Alaska’s Fiddling Poet

Library, Arts Council Host Alaska’s Fiddling Poet

11 – 11:45 am: Now Entering Alaska Time (Seniors)
3:15 – 4 pm: Alaska’s Fiddling Poet (Kids)
5 – 5:45 pm: More Fiddle Tunes & Poems (All)
6 – 8 pm: Writing Workshop (13+)

The Mountain Home Public Library, Friends of the Library, and Mountain Home Arts Council are excited to welcome Ken Waldman—Alaska’s Fiddling Poet—for a series of engaging programs for the community. Waldman will offer three unique performances tailored to youth, seniors, and the general public, along with a hands-on writing workshop at the library.

Ken Waldman’s signature solo show, Now Entering Alaska Time, blends lively fiddle music, original poetry, and captivating stories set in Alaska. Known for his dynamic and engaging presence, Waldman’s program for children, Alaska’s Fiddling Poet, is interactive, interdisciplinary, and designed to be fun, inspiring, and full of delightful surprises. With visits to over 250 schools in 35 states, it’s no surprise he’s often likened to beloved children’s entertainer Fred Rogers.

In addition to his performances, Waldman will lead a two-hour writing workshop titled Four Writing Prompts: Begin Four New Stories or Poems. Open to writers of all skill levels and backgrounds (recommended for ages 13 and up), this session offers an opportunity to jump-start creativity and explore new ideas through guided prompts.

Raised outside Philadelphia, Waldman moved to Seattle in 1984, then to Alaska in 1985 to attend graduate school. He’s still a resident, and Ken has lived in Fairbanks, Juneau, Sitka, Nome, Anchorage, and has traveled widely in the state. Now a long-time touring artist, he has appeared at the Kennedy Center Millennium Stage, the Dodge Poetry Festival, The Woodford Folk Festival (Queensland, Australia), and leading festivals, concert series, colleges, arts centers, and clubs across North America. In addition to being a fiddler with 12 CDs, Waldman is a former college professor with an MFA in Creative Writing from University of Alaska Fairbanks. He has 16 full-length poetry collections, a memoir (about his life as a touring artist), a children’s book, a creative writing manual, and a novel. Over 400 of his stories, poems, and essays have appeared in such journals as Beloit Poetry Journal and Poets & Writers.