Next Conference
Date: Thursday-Sunday, June 12-15, 2025
Place: Madison Concourse Hotel, 1 W Dayton St, Madison, WI
Keynote: Ross Gay, Poet & Essayist
Theme: 75th Anniversary
Please join us as we celebrate 75 years of WFOP with three days of programming!
About Ross Gay
Ross Gay
Ross Gay is interested in joy.
Ross Gay wants to understand joy.
Ross Gay is curious about joy.
Ross Gay studies joy.
Something like that.
Ross Gay is the author of four books of poetry: Against Which; Bringing the Shovel Down; Be Holding, winner of the PEN American Literary Jean Stein Award; and Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, winner of the 2015 National Book Critics Circle Award and the 2016 Kingsley Tufts Poetry Award. In addition to his poetry, Ross has released three collections of essays—The Book of Delights was released in 2019 and was a New York Times bestseller; Inciting Joy was released in 2022, and his newest collection, The Book of (More) Delights was released in September of 2023.
Book Your Hotel Room
Conference Hotel:
Madison Concourse Hotel, 1 W Dayton St, Madison, WI
Rooms available Thursday, Friday, and Saturday at $189. Call 800-356-8293 to book and ask for the WFOP room block. Or you may use the custom link:
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 celebrate 75 years of WFOP in Madison this June! You can find out more about WFOP's mission, partnerships, and outreach here.
Haiku, $150 - Name/logo with live link on conference web page and verbal recognition at conference.
Lyric, $250 - Name/logo with live link on conference web page, verbal recognition at conference, logo on printed conference materials, + 2 complimentary tickets to the Saturday night gala.
Epic, $500 - Name/logo with live link on conference web page, verbal recognition at conference, logo on printed conference materials and in member newsletter, social highlight (on FB and Insta), + 2 complimentary tickets to the Saturday night gala.
Please express your interest by complete this online Google form.
Alternative Hotels
If the Concourse Hotel is full or if you would like to explore lower cost options, we provide alternatives that were selected by our Madison member. (We can’t vouch for pricing.)
About Our Conferences
The WFOP holds a conference once a year, with locations rotating around the state. Fifty to a hundred of the state's most passionate poets gather to engage in workshops, readings, open mics, and book fairs. Distinguished poets are frequent guest speakers. Former keynote speakers have included Dorianne Laux, Mark Doty, Coleman Barks, Ed Bok Lee, TC Tolbert, Nickole Brown and more.
Show Your Support for WFOP
Buy our swag and show your support for WFOP with a hat, long-sleeved T-shirt or field bag. Lots of other items, too! Go to our swag site. If you have other ideas for swag items, please email Colleen at layersofmoments@yahoo.com.
