St. Petersburg Celebrates Poetry Month with Fourth Annual City of Writers Poetry Festival

St. Petersburg Celebrates Poetry Month with Fourth Annual "City of Writers Poetry Festival

April 1, 2026 - In celebration of National Poetry Month this April, the City of St. Petersburg's new poet laureate, Denzel Johnson-Green, and several partners are presenting the fourth annual City of Writers Poetry Festival. All month, the festival will bring a wide range of events to the community, from thought-provoking discussions with acclaimed poets to hands-on writing workshops and inspiring live readings.

The City of Writers Poetry Festival includes partnerships with local organizations and businesses, including Black Crow Coffee, The Studio@620, Book+Bottle, Culture Creative, Tombolo Books, and many more.

"The City of Writers Poetry Festival is back, and St. Pete is ready to showcase all we have to offer," said St. Pete Poet Laureate Denzel Johnson-Green. "This festival is where our city's voices, businesses, and performers come together to remind residents and visitors what makes this place so special when it comes to the written word."

Events featuring local and national poets and authors include:

Keep St. Pete Lit Poetry Open Mic
Wednesday, April 1, 7-9 p.m.
The Studio@620
620 1st Ave. S

Poetry Sound Bath
Thursday, April 2, 6-8 p.m.
President Barack Obama Main Library
3745 9th Ave. N

Lost in a Library
Sunday, April 5, 3-5 p.m.
USF St. Petersburg, Nelson Poynter Memorial Library
140 7th Ave. S

Rainy Season: A Cozy Poetry Open Mic with Rain Sounds
Wednesday, April 8, 6-8 p.m.
Book + Bottle
17 6th St. N

Doodads and Shim Shams: Show-n-Tell Style Poetry
Sunday, April 12, 3-5 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, 7 p.m.
Tombolo Books
2153 1st Ave. S

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

Mangrove Poems: As Weedon Island Poetry Walk
Sunday, April 19, 9 a.m.
Weedon Island
1800 Weedon Dr. NE - at the parking lot

Book + Bottle Poetry Reading with Poets - Alexandra Morgan, Unspoken, and Jamaal Rocke
Wednesday, April 22, 6-8 p.m.
Book + Bottle
17 6th St. N

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

Blackberry Poetry Jam
Friday, April 24, 6-9 p.m.
Black Crow Coffee
722 2nd St. N

Tombolo Books Presents the Launch Event for "Mending the Nets" with Maureen McDole and Helen French
Friday, April 24, 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, 3-5 p.m.
Museum of Fine Arts
255 Beach Dr. NE

For more information and the full event list, visit stpete.org/cityofwriters. Events are free and open to the public unless stated otherwise. Some events require advance registration.