Salem Lit Fest is excited to bring back Enduring Hawthorne: Ekphrastic Writing. This year we are inviting all of our writers to visit The Custom House and/or The House of the Seven Gables, the famous spaces that inspired Nathaniel Hawthorne’s writing. We hope you will become equally inspired to write, be it a poem, short story, or song! Over the course of two nights, NPS and The Gables will welcome Lit Fest attendees into their spaces for a tour and Q&A.

Once you have visited The Custom House and/or The Gables, we hope you feel moved to create a literary piece of your own that you would like to share with your colleagues and the public. On Friday September 5 we will be hosting an evening for presenting these works, culminating in a performance of Hawthorne’s “The Great Champion,” adapted to folksong by local musician, Dan Blakeslee, and accompanied by a crankie created by local artist, Ben Wickey.

September 3: The Custom House (NPS), 6:00 -8:00 PM
September 4: The House of the Seven Gables, 6:00 -8:00 PM
September 5: Presentations, 6:00 -8:00 PM (location TBA)

We request you register to present, although time will be set aside for those who decide last minute. Too shy to present your own piece? Don’t worry! Newburyport’s Theater in the Open is graciously providing some of its actors to be on standby to present for you!

Not presenting? No problem! We invite everyone to attend the presentation and to see how creative our community can be.

Attendance is free, but registration is required to visit a space.
Registration is requested to present a piece or attend the performance.

Open Custom House/Gables: Wednesday and Thursday, September 3 – 4, 6:00-8:00 p.m. Free. Registration required—choose your date here.

Enduring Hawthorne readings and performance: Friday, September 5, 6:00–8:00 p.m. Free. Register here!

Presented in collaboration with: