The Mitchell County Historic Preservation Commission will host the second annual Summer Solstice Poetry Reading on June 21 at 7 p.m., featuring an Austin artist.

The event will take place at the Hamlin Garland Wildlife Area, two miles north of St. Ansgar on the west side of Highway 218. The community is invited to attend.

Readings this year will include nature poems by local authors Hamlin Garland and Richard Eberhart, both of whom spent their boyhood years in this region. Eberhart was born and reared in Austin, and Garland lived in Mitchell County between the ages of 10 and 21. Since both poets wrote about war and battle, to mark the sesquicentennial of the start of the Civil War, one program segment will be devoted to battle-related poems.

According to Kurt Meyer, member of the Historic Preservation Commission and event coordinator, “We’ve lined up a stellar list of poetry readers again this year, including Historic Preservation Commission members as well as many others. Last year’s participants and attendees were enthusiastic about continuing this event.”

Light refreshments will be served. If the weather is questionable, contact Meyer at meyer6601@aol.com or call 641-326-2255 to learn if the event has been postponed and rescheduled.