At sunrise, a small flotilla of canoes drifts under one of the oldest retractile bridges in the country while readers declaim Poe over the Gowanus Canal. It is gloriously odd, very Brooklyn, and over before most people have finished coffee. If you want a New York story nobody else at work will have, set an alarm.
What to expect
Readers launch from the Dredgers boathouse, paddle into position, and take turns reciting Poe while the audience gathers on the Carroll Street Bridge above. It is short, early and atmospheric.
Good to know
- F and G trains at Carroll St are a few blocks away
- Audience members gather on the bridge itself
- Free and open to anyone who shows up
- Want to read? Poets Afloat NYC coordinates readers in advance
- Bring coffee and a layer; the canal is chilly early
Going? Keep it.
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Common questions
What is the Gowanus Dawn Reading?
An annual free event where readers in canoes recite Edgar Allan Poe's poetry to an audience on the Carroll Street Bridge.
Do I need to register?
No registration is listed for audience members; readers coordinate through Poets Afloat NYC.
