The Big Read 2018 Kickoff

Fishtrap kicks off The Big Read with a family-friendly potluck and show featuring homegrown talent, a feast of favorite foods, and the famous Hurricane Creek Grange Hall pies. This is all to celebrate this year's Big Read book, StationEleven by Emily St. John Mandel. The best selling novel explores what brings communities together, what value the past holds, and, ultimately, what makes survival worth sustaining. With that, Fishtrap is highlighting the talent of Wallowa County youth who will entertain the audience with songs, acting, dance, and even a student made movie.
 
The Big Read Kickoff starts at 6:30pm with a potluck dinner of favorite foods. Everyone is encouraged to share their favorite dish, from dutch oven secrets, to traditional family recipes. Following the potluck, local students from Wallowa to Joseph will come up on stage and show off their talents. Short readings from Station Eleven will set the scene and introduce themes from the novel. Fishtrap will raffle off free copies of Station Eleven and companion books for younger readers. The event is free and open to the public. This is the first of six weekly Big Read events exploring the themes of Station Eleven. Check out the full schedule at fishtrap.org.

The Big Read broadens our understanding of the world, our communities, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book. Every winter, Fishtrap celebrates one great work of literature by providing events, discussions, and free books to Wallowa County schools, libraries, and community members. The program is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts and is supported locally by neighborhood businesses and individual donations. Special thanks to community sponsors Community Bank, Pacific Power, and the Oregon Arts Commission.
 
Learn more about Station Eleven and The Big Read at fishtrap.org