Each June the Glen Arbor Sun publishes the winning poem and recipe from the annual Empire Asparagus Festival, which was held this year on June 7. This year’s Asparagus Poetry contest winner was third grader Caroline Smith for her poem, “I’ve Been Eating Asparagus.” The recipe contest winner was Empire resident PJ Ehalt for her “Asparagus Cheesecake” recipe.
The Glen Lake Library will host its annual Ode to Asparagus poetry reading on Saturday, June 7, at 2 pm. The reading will be part of the day’s Empire Asparagus Festival lineup. Click here for information about how to submit or attend.
The Empire Asparagus Festival’s “Ode to Asparagus Poetry Competition” on June 1 attracted 25 entries and 100 attendees at the Glen Lake Community Library. The winning poem, as selected by the audience, was “Astrological Asparagus” by Joseph Povolo. Meanwhile, one Empire family swept the Asparagus Recipe Contest held at the Town Hall. Don Cunningham won the People’s Choice Grand Prize for his “Asparagus Benedict” recipe. Carol Cunningham finished second for her “Spargelsalat” (German asparagus salad). Carol’s brother Duane Schmidt won third place for his “Asparagus Peppers” recipe.
A-spear-ing poets are invited to come share their asparagus themed verse at the Ode to Asparagus, the Glen Lake Community Library’s contribution to the annual Empire Asparagus Festival, which will be held on Saturday, June 1 at 2 pm. Poems of all styles are welcome—sonnets, haiku, epic, even limericks. Submit your poems to the library by Friday, May 31, via mail, email, or drop them off at the library directly. The Glen Lake Library will also host Jane Elder, author or “Wilderness, Water & Rust” on May 30.
Here are the winners from the 2023 Empire Asparagus Festival poetry and recipe contests. This year’s festival was held on Saturday, June 3.
The Empire Asparagus Festival— once lovingly dubbed one of the world’s weirdest festivals by MSN.com—returns for its 20th year on June 3. The fête includes local asparagus eats, great music, and fun activities for all generations. Read the story for the full lineup.
Athena Gillespie, age 20, won the Audience Choice award at this year’s Empire Asparagus Festival poetry contest, held on Saturday, June 4, for her poem “Green Force.” Gillespie also submitted a poem to the contest in 2012, when she was 10 years old. Both poems are published here.
Here are winners of this year’s 2019 Empire Asparagus Festival poetry contest.
Here are the winners of this year’s Ode to Asparagus poetry contest at the Empire Asparagus Festival
Here are the winners from this year’s Empire Asparagus Festival recipe contest.