The Turlock High School poetry club, known around campus as Spilling Ink, will hold its second annual Arts in the Park festival from 6 to 8 p.m. April 19 at Crane Park.

Last year’s inaugural event was dubbed Poetry in the Park, but the club decided to expand the scope this year and include other art forms, such as music and visual art.

The event is free to the public, and spectators will have an opportunity to purchase a copy of the club’s first anthology of student poetry and artwork — Spilled Ink: Volume I.

“Hopefully, we’ll also be featuring a performance from our school’s drama club,” said THS English teacher and club advisor Jay McElroy. “They have two weekends of performances of ‘Legally Blonde’ with a gap in between, and that weekend is the gap. So, I’m going to try and get some of the kids to come out and perform a song or two from that.”

The city of Turlock is also chipping in to lend a hand.

“The city gave the park to us for free again and gave us the power and we don’t have to pay for permits for sound,” said McElroy. “We’ll have the picnic tables, and we may use a couple of tables to set out some art displays, but there will be seating at those tables. But bring chairs, bring a blanket … it’s going to be a nice evening in April.”

Also scheduled to appear is the 2024 spoken word poetry team from the Loudmouth Poetry Jam in Visalia.

“They compete across the whole year and as they compete in monthly slams, they earn points,” said McElroy. “And those with most points make up their ‘Slam’ team. So, they’re going to come up and put on a show, too.”

Spectators are not only encouraged to bring their own lawn chairs or blankets, but are welcome to picnic, as well.