AUGUSTA— The University of Maine at Augusta’s 11th annual Terry Plunkett Maine Poetry Festival, the state’s largest annual poetry event, will take place on Friday, April 19 from 6 to 8 p.m. in Jewett Auditorium, and on Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. in the Richard Randall Student Center on the UMA campus.

This year’s theme, “A Tribute to Anthology,” features Maine poet laureate Wes McNair reading from his recently published memoir, “Words I Choose: A Memoir of Family and Poetry.” Other highlights include featured poets Lee Sharkey and David Adams.

Paying homage to UMA’s 2012/2013 academic theme, “Food,” there will be a panel discussion on poetry and food with panelists Claire Hersom, a UMA English alumnus and local poet; Stu Kestenbaum, poet and director of Haystack Mountain School of Arts and Crafts on Deer Isle; Linda Tatelbaum, writer and retired professor from Colby College; and Jeffrey Thomson, University of Maine at Farmington associate professor of English and poetry; with facilitator Duff Plunkett.

The schedule for the festival is as follows:

Friday, April 19, from 6 to 8 p.m.

• A welcome from UMA President Allyson Hughes Handley

• Music by UMA’s En Route Standards Ensemble

• Featured poet Wes McNair reading from his memoir, “Words I Choose: A Memoir of Family and Poetry.”

Saturday, April 20, from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.

• A selection of poets reading from “Sun Shining on Snow,” by Senior College Poets

• A selection of poets reading from “Take Heart,” edited by Wes McNair

• Panel discussion on poetry and food

• Featured poet Lee Sharkey

• A selection of poets reading from “Passion and Pride: Poets in Support of Equality,” edited by Bruce P. Spang

• Featured poet David Adams

• Open microphone

The Terry Plunkett Poetry Festival is free and open to the public.

For more information, visit www.uma.edu/plunkett.html or contact Ellen Taylor at ellent@maine.edu or 621-3114.