BAINBRIDGE ISLAND PRESS - Poetry Lives Here
PRESS RELEASE - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Bainbridge Island Press Announces
2nd Annual Bainbridge Island Poetry Awards
Celebration Reception
Wednesday, February 25, 2026 | Doors at 6:30 PM
Eagle Harbor Book Company • Bainbridge Island, WA
BAINBRIDGE ISLAND, WA — Bainbridge Island Press is proud to announce the 2nd Annual Bainbridge Island Poetry Awards Celebration, to be held on Wednesday, February 25, 2026, at 7:00 PM at Eagle Harbor Book Company. The evening will honor two outstanding members of Bainbridge Island’s vibrant poetry community.
John Willson has been named the 2026 Bainbridge Island Poet of the Year, recognizing his exceptional merit and his ability to elevate the craft and stir the hearts and minds of readers throughout the community.
David Stallings is the recipient of the 2026 Nancy Rekow Memorial Award, honoring 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 awards were established in 2025 by Bainbridge Island Press to celebrate and honor local poets who exemplify the talents and contributions of exceptional individuals in the island’s literary community. Recipients are selected through a community nomination and voting process.
Last year’s inaugural ceremony honored Michele Bombardier (Nancy Rekow Memorial Award), Makaela Smith (Poet of the Year), and Sue Hylen (Lifetime Achievement). The awards continue a tradition of recognizing the rich and flourishing history of poetry on Bainbridge Island.
All poets and poetry lovers are warmly invited to attend the celebration. The event is free and open to the public.
About Bainbridge Island Press
Bainbridge Island Press is a community-rooted publisher dedicated to celebrating the literary arts on Bainbridge Island and beyond. Through its books, chapbooks, podcast, and annual poetry awards, the press carries on the legacy of poets who have shaped and continue to shape the island’s literary landscape.
Media Contact
Bainbridge Island Press
Website: bainbridgeisland.press
Substack: bainbridgeislandpress.substack.com
Darn it, I work until 6PM in Seattle, so I can’t make it. Otherwise I’d love to come and hobnob with the Bainbridge Islanders. Maybe next year after I retire.