Visit to Kerouac's grave during Lowell Celebrates Kerouac 2015

As we do every year, we are planning to visit Jack Kerouac's grave during the Lowell Celebrates Kerouac Festival. The ritual involves reading something of Jack's at the grave, videoing the reading and posting it to YouTube, taking pictures, and generally paying homage to the greatest writer who ever lived. It also involves Bushmills (not required and we're low key about it).

Here are some links to past year's readings, featuring me, or Crystal, or our friend Richard (and note Chris and Charlie from Michigan in the 2009 entry):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmA3RmHXJek

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2YnqQIMKPE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjQYTUzOvFE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5yWCxyIc68

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3udabK5hUYk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IcRSo0IimYY

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-IzTbeQPpg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGBFkqjIQDw


This year, I think the grave visit will be mid-morning (10:30-ish) on Friday, October 9. This is sort of after the high school poetry competition and before the must-attend Talking Jack session led by Kurt Phaneuf (click here for the schedule).

If you are reading this, you are welcome to join us. A special invitation is extended to members of the Jack Kerouac Facebook page. If enough of the latter attend, we could snap an awesome group photo at the grave!

This year, in honor of the 50th year since it's publication, we will be reading selections from Desolation Angels. You are invited to read from DA or anything else of Jack's. Or recite a passage from memory. Or tell a tale. Or just listen.

It's all about honoring Jack with fellow Keroucians.

See you in Lowell in October. Everybody goes home in October.



P.S. Jack's grave is easy to find. It's in Edson Cemetery, 1375 Gorham Street, in Lowell, MA. Enter the main gate off Gorham and go straight. Turn left on Lincoln Avenue. Jack's grave is on the right between 7th and 8th Avenue. Jack's actual gravestone is flat on the ground in front of the new-ish monument below.

The new-ish monument (which, while gaudy, does help locate the grave for first-timers)

The original gravestone

If you need a driving video for directions, click here. Turn the sound off unless you like Deconstructing Shed.

P.S.S. This year's secret word is "subterraneans." Be the first person to whisper it to me at LCK and get a free signed copy of my book,