Prairie Gate Literary Festival

The Prairie Gate Literary Festival (PGLF) is celebration of writing that occurs on the campus of the University of Minnesota Morris. The mission of PGLF is to provide the University of Minnesota, Morris and Lake Region of Minnesota unique opportunities to learn from and interact with published writers and other professionals in the field of literary arts through such activities as readings, workshops, and panel discussions. Invited authors are chosen partly for the diversity of their backgrounds and styles, and are meant to appeal to a wide variety of audience members.

History of the Prairie Gate Literary Festival

The festival is named after the Prairie Gate Press, an antique letterpress that was brought to campus and first operated by Jim Gremmels, professor emeritus of English, in the basement of Camden Hall. Gremmels was one of the first 13 faculty members hired at the University of Minnesota, Morris in 1960 when the school was expanded from an agricultural school into a four year college. Gremmels learned how to operate the press from student Tom Hennen, a renowned poet and supporter. 

Over the years, he gathered donated type and equipment to keep the press running. The Prairie Gate Press was used to print tickets, posters, a number of chapbooks, and other meaningful projects like a collection of pieces from participants in a workshop for senior citizen writers. Gremmels also helped produce several books by alumni and students of UMM. In an interview with the Morris Sun Tribune in 2004, Gremmels said, "It's a great thing to have on campus, especially a liberal arts campus where students are creative … It's a lot of fun when you have a good project. It's a lot of work, but when you get done, when it looks good, it's very enjoyable."

Gremmels officially retired in 2000, but continued as a coach and teacher until his death in 2010. He also worked hard to find someone to take over the press. Colleague and friend Argie Manolis recalled Gremmels’ attitude at the time in this way: “Even at the end of his life, when the press went into storage due to a remodeling project and there was no clarity about where and whether it would be running again, when he was barely making it through the day, he seemed to be clear on one thing: that if you are present enough in your own life, and if you’re willing to slow down enough to connect with others, then your work in the world will matter.”

For now the press is in storage at UMM, but it could be brought back to work if a location and funding for the project can be found. In 2011, the Prairie Gate Literary Festival hosted a panel discussion about the history of the Prairie Gate Press and the work that Gremmels put into the endeavor. Featured speakers were Hennen, Manolis, former student Dan Wahl, and son Paul Gremmels. 

The Prairie Gate Literary Festival

Since the festival’s inception, more than 20 poets, novelists, screenwriters, illustrators and biographers and essayists have come to UMM to share their work as part of the Prairie Gate Literary Festival. These authors include: