The High Line Celebrates First-Ever WEST SIDE FEST

Celebrate the first-ever West Side Fest on Saturday, September 30 with a poetry reading on the High Line at 30th St. and 10th Ave. at 3:00PM Trees, Blood, and Circulatory Systems will bring together celebrated New York-based poets, whose writing practices touch on themes similar to those of Pamela Rosenkranz's High Line Plinth commission, Old Tree. These works will explore the human body, circulatory systems, trees, and the connection between humans and nature. Enjoy an afternoon of poetry that intersects art, nature, and the human spirit.

The poetry reading will occur in two 45-minute sessions, with a 15-minute intermission in between. In the first reading session, The Body and Its Connections (3pm), poets will explore the harmonious relationship between the human body and the natural environment, revealing the symbiotic bonds we share with other species and our surroundings. The second, Nature, Trees, and Their Spiritual History (4pm), will feature readings that touch on the symbolism, cultural significance, and the spiritual history of trees, a narrative deeply rooted in our shared human experience.

Featured poets include:
Marissa Davis
Megan Fernandes
Nancy Huang
Christopher Kondrich
Deborah Landau
Francisco Márquez
R. A. Villanueva
Sally Wen Mao

More information on the poets can be found here.

September 30, 2023
3 – 5 PM
The High Line
Plinth, 30th St & 10th Ave.
Manhattan
Free, RSVP encouraged

The High Line is both a nonprofit organization and a public park on the West Side of Manhattan. Through our work with communities on and off the High Line, we're devoted to reimagining the role public spaces have in creating connected, healthy neighborhoods and cities.

Built on a historic, elevated rail line, the High Line was always intended to be more than a park. You can walk through gardens, view art, experience a performance, savor delicious food, or connect with friends and neighbors-all while enjoying a unique perspective of New York City.