A dinner party with poetry, music, and 100 voices!
Help us celebrate the wit and wisdom of San Francisco poet Elliot Harmon with a hearty vegetarian buffet featuring Nepali cuisine, craft cocktails/mocktails, live music, interactive activities, and readings from Harmon’s posthumously published book of poetry, Gray and Something. All poetry lovers are welcome to attend this event; if you’re new to the writing community, please come introduce yourself and make some new friends!
Get your ticket & copy of the book
Books can be ordered from this website and picked up at the event or purchased on site for $18. Proceeds from book sales and the event will be donated to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), where Harmon worked as Activism Director, defending civil liberties and the right to innovate online.
Please purchase an event ticket below.
If you are unable to afford a ticket, contact us at info@dkwproductions.com to apply for a free or reduced-price ticket, which will be funded by donations to our Sponsor a Seat Program.
–books will be available for pickup at the event; vegetarian buffet dinner is included (drinks are available for purchase).
–includes one copy of the book; a surprise gift; a vegetarian buffet dinner; and one drink ticket.
–includes one copy of the book; a special limited-edition journal made by Elliot Harmon for his press, Mission Cleaners; a surprise gift; a vegetarian buffet dinner; and one drink ticket.
Join us for a night of Nepali cuisine, craft cocktails/mocktails, community connections, fond memories, and distinctive poetry. Steffi Drewes, Kat Cornelius, Heidi Kasa, Della Watson, Jessica Wickens, and Valerie Witte will share the stage with special guests to produce the kind of fun, smart, and unique experience Elliot Harmon was known for creating. Special surprises and a set by the band Hedgefire will make this launch party an event to remember.
The Gray & Something Launch Party marks the beginning of our audacious goal of amplifying Harmon’s voice through the contributions of 100+ creatives across the country. Scroll down to read more about the 100 Voices of Elliot Harmon project.
About the 100 Voices of Elliot Harmon
The goal of this project is to hear Harmon’s words put into the voices of 100 people through group readings, poetry parties, zoom events, and other interactions. When people speak poetry aloud, the book gains a new life and a new story. We may ask ourselves how the text changes when different people interact with it. Our goal is to watch a work of art grow and transform in real time, preserving Elliot Harmon’s memory and allowing a new generation of artists to carry forth the poetic torch.
If you would like to host a 100 Voices event in your location, please contact us.
Our Partners
Tipsy Yeti and EFF
Featured Entertainers
Steffi Drewes
Heidi Kasa
Andrew Hedges (Hedgefire)
Della Watson
Jessica Wickens
Valerie Witte (Hedgefire)
and more!
About the Book
Elliot Harmon’s debut poetry collection Gray and Something is a portrait of the literary community and its distinctive characters, from romantic partners to competitors to friends, and it is also a road map and a deep dive into the cultural products of Americana.
Harmon’s wit and humor infuse the pages with levity, even when the subject matter turns dark. With emotional depth and agility, the narrator navigates quickly between the small-scale prickles of life to deeper issues such as frustration over an inability to find the right words for grief’s enormity. In these poems, highbrow and lowbrow art have equal footing—any subject is worthy of attention, as long as it is interesting at its core.
About the Author
Elliot Harmon was a poet. Early in his career, Elliot received a degree in English from the University of South Dakota and was active in the Midwest arts community. He wrote and directed plays and became an integral part of the slam poetry scene.
In San Francisco, Elliot attended California College of the Arts where he received an MFA in creative writing. He ran literary readings; edited the online poetry journal Idiolexicon; and started his own press, Mission Cleaners.
Along with his work as a poet, Elliot advocated for free speech and the right to innovate online as the Activism Director for the Electronic Frontier Foundation. Elliot’s passions were as varied as his career—from professional wrestling to country music to French New Wave cinema. Elliot lived with his wife, Kat, and their cat, Nora. The title of this book, Gray and Something, is a reference to said cat. Elliot died of melanoma on October 23, 2021, in his home in San Francisco. Elliot is remembered by his coworkers, friends, and family as a smart, kind, generous, and thoughtful person.
About the EFF
The Electronic Frontier Foundation is the leading nonprofit organization defending civil liberties in the digital world. Founded in 1990, EFF champions user privacy, free expression, and innovation through impact litigation, policy analysis, grassroots activism, and technology development. EFF's mission is to ensure that technology supports freedom, justice, and innovation for all people of the world.
Proceeds from book sales and the event will be donated to the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF).
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Yes. We are requiring people to RSVP to the event by purchasing a ticket so that we can order the right amount of food. There are several “ticket” options, including book purchase packages as well as an option to attend the event for free/pay what you can.
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This event is designed for an adult audience, but the venue is family friendly. Use your best judgment.
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We will serve a buffet dinner featuring traditional Nepali cuisine. We will have vegan, vegetarian, and gluten free options. Tipsy Yeti’s menu also has American comfort food, such as burgers, steaks, pizza, and pasta. You are welcome to purchase additional food from the restaurant if you’d like to eat something that is not on the buffet. Drinks are also available for purchase at the restaurant’s full bar.
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We will have an interactive activity, however participation is optional.
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Yes! Let’s talk. Please send an inquiry to info@dkwproductions.com to discuss collaborations.