It’s late February, which means the return of Astoria’s FisherPoets Gathering.

This is a weekend that sees scores of people involved in commercial fishing take a rest from the high seas to spend a winter’s night at the mic reading poetry, singing songs and telling tales about work and a way of life.

From its first event at a local brewpub in 1998, the gathering has grown into a weekend with hours of readings at several venues, with daytime workshops held on Pier 39 and at the Astoria Library.

Over the years, the event has attracted attention from national outlets including Smithsonian magazine, The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal, and has even been recognized as a local legacies project by the U.S. Library of Congress.

The weekend has also created a new genre — fisherpoetry — of which organizers published an anthology at the 25-year mark, titled “Yon’s Ma Life.”

There’s also an official songbook, made up of lyrics and chords from musicians who’ve played at past events. For those listening from afar, readings will also be broadcast Friday and Saturday evenings on KMUN.

For this year, find the gathering’s reading and event schedules on the following pages, along with the artwork of photographer Corey Arnold and printmaker Duncan Berry, both fishermen with ongoing exhibits.