Austin will recognize its most famous poet with two Monday events.

First, a public reception will be held at 4 p.m. to unveil a Literary Landmark for Austin native Richard Eberhart, whose “Selected Poems, 1930-1965” won the 1966 Pulitzer Prize for Poetry and whose “Collected Poems, 1930-1976” won the National Book Award.

The plaque unveiling ceremony at Austin High School, 301 Third St. NW, will be followed by a brief reception.

This is the seventh Literary Landmark in Minnesota. Previous Literary Landmark honorees from Minnesota include F. Scott Fitzgerald, Maud Hart Lovelace, Sinclair Lewis, Jon Hassler and conservationist Sigurd Olson.

Then the annual Eberhart Night of Poetry will be held at 6 p.m. Monday at the Hormel Historic Home, 208 Fourth Ave. NW.

The finalists of this year’s Eberhart Poetry Contest — all students from Austin Public Schools — will read their poems during the event.
The finalists for this year are:

•Lucas Vaquez Beckman, Banning Brooks Korfhage, and Valery Noriega Martinez of Woodson Kindergarten Center

•Olivia Felten, Emma Stanley, and Ariel Weideman of Banfield Elementary School

•Izaak Belden, Carly Flaherty, and Alivia Hemry of Neveln Elementary School

•Nadia Hummel, Lucas Myers, and Reese Norton of Southgate Elementary School

•Kathy Garcia, Emma MacKay, and Enar Zaki of Sumner Elementary School

•Ajulo Awow, Nora Tweeten, and Nawras Zaki of I.J. Holton Intermediate School

•Wren Clinefelter, Jackson Goetz, and Denni Heimer of Ellis Middle School

•Sarah Bachmeier, Nora Curtis, and Shaina Ryhther of Austin High School

The winners will be announced after all poems are shared, followed by an awards ceremony.