arts & entertainment

The Laura (Riding) Jackson Foundation announces its 15th Annual Poetry & Barbeque Event featuring “In a Southerly Light….revisited”  on Saturday, March 28, 2026.  One of  LRJF ’s  most popular events combines poetry, music, barbecue and great company for a down-home celebration of the literary arts.  This year is a tribute to the inaugural event and features the original event poets Silvia Curbelo, Michael Hettich and our own, Sean Sexton, the former Poet Laureate of Indian River County. This signature event will be held from 3:00pm – 6:30pm  at The Richardson Center, 6155 College Lane on Mueller Campus at Indian River State College in Vero Beach, Florida.

Join the fun as we celebrate three acclaimed poets as they are today and as you remember them 15 years ago at our inaugural event.  Silvia Curbelo is a Cuban-born American poet and author of four collections of poetry. She lives and works in Tampa, Florida.  Michael Hettich has published numerous books and chapbooks of poetry and  most of his teaching career was spent at Miami Dale College and has won numerous awards and honors and now resides in North Carolina.  Sean Sexton is a Florida based rancher, poet, and artist. He was named Indian River County’s first ever  Poet Laureate and has authored multiple poetry collections including “Blood Writing and Portals.”  He was born and raised in Indian River County on his family’s Treasure Hammock Ranch. He founded LRJF ’s  first  Poetry & Barbeque in celebration of Poetry Month which has been a signature event and now in its 15th year.

This year, all ticket holders will be automatically entered for a chance to win several specialty themed door prizes. Tickets for the event and barbecue are $60 each and/or tables of 8 can be purchased online at LRJF.org/poetry-and-barbeque or by contacting admin@lrjg.org or 772.569.6718.  Sponsorships and donations are still available with details on LRJF.org.

The event will showcase several local area poets from LRJF’s writing groups and will be followed by featured guest poets along with a down-home southern barbecue to conclude this year’s “In a Southerly Light …Revisited.”

About Laura (Riding) Jackson Foundation

LRJF is dedicated to preserving the author’s home and nurturing writers of all ages through a series of literary offerings including writers’ groups, summer camps, workshops, and poetry festivals. The Foundation honors writer Laura (Riding) Jackson’s belief in the promise of language by creating community through the literary arts.

The author’s Florida cracker-style home is located next to Brackett Library on Mueller Campus of IRSC in Vero Beach at 6155 College Lane, Vero Beach. The historic house is open for tours on Monday and Tuesdays from 1:00–5:00 and the 2nd Sunday of the month from 1:00-5:00 from November to May, as well as by appointment.

LRJF has a Writing Center at 1914 14th Avenue in Vero Beach where we host writers’ groups, poetry readings, teen and adult writing workshops, and our LRJF gift shop. The annual Poetry and Barbeque Event celebrates National Poetry Month each April.