Poetry Connection: The Poetry Zone remains a Santa Barbara tradition.

The Poetry Zone continues monthly readings at the Karpeles Manuscript Museum with small in-person gatherings, and the series traces back to the 1970s when Walt Hopman founded it.

The Poetry Zone still meets at the Karpeles Manuscript Museum, though meetings are now small and often held around a patio table in the museum atrium. The series began in the 1970s, when Walt Hopman and his wife hosted readings at the Earthling Bookshop on State Street. During the COVID years, Björn Birnir kept the series going with Zoom readings, and a few long-time participants continue to steward the event. The Karpeles Museum is currently up for sale, which may affect the reading's future location. Current details: - The Poetry Zone holds readings on the second Sunday of each month at 1:30 p.m., most recently meeting in the Karpeles atrium. - Attendance has become intimate; organizers used Zoom during COVID and still provide remote access at times. - Walt Hopman founded the series in the 1970s at the Earthling Bookshop; Björn Birnir began attending in 1985 and has led the series in recent years. - Regulars Virginia Mariposa Dale and Suzanne Frost help run the readings; Dale served as series host for several years. - The Karpeles Manuscript Museum is up for sale, introducing uncertainty about the venue's long-term availability. - A featured reader, Mary Freericks, is scheduled for the March 8 Poetry Zone reading at the Karpeles. Summary: The Poetry Zone remains an active monthly reading with a small, dedicated community of poets and hosts preserving its continuity. The possible sale of the Karpeles Museum creates uncertainty about a permanent home for the series, and long-term plans are undetermined at this time.