Michael Dirda
Award-winning journalists Ian Urbina and Michael Dirda will be featured attractions at the Sultana Education Foundation’s Downrigging Weekend Tall Ship and Wooden Boat Festival, October 29-November 1, in Chestertown, Maryland. Now in its 15th year, Downrigging Weekend is one of the largest annual Tall Ship gatherings in North America and features four days of Tall Ship sails, deck tours, concerts, lectures, films and exhibits.
On Friday, October 30th, journalist and reporter Ian Urbina will speak about his highly acclaimed series, “The Outlaw Ocean” which appeared in the New York Times in July. Urbina will explore the current lawless state of the world’s oceans while exploring piracy, illegal fishing, environmental damage, rampant murder, the use of unregulated private security forces, and even slavery. Urbina will also address the process of reporting for this series, which involved extensive sea time – often in far-flung locations and difficult situations. Cosponsored by the Washington College Center for Environment and Society, Urbina’s presentation will begin at 8:00 pm at the Garfield Center for the Performing Arts in Chestertown.
Ian Urbina
On Saturday, October 31, Washington Post book critic and Pulitzer Prize winner Michael Dirda, will cast a critical eye on the world of Nautical Literature in an 11:00 am presentation sponsored and hosted by The Book Plate bookstore in Chestertown. Dirda holds a Ph.D. in comparative literature from Cornell University and is the author of the memoir “An Open Book” and four collections of essays: “Readings,” “Bound to Please,” “Book by Book” and “Classics for Pleasure.”
Both presentations are free and open to the public as space permits. In addition to talks by Urbina and Dirda, Sultana’s Downrigging Weekend will feature presentations by historian John Nagy, author Kate Livie, Field Ecologist Maran Gimpel and Horticulturalist Cindy King. For more information, a complete festival schedule, and online reservations visit www.sultanaeducation.org or call 410-778-5954.
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