Katy Rose, a Rotary member, author and functional medicine practitioner, proposed Poetry in the Park as a way to connect people through a shared interest in poetry. Photo courtesy of Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture

BROWNS VALLEY, CA (MPG) - Poets, writers and listeners are invited to gather for Poetry in the Park at 2 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 27, at Sycamore Ranch Park, 5390 Highway 20 in Browns Valley.

The free outdoor event is presented by the Yuba Sutter Rotary Night Club and Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture. Participants may read original poetry, recite work by other poets or attend simply to listen.

The event was proposed by Rotary member Katy Rose, an author and functional medicine practitioner who recently moved to the area and was looking for ways to connect with others who share an interest in poetry.

Poet Maree Gauper, whose work has been widely published, is among the local writers expected to attend Poetry in the Park. Photo courtesy of Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture

Organizers said the gathering is intended to provide an informal setting for poetry rather than a competition or critique. Readings may include classic works, contemporary poetry, spoken-word pieces, humorous poems and works still in progress.

Several local poets and writers are expected to attend, including Yuba-Sutter Poet Laureate Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, a recipient of a 2026 Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship from the California Arts Council. Castillo is a poet, memoirist, translator and co-founder of Undocupoets, an organization that works to expand literary opportunities for immigrant writers.

Marcelo Hernandez Castillo, Yuba-Sutter poet laureate and recipient of a 2026 Upstate Individual Artists Fellowship, is scheduled to take part in Poetry in the Park. Photo courtesy of Yuba Sutter Arts & Culture

Also expected to attend are poet Maree Gauper and her husband, memoirist Bob Gauper.

Attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or picnic blankets. Light snacks and beverages will be available, and guests may bring refreshments to share. Adult attendees may bring wine or other beverages as permitted under park rules.

In case of rain, the event will move to the lobby of the Sutter Theater Center for the Arts, 754 Plumas St., Yuba City.

For more information, contact David Read at 530-749-8065 or [email protected].