Call for Community Readers for first-ever Thoreau’s Cape Cod Readathon
Barnstable, MA – The public is invited to sign-up to be a community reader for the first-in-the-nation readathon of Thoreau’s Cape Cod, hosted by Barnstable Land Trust in honor of its 40th Anniversary. It is estimated that over 90 in-person readers will help narrate over 120 five-minute segments of the iconic book from 10 am to 3 pm on October 7th and 8th at the Michael R. Kramer Center, a new post and beam barn on BLT’s Fuller Farm property in Marstons Mills. Sponsored by the Rockland Trust Charitable Foundation and with support from the Mass Cultural Council, this special event celebrates Thoreau’s iconic work describing the natural beauty of Cape Cod and invites the public to contemplate how his depiction of the environment and Cape Cod life has changed over time. The deadline for community reader sign-ups is September 18th.
The event will also be live-streamed. For those attending in person, shuttle bus service will be provided so that the public can enjoy the readathon first-hand, hike the trails at Fuller Farm, bring a picnic, and engage with other conservation and community partners.
Leading up to the readathon, over 13 Thoreau-linked programs including a virtual reading circle led by The Waldon Woods Project, talks (history of saltworks, photography, author readings), walks (wildflowers, wildlife, cultural history), workshops (journaling), and special events (art exhibit featuring local artists, literary discussions) as they relate to Thoreau’s well-known book. Some programs are being offered as part of the “Celebrating Thoreau from Concord to Cape Cod” collaboration, a partnership with the Town of Concord (MA), The Walden Woods Project, Thoreau Farm, and The Thoreau Society. The programs and weekend events are supported by over 30 business and community partners.
What: Barnstable Land Thoreau’s Cape Cod Readathon
Who: Approximately 90 community readers; first reading done by “Henry” (aka Richard Smith, a living history interpreter of Henry David Thoreau)
When: Saturday, October 7/10 am – 3 pm and Sunday, October 8/10 am – 3 pm
Where: The Michael R. Kramer Center, a new post and beam barn at Fuller Farm (995 Route 149, Marstons Mills); continuous shuttle bus service provided to off-site parking area
Website link: https://blt.org/thoreau
Community Reader Sign-up (deadline is September 18): https://blt.org/thoreau-reader-registration
Barnstable Land Trust (BLT) is a community-supported, nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving open space and natural resources in the Town of Barnstable and nearby areas. BLT has protected nearly 1,200 acres in the Town of Barnstable and supported the Town in conserving over 11,000 more. Celebrating its 40th Anniversary in 2023, BLT is a regional leader in collaborative land preservation and stewardship, community engagement, training, and advocacy. BLT also leverages its conservation expertise to inform local public decisions as they impact our ecosystems, community health, well-being, and quality of life. To learn more about BLT’s special 40th Anniversary events including the first-of-its-kind 2-day live Readathon of Thoreau’s Cape Cod, BLT’s trailside poetry initiative Words in the Wild, First Day Hikes Cape Cod, or access one of its three popular trail map guides (Barnstable Trail Guide – English and Portuguese versions, Cape Cod Pathways/Barnstable Trail Guide, and Eagle Pond & Little River Sanctuary Trail Guide), visit http://www.BLT.org or call 508-771-2585.
The Thoreau Society received a Mass Humanities
Staffing Recovery Grant (2023-25) in support of our
Membership and Program Coordinator. Funding from
Mass Humanities has been provided through the
Massachusetts Cultural Council.