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Polk County native Gary Phillips to read from latest book on Valentine’s Day
Published 1:13 pm Thursday, February 12, 2026
FOREST CITY—Polk County native Gary Phillips will give a reading from his latest book project, Welcome to Death Faire, on Valentine’s Day at Next Door Used Books in Forest City. The event begins at 3:30 p.m.
A 1972 graduate of Polk Central High School, Phillips is an award-winning poet and naturalist whose work has appeared in numerous books and anthologies. He grew up in Green Creek and is the son of the late June and Gurley Phillips.
Welcome to Death Faire grew out of Phillips’ work with Heart2Heart, a Pittsboro-based nonprofit organization that hosts workshops nationwide and an annual Death Faire in Pittsboro. The book commemorates the tenth anniversary of those gatherings and brings together the voices of 31 writers and photographers exploring traditions surrounding death, loss, grief, burial, funerals and cemeteries across cultures and communities.
Phillips was among the organizers of the first Death Faire and one of the creators of the book. He said he is especially hopeful that fellow Polk County residents Tony Blackwell and David Giles will attend, though he welcomes everyone to the event.
Next Door Used Books is located at 139 Thomas St., #3031, in Forest City.
Submitted by Pat Jobe
