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X-WR-CALNAME:Kalamazoo Poetry Festival
X-ORIGINAL-URL:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com
X-WR-CALDESC:Events for Kalamazoo Poetry Festival
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260409T183000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260409T203000
DTSTAMP:20260409T011208
CREATED:20260113T184513Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260316T022453Z
UID:3120-1775759400-1775766600@kalamazoopoetryfestival.com
SUMMARY:Celebration of Community Poets
DESCRIPTION:The Kalamazoo Poetry Festival Celebration of Community Poets is back for 2026! We are excited to welcome the public to this FREE event.\nDoors open at 6pm\, and show starts promptly at 6:30pm.\nCome hear local poets and musicians perform their own work at The Crawlspace Theatre\, located inside the KNAC in downtown Kalamazoo.\nThere will be light refreshments and a DJ for some socializing afterward. Please come out and support local art! Bring a friend or ten\, and make an evening of it.\nHope to see you there! \nClick the event website link below to be directed to our Facebook event. OR RSVP using this link- https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1985237502812?aff=oddtdtcreator
URL:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/event/celebration-of-community-poets/
LOCATION:Crawlspace Theatre\, 315 W Michigan Ave\, Kalamazoo\, MI\, 49007-5007\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/Copy-of-Your-paragraph-text-16.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260410T190000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260410T210000
DTSTAMP:20260409T011208
CREATED:20260210T133138Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260210T133353Z
UID:3176-1775847600-1775854800@kalamazoopoetryfestival.com
SUMMARY:Your Turn Open Mic
DESCRIPTION:Emcee Dane joins us again for the Your Turn Open Mic at Fire on Portage Road. We are splitting the open mic up into two weeks this year\, because of how popular it was last year! Sign up will be in person at the event\, and we welcome all poetry\, acoustic music\, micro fiction\, and fiction excerpts. Each performer will have five minutes on the mic. \nThere will be refreshments\, and good company. Come on out and show Kalamazoo your creativity! \nDoors and sign up open: 6:30pm \nShow starts:7pm
URL:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/event/your-turn-open-mic/
LOCATION:Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative\, 1249 Portage Street\, Kalamazoo\, MI\, 49001\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/02/FINALE-READING-1.jpg
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BEGIN:VEVENT
DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260411T100000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260411T113000
DTSTAMP:20260409T011208
CREATED:20260321T045146Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260321T045343Z
UID:3230-1775901600-1775907000@kalamazoopoetryfestival.com
SUMMARY:Let the World Suggest the Poem with Alen Hamza
DESCRIPTION:REGISTRATION REQUIRED- LINK BELOW \nLet the World Suggest the Poem: Use everyday language and surroundings as inspiration to spark poems through curiosity\, play\, and openness. \n\n\n\n\nLet the World Suggest the Poem \nWhen writing poems\, we often begin by engaging with the most intimate parts of ourselves. We rummage through the contents of our lives and minds\, waiting for a spark of inspiration to break the blankness of the page. But what if we trust someone/something else to set the stage for our poem? In this workshop\, we will experiment with the writing process by letting our surroundings and the words of others be the entry points to our work. In a spirit of receptivity\, curiosity\, and playfulness\, we will engage with the forms of language that we encounter in the everyday and build a bridge between the external and the internal\, inviting others to guide us to ourselves.
URL:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/event/let-the-world-suggest-the-poem-with-alen-hamza/
LOCATION:KNAC\, 315 W Michigan Ave\, Kalamazoo\, MI\, 49007-5007\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/AlenWorkshop-scaled.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260411T113000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260411T130000
DTSTAMP:20260409T011208
CREATED:20260321T045002Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260325T033525Z
UID:3227-1775907000-1775912400@kalamazoopoetryfestival.com
SUMMARY:The Fire This Time with jessica Care moore
DESCRIPTION:REGISTRATION REQUIRED- LINK BELOW \njessica Care moore explores poems and inspires participants to use art for social change. Poetry is resistance art. \n\n\n\nThe Fire This Time \njessica Care moore explores poems and \ninspires participants to use art for social \nchange. Poetry is resistance art. Come \nwith your pen ready & heart & mind open. \n 
URL:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/event/the-fire-this-time-with-jessica-care-moore/
LOCATION:KNAC\, 315 W Michigan Ave\, Kalamazoo\, MI\, 49007-5007\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Copy-of-Untitled-Design-1.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260411T120000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260411T140000
DTSTAMP:20260409T011208
CREATED:20260321T033910Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260321T033910Z
UID:3223-1775908800-1775916000@kalamazoopoetryfestival.com
SUMMARY:Creative Workshop Rhythm and Words at Fire
DESCRIPTION:Facilitators EgypTrinity and Quincy Ellis lead a creative workshop. \nWhere poetry meets sound. Where voice meets beat. Where you meet your next level. Join us for an immersive workshop blending spoken word\, rhythm\, and creative expression_ whether you write\, perform or are just getting started\, this space is for YOU!
URL:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/event/creative-workshop-rhythm-and-words-at-fire/
LOCATION:Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative\, 1249 Portage Street\, Kalamazoo\, MI\, 49001\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/9FC66B13-4C77-4262-B8DF-A596E1202D04.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260411T153000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260411T163000
DTSTAMP:20260409T011208
CREATED:20260325T032839Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260325T033303Z
UID:3240-1775921400-1775925000@kalamazoopoetryfestival.com
SUMMARY:Craft Talk 2026
DESCRIPTION:Join KPF for the 2026 Craft Talk between jessica Care moore and Alen Hamza\, moderated by Dane Hudson. Stay for a short coffee break\, before the Finale Poetry Reading at 5pm. \nThis event takes place upstairs at the Epic Center\, in the Cori Terry Theatre. \njessica Care moore: \njessica Care moore is an award-winning poet\, recording artist\, book publisher\, activist\, cultural arts curator\, and filmmaker who has become one of the leading voices of her generation; she is Detroit’s Poet Laureate (appointed in 2024)\, the Executive Producer and Founder of the 20-year-old rock & roll concert and empowerment weekend Daughters of Betty – Powered by Black WOMEN Rock!\, founder of The Moore Art House 501(c)(3)\, and the founder of Moore Black Press\, which has published poets including Saul Williams\, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka\, asha bandele\, and Danny Simmons; she has recorded her poetry with Hip Hop legends like Common\, Nas\, Jeezy\, Talib Kweli\, Karriem Riggins\, Jeff Mills\, The Last Poets\, Jose James\, and Roy Ayers\, is the author of *The Words Don’t Fit in My Mouth*\, *The Alphabet Verses The Ghetto*\, *God is Not an American*\, *Sunlight Through Bullet Holes* and *We Want Our Bodies Back*\, and her poetry and voice are featured on the 4th floor of the Smithsonian’s New National Museum of African American History. \nAlen Hamza: \nAlen Hamza immigrated to the United States from Bosnia-Herzegovina as a refugee at the age of fifteen. He is the author of Twice There Was a Country\, chosen by Brenda Hillman as the winner of the CSU Poetry Center First Book Award. His poems have appeared widely in literary journals\, including AGNI\, The Southern Review\, Waxwing\, Fence\, and The Missouri Review. He has an MFA from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin and a PhD in Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Utah. He has received fellowships from the Michener Center for Writers\, the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown\, and the University of Utah. Hamza lives in Kalamazoo\, where he is an assistant professor of English and Creative Writing at Western Michigan University. \n  \nAbout Dane:\nHealing\, accountability\, and belonging are at the heart of everything I do. As a non-binary\, Black masc-identified creative and community organizer born and raised in Detroit\, I’ve spent over 15 years helping organizations and individuals navigate the hard work of transformation. My experience spans nonprofit and for-profit spaces\, where I specialize in facilitating training\, developing curriculum\, and shifting organizational cultures to center inclusion and belonging. A graduate of Western Michigan University with a degree in Organizational Communication\, my work emphasizes the importance of intentionality\, equity\, and sustainable change. \nAs a writer\, poet\, and spoken word artist\, I use storytelling and creativity to build connection and inspire action. I’ve taught poetry workshops in alternative learning settings\, juvenile homes\, and after-school programs\, and I’ve curated spaces for open expression through hosting open mic events. Grounded in my lived experiences—including overcoming homelessness and mental health challenges—I approach every aspect of my work with empathy\, authenticity\, and a commitment to collective healing.
URL:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/event/craft-talk-2026/
LOCATION:Epic Center\, 359 S Kalamazoo Mall\, Kalamazoo\, MI\, 49007\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Copy-of-Untitled-Design-3.jpg
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DTSTART;TZID=America/Detroit:20260411T170000
DTEND;TZID=America/Detroit:20260411T190000
DTSTAMP:20260409T011208
CREATED:20260123T213314Z
LAST-MODIFIED:20260123T213314Z
UID:3153-1775926800-1775934000@kalamazoopoetryfestival.com
SUMMARY:Finale Poetry Reading and Reception
DESCRIPTION:RSVP IS NOT REQUIRED BUT IT IS APPRECIATED! RSVP HERE: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/finale-reception-kalamazoo-poetry-festival-tickets-1981453153722?utm-campaign=social&utm-content=attendeeshare&utm-medium=discovery&utm-term=listing&utm-source=cp&aff=ebdsshcopyurl\n\nYOU CAN ALSO FIND THE FACEBOOK EVENT HERE: https://www.facebook.com/share/17sdo9JWH2/\n\n\nHelp the Kalamazoo Poetry Festival welcome our 2026 featured poets jessica Care moore and Alen Hamza. This year\, we will be hosted by the wonderful folks at the Wellspring Dance Company\, in their Cori Terry Theatre. The theatre will house our Finale Reading\, and then we will head downstairs to the Black Arts and Cultural Center for the catered reception. \nThe Finale poetry reading will be ASL interpreted\, please spread the word! \nParking information has been made available in the information section of this event. Please read it carefully\, yes\, it is possible to park downtown! The Epic Center is conveniently located near two parking structures\, and there is street parking available. \nYou can read more about our poets below. \njessica Care moore: \njessica Care moore is an award-winning poet\, recording artist\, book publisher\, activist\, cultural arts curator\, and filmmaker who has become one of the leading voices of her generation; she is Detroit’s Poet Laureate (appointed in 2024)\, the Executive Producer and Founder of the 20-year-old rock & roll concert and empowerment weekend Daughters of Betty – Powered by Black WOMEN Rock!\, founder of The Moore Art House 501(c)(3)\, and the founder of Moore Black Press\, which has published poets including Saul Williams\, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka\, asha bandele\, and Danny Simmons; she has recorded her poetry with Hip Hop legends like Common\, Nas\, Jeezy\, Talib Kweli\, Karriem Riggins\, Jeff Mills\, The Last Poets\, Jose James\, and Roy Ayers\, is the author of *The Words Don’t Fit in My Mouth*\, *The Alphabet Verses The Ghetto*\, *God is Not an American*\, *Sunlight Through Bullet Holes* and *We Want Our Bodies Back*\, and her poetry and voice are featured on the 4th floor of the Smithsonian’s New National Museum of African American History. \nAlen Hamza: \nAlen Hamza immigrated to the United States from Bosnia-Herzegovina as a refugee at the age of fifteen. He is the author of Twice There Was a Country\, chosen by Brenda Hillman as the winner of the CSU Poetry Center First Book Award. His poems have appeared widely in literary journals\, including AGNI\, The Southern Review\, Waxwing\, Fence\, and The Missouri Review. He has an MFA from the Michener Center for Writers at the University of Texas at Austin and a PhD in Literature and Creative Writing from the University of Utah. He has received fellowships from the Michener Center for Writers\, the Fine Arts Work Center in Provincetown\, and the University of Utah. Hamza lives in Kalamazoo\, where he is an assistant professor of English and Creative Writing at Western Michigan University.
URL:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/event/finale-poetry-reading-and-reception/
LOCATION:Epic Center\, 359 S Kalamazoo Mall\, Kalamazoo\, MI\, 49007\, United States
ATTACH;FMTTYPE=image/jpeg:https://kalamazoopoetryfestival.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/01/IMG_0978-1.jpg
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