The 34th Annual Southern Fried Poetry Slam Festival took over downtown Orlando last month. Hundreds of poets from all over the country assembled in front of microphones, in front of enthusiastic crowds, and competed head-to-head in a literary battle.

This is not your typical poetry reading. There is no quiet contemplation or welcoming snaps at the end of each poem. Rather, when the poet or poetry team steps up to the plate, so to speak, the audience sends up words of encouragement. “Set your stage” or “take your time” can be heard from the crowd as the poets take a deep breath, summon their courage, and speak their minds.

These poems are deeply personal, taking on fiery topics from personal struggles to politics. The intensity rises over each performance, voices finding power to prove their points. And when a point lands, or a bit of wordplay is particularly notable, the audience will let you know — applause, whoops, entire ovations — as the poets reach a fever pitch and conclude, usually with decisive passion.

Bouts took place at CityArts and other downtown venues. (NICK GEORGOUDIOU)

“It’s poetry that’s like thrown at you.” That’s how Shawn Welcome describes it. Welcome was the poet laureate for the city of Orlando from 2021 to 2025 and served the poetry festival this year as the host city ambassador. Himself a slam poet, Welcome had been hoping for Orlando to host Southern Fried for years. 

“I’m super, super happy and proud that we were able to pull it off here in Central Florida,” Welcome said.

Literary Arts Council of Central Florida Alex Gurtis (left) and Shawn Welcome hosted a media preview of the slam in early June. (NICK GEORGOUDIOU)

From June 9 to 13, poets gathered for what is called “bouts.” Teams sent up groups or individuals for round after round of performances; independent poets would break up the rounds, with the same feverish celebration from the crowd.

“These poems,” Welcome said, “are designed and delivered to be extremely persuasive in nature.”

Indeed, they were.

The judges scattered throughout informed the poets how much, with five scores popping up after each poem. Judges scored out of 10 and held up their assessment on white boards. When the scores were read aloud, the lowest number always elicited boos from the crowd, a show of unwavering support from the fellow poets seated throughout the room.

Volunteer judges scored each performance. (NICK GEORGOUDIOU)

There was a bravery to the subject matter. Raw, intimate feelings and heavy thoughts in front of strangers.

“When it comes to pulling from a deep place in poetry, I think that there’s just a natural consequence that you would rub up against deeper feelings.” Welcome said that’s just human nature. “Poetry is one way to process the things that we are going through or the things we have opinions on.” 

There was plenty of commonality present. Even the most singular feelings were met with nods, snaps or even the occasional “Yes!” from the room. Strangers no more.

Welcome hopes this is just the beginning for an increased interest in the literary arts. He is the co-founder and president of Literary Arts Council of Central Florida, and he hopes that literary events like the poetry festival can spark folks in Orlando to find new ways to use their words. He said, “We want to position Orlando and the surrounding area as the literary arts capital of the South.”

This festival has set the stage.