(Belfast, ME) The annual Belfast Poetry Festival marks its eighteenth year with a full plate of poetry, community, and artistic possibility. The festival takes place Thursday, October 12 – Sunday, October 15 at various venues throughout Belfast. An all-arts festival with poetry as the driving force, the event features live music, live readings, projected artwork, multimedia presentations, workshops, and fun, unconventional poetry activities throughout town. All events except workshops are free and open to the public.
This year’s event features a full slate of events including:
Thursday, October 12 from 6:30 – 8:00 pm at the Belfast Free Library a reading showcasing the Wheelbarrow Poets Group, Midcoast writers who gather weekly.
Saturday, October 14 from 10:00 to 11:00 am during the United Farmers Market, a pop-up open mic produced in collaboration with Senior College at Belfast and Waterfall Arts. Participants are encouraged to bring a poem to share.
Saturday, October 14 at 6:00 pm at Troy A. Howard Middle School, a collaborative showcase featuring poetry in conversation with visual and performing arts. Also included at this event will be readings of winning poems from the Maine Postmark Poetry Contest, judged by poet Kirun Kapur.
Saturday, October 14 from 1:00 to 2:30 pm at Waterfall Arts a free activity where kids, families, and those of all ages can make tiny poetry books for participants to write in and take home.
Sunday, October 15 from 12:00 noon to 2:00 pm at Marshall Wharf Brewing Company, the popular DRAFT series hosted by Toad Hall Editions returns, features an opportunity to try out first drafts of written work by reading them aloud in a fun, warm, welcoming atmosphere. This is an open reading, and participants are encouraged to bring poetry and short pieces (4-6 minutes per reader) to share.
For more information, including a schedule of all events including venues and times, please visit belfastpoetry.com.
Two Workshops part of the 2023 Belfast Poetry Festival
The 2023 Belfast Poetry Festival includes two workshops to be held at the Belfast Free Library.
Friday, October 13 from 4:00 to 6:00 pm, Samaa Abdurraqib & Jefferson Navicky present A Collective Grief Workshop: From Root To Seed.
Saturday, October 14 from 2:00 to 4:00 pm, sound artist id m theft able & Jefferson Navicky present How To Be A Human Radio.
Please note: Each workshop is $25 and preregistration is required. See the festival website for full details.
About the Belfast Poetry Festival
The Belfast Poetry Festival, one of the few community-based, non-academic poetry festivals in the country, is generously supported by The Maine Review, the Belfast Free Library, the City of Belfast, Waterfall Arts, Senior College at Belfast, the United Farmers Market of Maine, Toad Hall Editions, and the office of the Belfast Poet Laureate. For more information on this year’s events, the contest, or other programming, please contact Jacob at belfastpoetryfestival@gmail.com or visit belfastpoetry.com.
