Neal Cassady‘s birthday today. Normally we would direct you to the Neal Cassady Birthday Bash – the annual shindig in Denver (Zack Kopp reports here on the 2019 celebrations) – but these are not normal times.
Mark Bliesener,the event’s organizer, explains the absence of festivities:
“After nearly twelve consecutive years – and given last year’s Covid hiatus and the current threat of Omicron – now seems like an opportune time to reorganise and reimagine the annual ‘Bash’, and prepare for a fresh take on the event… As the event’s sole organiser, funder, publicist and promoter, I’m admittedly a little stale presenting essentially the same event year after year
He goes on:
To be honest, I believe this is a terrific opportunity to take stock, think about Neal’s legacy and, going forward, why the ‘Bash’ is important to Denver.
I’m reconsidering everything, starting with the date – as the ‘Bash’ has always been held in chilly, potentially icy, February to coincide with Neal’s February 8th birthday. This has presented a hindrance for some out-of-town visitors, and perhaps moving the event to a more climatically hospitable time of year would now be advisable. Also, our long-time home the Mercury Cafe, located within spitting distance of Neal’s boyhood stomping grounds and a unique long standing countercultural cafe, helmed by the sublime Marilyn Megenity, changed hands during the pandemic, so a new venue is also an option.”
Read more in Simon Warner‘s interview with Bliesener – here – and here
Cassady in Denver:
(we recommend Tom Christopher‘s biography and memoir – here and here,
(and also here and here)
Bleisener has been instrumental in organizing the construction and placement of a Neal Cassady/Jack Kerouac statue in Denver – see here
Patricia Calhoun gives an update on Cassady and Kerouac memorials in Denver
Happy Birthday, Neal! (born February 8,1926 – so a Cassady Centennial will be upon us before too long!)