From the Merrimack to Desolation Peak:
A Celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the Publication of
“The Dharma Bums”

All events are free unless otherwise noted.

Thursday, October 2nd:

8:00 p.m.  Opening Festival Event at Cappy’s Copper Kettle featuring Alan Crane with Kim Jennings, Andrew Greene, Dorothy Nichols, Colleen Nichols, and Erin McDermott. Reading by Nancy Herbstman. Coordinated by John McDermott. Joining those playing will be acclaimed jazzman and composer, David Amram.                                  245 Central Street, Lowell.

Friday, October 3rd:

Daytime: Poetry Competition at Lowell High School. Details TBD.

11:00 a.m. A daytime screening of One Fast Move or I’m Gone. [Details below at the 7:00 p.m. slot]. Primarily aimed at UML classes, but open to the public. Director Curt Worden, Producer Gloria Bailen, Executive Producer Michael Bessick, and Jim Sampas will discuss the making of this film and answer questions.
O’Leary Library Auditorium—University of Massachusetts at Lowell—Wilder St.

2:00 p.m. Screening of Pull My Daisy hosted by David Amram, who will describe the chaotic activities of the classic documentary film, narrated by Kerouac, directed by Robert Frank and Alfred Leslie. Features Allen Ginsberg, Gregory Corso, Larry Rivers, Dephine Seyring, and David Amram (who also wrote the score and co-wrote the title song with lyrics by Kerouac, Cassady, and Ginsberg).
Community Room. Pollard Memorial Library. 401 Merrimack Street.

7:00 p.m. Screening of One Fast Move And I’m Gone.  A documentary on Jack Kerouac’s experience at Bixby Canyon—Big Sur, California which he describes in his novel Big Sur.
To view a trailer go to www.kerouacfilms.com. A TangoPix and Makedia Worldwide Documentary Film.
O’Leary Library Auditorium—University of Massachusetts at Lowell. Wilder St.

9:30 Amram Jam. Acclaimed Classical composer, jazzman, and Jack Kerouac’s first musical collaborator and friend since the mid-1950s, David Amram, will play and provide back-up, as he did for Kerouac, for an open mike poetry reading.
Café Paradiso. Corner of Palmer and Middle Streets, Lowell.

Saturday, October 4th:

9:30 a.m. “Mystic Jack” Walking Tour led by Roger Brunelle. Tour of the St. Louis de France neighborhood that Kerouac describes in Visions of Gerard. Meet at the St. Louis Church, corner of 6th Avenue and Boisvert St.

11:30 a.m. Commemorative at the Commemorative. A remembrance of Jack Kerouac with an emphasis upon the Buddhist influence on his life and writings as described in The Dharma Bums. Featured Reader: George Wallace.
 Kerouac Park on Bridge Street.

2:00 p.m. “Poets on the Peaks” with John Suiter. Mr. Suiter is the author of the book Poets on the Peaks which describes in both word, and wonderful photographs, the summers that Jack Kerouac, Gary Snyder, and Philip Whalen spent as fire lookouts in the Pacific Northwest. Kerouac’s experience there was the basis for his book The Dharma Bums.

John Suiter’s talk also includes a slide presentation.

Mr. Suiter’s presentation is by arrangement with the Parker Lecture Series.
Visitors Center: Lowell National Historical Park. 246 Market Street, Lowell.

4:30 p.m. A “Kerouac Pub Tour” led by Mike Wurm. A tour of some of Kerouac’s favorite “watering holes” in Lowell. Begins at Ricardo’s Café Trotteria (Nicky Sampas’ Bar in Kerouac’s day) at 110 Gorham St. Stops at Cappy’s Copper Kettle, Major’s Pub, and the Old Worthen Tavern.

7:30 p.m. “Ghosts of the Pawtucketville Night” tour with Roger Brunelle. A night-time tour of many of the sites described in Kerouac’s Doctor Sax, including the Lowell Grotto, the Moody Street Bridge, and the Sarah Avenue/Phoebe Avenue neighborhoods.

Begins in front of Cumnock Hall, North Campus, University of Massachusetts at Lowell. 1 University Avenue—formerly Moody Street.

9:00 p.m. Tex MacNamara & His Bucking Broncos at the Old Worthen
141 Worthen Street
Check out their website at: www.myspace.com/texmacnamara

Sunday, October 5th:

10:00 a.m. And On Throughout the Day:

Marathon Reading of The Dharma Bums at Café Paradiso.
Palmer and Middle Streets, Lowell.
To sign up for a time slot contact Nancy Herbstman at nomi1219@verizon.net. Or call her at 781-449-7173.

2:00 p.m. Downtown walking tour of the Kerouac Places of Lowell led by Roger Brunelle.  Depart from and return to Café Paradiso.

Related Events:

Jack Kerouac 5K Road Race. September 28, 2008. Begins at noon at Hookside Kelly’s Sports Bar on Merrimack St. More information at www.kerouac5K.com

Art Exhibit: Visions of Italy. By Judith Bessette. September 20—October 13. Saturdays and Sundays. 1:00—5:00 p.m.

Thanks to the Many Friends and Supporters Who Make the
2008 Lowell Celebrates Kerouac Festival Possible:

The Cultural Organization of Lowell (COOL), The Lowell Historical National Park, The University of Massachusetts at Lowell, Lowell High School, The Pollard Memorial Library, Café Paradiso, Cappy’s Copper Kettle, Ricardo’s Café Trattoria, The Old Worthen Tavern, The Greater Merrimack Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, Higgins and Ross, The Parker Lecture Foundation, Tango Pix & Makedia Worldwide, The Estate of Jack and Stella Kerouac—John Sampas, Literary Executor.

And, most especially, the many Friends and Donors to Lowell Celebrates Kerouac!

Lowell Celebrates Kerouac is a Non-profit, 501c3 Corporation.

Website: lowellcelebrateskerouac.org

For additional information contact:
 Steve Edington, President—LCK at  revsde@hotmail.com