Celebrate Lawrence Ferlinghetti's 100th birthday.
Events Sunday March 17 thru Sunday March 24 – see Citylights.com
Main Event
March 24, 2019 @ 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm City Lights, 261 Columbus Ave
The bookstore, at 261 Columbus Ave, will welcome the public from 1-5 p.m.
Three other neighboring spots in North Beach — Canessa Gallery, Café Zoetrope and Vesuvio’s — will also take part in the festivities.
Bay Area writers and artists will read Ferlinghetti’s poetry, photos will be on display, and video screenings will showcase his storied life, which has included a Navy stint during World War II, student years in Paris, and the infamous 1957 court case that put him on trial for publishing “Howl,” Allen Ginsberg’s watershed poem.
To make it all official, the mayor’s office of San Francisco has proclaimed March 24 Lawrence Ferlinghetti Day.
Of course, Ferlinghetti won’t be resting on his laurels: He has a new book coming out as well. Doubleday will publish his autobiographical novel, “Little Boy,” on March 19, five days before the author’s birthday. City Lights will host its release party on March 21. In attendance will be Armistead Maupin, Joyce Carol Oates, Julien Poirier, Maxine Hong Kingston, Andrew Sean Greer and Michael Krasny.
Beyond Ferlinghetti’s birthday celebration, a few other venues will also showcase events in March and April to pay tribute to the city’s former poet laureate. Here are all the events:
City Lights: 1-5 p.m. March 24: Lawrence Ferlinghetti’s 100th birthday party. 7 p.m. March 21: “Little Boy” book release party. Free. 261 Columbus Ave., S.F. www.citylights.com
Canessa Gallery: March 24: “Lawrence Ferlinghetti: A Life in Poetry,” a documentary by Giada Diano. March 1-28: “Ferlinghetti in Photographs.” Free. 708 Montgomery St., S.F. canessa.org
Rena Branstein Gallery: March 2-April 7: “Lawrence Ferlinghetti: 100 Years Without a Net,” a solo show of his paintings. Free. 1275 Minnesota St., S.F. renabranstengallery.com
San Francisco Public Library: 1 p.m. March 17: A celebration of Ferlinghetti’s life with Aggie Falk, Jack Hirschman, devorah major, Alejandro Murgia, Dean Rader, Kim Shuck and others. Free. 100 Larkin St., S.F. sfpl.org
Roxie Theater: 1:30 p.m. March 23: “Ferlinghetti,” a documentary by Chris Felver. 3117 16th St., S.F. roxie.com SF Chron article
