Announcing the 2026 Bainbridge Island Poetry Awards
We are thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2nd Annual Bainbridge Island Poetry Awards!
John Willson has been named the 2026 Bainbridge Island Poet of the Year, honoring his exceptional merit and his ability to elevate the craft and stir the hearts and minds of readers in our community.
David Stallings is the recipient of the 2026 Nancy Rekow Memorial Award, recognizing his dedication to inspiring, promoting, organizing, and educating our community in the art of poetry—following in the great footsteps of Nancy Rekow herself.
The date and venue for our celebration reception are currently in discussion, and we’ll share details soon. All poets and poetry readers will be warmly invited to attend.
We are so excited for this celebration, and THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO VOTED! Our poetry community is so important, and it means so much to celebrate our poets together.
Last year, we were honored to celebrate our inaugural award recipients: Michele Bombardier (Nancy Rekow Memorial Award), Makaela Smith (Poet of the Year), and Sue Hylen (Lifetime Achievement). The history of poetry on our island is rich and flourishing, and Bainbridge Island Press is delighted and honored to carry on the legacy of poets who have shaped and continue to shape our literary landscape.
Please join us as we celebrate John, David, and the vibrant poetry community that makes Bainbridge Island such a special place for the written word.
With gratitude,
Bainbridge Island
Press Poetry Lives Here