Session 4 “Down on the Farm”  explores the rural experience from both sides of the river featuring a program of spoken word, music and song by Kentucky Poet Laureate Lee Pennington and friends Kentucky Poet Rita S. Spaulding, singer Katrina Harper and guitarist Tommy Bays.

Other highlights of session 4 will include Madison songstress Cheryl Liz Byers, who will open the session. Indianapolis Historian Glory-June Greiff will present a talk on the “Hoosier Poet,” James Whitcomb Riley, and read a selection of his poems. Fiddlin’ Ben Thompson will entertain with historic tunes on fiddle and banjo with some historic commentary. There will be selected readings of work written by historical local authors Edward Eggleston (the Hoosier School Master), Cora Dodd (The Country Undertaker’s Wife), and others who found inspiration from the people and landscape of the Ohio Valley through the years.

There will be an art exhibit and plein aire painters also.

Attendees are encouraged to RSVP. Each of the events is free, but donations are welcome. Donations support the ongoing preservation of the Historic Eleutherian College, a 501(c)3. The most urgent need is a new roof.

Reservations can be made at www.madtixevents.com.

The Eleutherian College is about 20 minutes away from downtown Madison, near Lancaster at 6927 IN S.R. 250 W. Madison, IN 47250.