On April 19 and 20, 2018, Bethesda Urban Partnership will host the Local Writer’s Showcase, celebrating writers from Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. The Showcase consists of two award ceremonies and readings, honoring the winners of the annual Bethesda Essay and Short Story Contest, in partnership with Bethesda Magazine, and the Bethesda Poetry Contest. Both ceremonies are open to the public.

The Showcase will begin on Thursday, April 19^th at 7pm with a Poetry Contest Awards Ceremony and Reading by award-winning poet E. Ethelbert Miller at Gallery B, 7700 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite E in Bethesda, MD. A Washington, D.C. based literary activist, editor of Poet Lore, and author of several collections of poetry and two memoirs, Miller served as judge of this year’s Poetry Contest submissions and will read alongside the adult and high school winners at Thursday’s awards ceremony.

The Annual Bethesda Essay & Short Story Contest Awards Ceremony will be held on Friday, April 20 at 7pm at the Bethesda Hyatt, 7400 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda, MD. Again, all winners will receive their awards and have the opportunity to read an excerpt from their work, with a reception to follow.

The 2018 Local Writer’s Showcase is produced by the Bethesda Urban Partnership and sponsored by Bethesda Magazine and The Writer’s Center. Support is also provided by The Trawick Foundation. For more information, please call 301/215-6660 or visit www.bethesda.org.