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2024 San José Poetry Festival ignites the Bay Area’s passion for spoken word and performance poetry. This year’s lineup features iconic spoken word artists: RC Weslowski from Vancouver, BC, Canada, Bao Phi from Minneapolis, and Rachel McKibbens from Rochester, NY, alongside a stellar roster of poets from San Francisco, Oakland, and the South Bay. Join us for a mix of free Zoom events, electrifying in-person performances, and immersive writing workshops. This year’s festival is free for anyone aged 19 and under, and Saturday’s Youth Poets Laureate event is open to all PCSJ Members. Secure your tickets online or at each venue, and be part of this unforgettable celebration of poetic artistry!
Your 2024 San José Poetry Festival PASS gets you into all readings and performances!
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 5
7pm – Opening Night with Jason Bayani, Jamie DeWolf, Wonder Dave and Lorenz Dumuk. Doors at 6:30. First Unitarian Church, 160 N 3rd Street, San Jose. Nearest parking garage. This event is free to all youth aged 19 and under and to those with a festival pass. $20 for general public and $15 for PCSJ Members. Admission may be purchased at the door.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6
4:00–5:30pm – Friday Fun Youth Poetry Workshop – FREE
Facilitated by Mighty Mike McGee. Willow Glen Library, 1157 Minnesota Ave, San Jose.
6:30pm – [on ZOOM] – ¡Cultura Poetry Night! Open Mic – FREE on ZOOM
Hosted by Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo.
8pm – DAY 2: Friday Night with Bao Phi, RC Weslowski and Arlene Biala. Doors at 7:00pm. SJZ Break Room, 310 S. First Street, San Jose. Nearest parking garage. This event is free to all youth aged 19 and under and to those with a festival pass. $20 for general public and $15 for PCSJ Members. Admission may be purchased at the door.
SAT, SEPTEMBER 7
10am – WRITING WORKSHOP | PALABRAS & POETRY: ZAPATISTA PRINCIPLES
Facilitated by Elizabeth Jiménez Montelongo – FREE on ZOOM
11am – WORKSHOP | Broadside Art and Poetry Workshop – FREE
Facilitated by Deborah Kennedy. Willow Glen Library, 1157 Minnesota Ave. San José
11am – Family Story Time with Bao Phi – FREE
Hosted by Danny Le. Central Park Library, 2635 Homestead Road, Santa Clara.
12pm – [on ZOOM] – Black Poets Laureate Reading – FREE on ZOOM
Featuring Donny Jackson, Black Atticus, Jemilea Wisdom-Baako and Tolu Agbelusi. Hosted by Tshaka Campbell.
NOON – [on ZOOM] – Yuki Teikei Haiku Society Reading – FREE on ZOOM
1pm – WRITING WORKSHOP with , Convergence Arts Studio, 1345 The Alameda, San José. Street parking available. Not included in Festival Pass. $25 for general public, $20 for PCSJ members and youth 19 and under.
3pm – 2024 SCC Youth Poets Laureate – PCSJ introduces the newly appointed Santa Clara County Youth Poets Laureate and Youth Poetry Ambassadors. Hosted by Yosimar Reyes. This event is free to all youth aged 19 and under and to those with a festival pass. $20 for general public and $15 for PCSJ Members. Admission may be purchased at the door.
8pm – DAY 3: SATURDAY NIGHT with Yosimar Reyes & SCC Youth Poets Laureate
Doors at 7:00PM. SJZ Break Room, 310 South First Street. Nearest parking garage. This event is free to all youth aged 19 and under and to those with a festival pass. $20 for general public and $15 for PCSJ Members. Admission may be purchased at the door.
SUN, SEPTEMBER 8
10:30-1pm – [IN PERSON] – Small Press Fair & Open Mic – FREE
Markham House at History Park, 1650 Phelan Avenue, San José
1:30-3:30pm – [IN PERSON] – WRITING WORKSHOP with Rachel McKibbens at Markham House at History Park, 1650 Phelan Avenue, San José. Not included in Festival Pass. $25 for general public, $20 for PCSJ members and youth 19 and under.
7pm – [IN PERSON] – FESTIVAL CLOSE with Rachel McKibbens, Josiah Luis Alderete, Sally Ashton. Doors at 6:30. First Unitarian Church, 160 N 3rd Street, San Jose. Nearest parking garage. This event is free to all youth aged 19 and under and to those with a festival pass. $20 for general public and $15 for PCSJ Members. Admission may be purchased at the door.
Follow Poetry Center San José on Facebook and Instagram for announcements about other amazing South Bay poetry events happening throughout the rest of the year. Help support Poetry Center San José by becoming a member.
San José Poetry Festival 2024 is presented by Poetry Center San José and is sponsored in part by: Festival and Cultural Affairs grants from the City of San José; a grant from SVCreates, in partnership with the County of Santa Clara and the California Arts Council and also supported in part by a SVCreates National Endowment for the Arts American Rescue Plan grant; support from the offices of San José City Council Members David Cohen (D4) and Peter Ortiz (D5); Literary Arts Emergency Fund supported by the Mellon Foundation; and with support from Anne & Mark's Art Party, Applied Materials Foundation, Brandenburg Family Foundation and Silicon Valley Community Foundation. We thank Four Points by Sheraton for hotel accommodations. We would like to acknowledge and offer our deepest gratitude to past and current venues worthy of your support: Art Boutiki, Books Inc., Caravan Lounge, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Library, First Unitarian Church of San José, History/San José, MACLA, Mama Kin, Recycle Bookstore, Tabard Theatre, Willow Glen Public Library and Works/San José. Please support these spaces however you can. And we thank all our volunteers whose time and effort make this festival possible.