it to this event? Mark your calendars for these future Summer Campfire Connections events:

• August 15th – Climate Journaling at Afton State Park

Cancelation Information:

For the safety of participants and staff, this program may be canceled due to inclement weather. Registered participants will be notified via email and event pages will be updated if the program is canceled.