Spring 2026 Conference Schedule

Date: Friday-Sunday, May 1-3, 2026
Place: Stone Harbor Resort & Conference Center, Sturgeon Bay
Keynote: Michael Torres, Poet
Theme: Poetry of Belonging


Please join us for next year’s poetry conference in beautiful Door County, Friday-Sunday, May 1-3, 2026.

Register for Conference

Friday, May 1

Check-in at the hotel: 4 p.m.

  • 4-4:45 p.m. Check-In/Fellowship/Set-up for Book Fair

  • 5-6:30 p.m. Dinner on Your Own

  • 6:45-7:45 p.m. Celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Wisconsin Poets Laureate program with a reading by current and former poets laureate, including Kimberly Blaeser, Brenda Cárdenas, Bruce Dethlefsen, Max Garland, Dasha Kelly Hamilton, Denise Sweet and Marilyn L. Taylor.

  • 8-9:30 p.m. Share your poetry during open mic (moderated by Carol Lee)

Saturday, May 2

  • 8-8:45 a.m. Check-In/Breakfast/Fellowship/Set-up for Book Fair

  • 9-9:45 a.m. Get updates from Wisconsin Fellowship leadership during a brief business meeting

  • 10-11:30 a.m. Take part in a HEADLINER WORKSHOP with Michael Torres: Poetry of Belonging

  • 11:45 a.m.-12:45 p.m. Enjoy lunch

  • 1-1:45 p.m. Travel to Write On Door County

  • Get inspired at the Writing Center at Write On Door County with mini-workshops:

    •  2-2:45 p.m. Breakout 1

    •  3-3:45 p.m. Breakout 2

      Choose 2 of 3:

      • Belonging in Nature with the Writer’s Walk

        A self-guided walk with writing prompts. Amble three connected hiking loops with carved cedar benches that hide meditation words.

      • Art Speaks with Carrie and Peter Sherrill, Poets Laureate of Door County

        A writing lab that encourages people to write in response to visual art. Led by Door County Poets Laureate Carrie and Peter Sherrill, this writing activity is perfect for both beginning and advanced writers in any genre. Highlighting the distinctive art on display.

      • The Practice of Spontaneous Poetics with Albert DeGenova

        Held in Norbert Blei’s famed “coop” where he worked and was inspired to write numerous books, Blei student and co-teacher Albert DeGenova will explore the Practice of Spontaneous Poetics. Blei was a student of the Beats and Jazz and taught poetry from that perspective. This workshop will discuss the concept of Spontaneous Poetics (and Bop Prosody) as a way to write poetry as a jazz musician creates a musical improvisation, a “practice” more akin to Zen meditation than to traditional prosody.

  • 4-4:30 p.m. Tour of Residency

  • 4:45-5:30 p.m. Travel back to Stone Harbor

  • 5:30-7 p.m. Dinner on Your Own

  • 7-15-8:15 p.m. Don’t miss the HEADLINER READING by Michael Torres: Poetry of Belonging 

  • 8:15-8:45 p.m. Get a book signed by Michael Torres

Sunday, May 3

  • 8-8:45 a.m. Breakfast/Fellowship/Book Fair/Goodie Bags

  • 9-10:30 a.m. WFOP Prize Winner Awards & Reading

    • Muse Prize 1st, 2nd & 3rd Placeholders

    • Kay Saunders Emerging Poet Prize 1st, 2nd & 3rd Placeholders

    • Chapbook 1st, 2nd & 3rd Placeholders

    • Dyad Contest 1st, 2nd & 3rd Placeholders for Poet’s Choice & Theme

  • Emerging Poet Fellow

  • Close/Fellowship/Departure

Check out from hotel: 11 a.m.

Presenters

Book Your Hotel Room

Conference Hotel:
Stone Harbor Resort & Conference Center, 107 North First Ave, Sturgeon Bay

Rooms available Friday and Saturday at $189. Call (920) 746-0700 to book and ask for the “WI Fellowship of Poets” room block.

Would You Like to Sponsor the Conference?

We have a level appropriate for every business, organization, or individual.

Sponsorship is an excellent way to show your support for our mission and partner with us to advocate for poetry and poets across Wisconsin. Help us promote poetry. You can find out more about WFOP's mission, partnerships, and outreach here. If you would like to learn more, please contact Tori Grant Welhouse, Regional VP, at torigrantwelhouse@gmail.com or 920-378-0310.