In celebration of National Poetry Month, the City of St. Petersburg is rolling out the third annual City of Writers Poetry Festival, led by Poet Laureate Denzel Johnson-Green and an exciting lineup of community partners. Throughout April, the festival is bringing poetry to life with engaging conversations featuring nationally recognized poets, hands-on writing workshops, and mesmerizing poetry readings at various hotspots across the city.

This year’s festival is all about collaboration, uniting local organizations such as Eckerd College, St. Pete Youth Farm, The Dalí Museum, Black Crow Coffee, Tombolo Books, Lassing Park, and many more. The celebration shines a spotlight on both local and national literary talents, fostering a deep appreciation for the written and spoken word.

Experience the rich, poetic culture of St. Pete this April

Several events have already taken place, with nearly a dozen more still ahead throughout the rest of April. Poetry lovers can look forward to a variety of dynamic events throughout the month, including:

Doodads and Shim Shams: Show-n-Tell Style Poetry
Sunday, April 12 at 3 p.m.
Black Crow Coffee in Grand Central, 2157 1st Ave. S

Tombolo Books Presents “Speaking in Italics” with Gregg Shapiro, Rick Karlin and Tyler Gillespie
Thursday, April 16 at 7 p.m.
Tombolo Books, 2153 1st Ave. S

Speak Easy: Words That Breathe Poetry Show
Saturday, April 18 at 8 p.m.
Culture Creative, 2108 34th St. S

Mangrove Poems: a Weedon Island Poetry Walk
Sunday, April 19 at 9 a.m.
Weedon Island Parking Lot, 1800 Weedon Dr. NE

Book+Bottle Poetry Reading with poets Alexandra Morgan, Unspoken, and Jamaal Rocke
Wednesday, April 22 at 6 p.m.
Book+Bottle, 17 6th St. N.

Moonrise Poetry: Who Are We? Why Do We Create?
Thursday, April 23 from 7-9 p.m.
Lassing Park, 2042 Beach Dr. SE

Blackberry Poetry Jam
Friday, April 24 at 6 p.m.
Black Crow Coffee Old Northeast, 722 2nd St. N

Tombolo Books Presents the Launch Event for “Mending the Nets”, with Maureen McDole and Helen French
Friday, April 24 at 7 p.m.
Tombolo Books, 2153 1st Ave. S

Distant Worlds: Writing Poems to the Sounds of a Cello and a Lush Colorscape, with cellist Cori Lint
Sunday, April 26 from 3-5 p.m.
Museum of Fine Arts, 255 Beach Dr. NE

Don’t miss this chance to immerse yourself in St. Pete’s literary scene and celebrate the art of words in a city that truly values storytelling. Don’t forget to support our local bookstores, too.

For more details on events and locations, visit the official festival page.