Word Fest week is here! We have a week’s worth of poetry and spoken word events lined up for the 13th edition of our annual festival of words and ideas. Plus, there are more open mics and reading taking place all over the area.
Here’s the full schedule of what is going on the our community this coming week…
Sunday, April 13
2:00pm – Poetry + Prose
The Arts Center of the Capital Region, 265 River Street, Troy, NY
A monthly open mic for writers of poetry and prose on the 2nd Sunday of each month with your hosts Nancy Klepsch and Dan Wilcox.
7:00 PM – 2014 Albany Word Fest – Kickoff & Up The River Launch Party
McGeary’s, 4 Clinton Square, Albany
Join Albany Poets as we kickoff Word Fest week with a cocktail party and a special reading with contributors of Up The River, Albany Poets new literary journal at McGeary’s, home of Poets Speak Loud.
Monday, April 14
8:00pm – Club Harmony
Wok ‘N Roll Cafe, 52 Mill Hill Road, Woodstock, NY
Weekly poetry open mic with a featured reader hosted by Michael Platsky.
Tuesday, April 15
7:00pm – Club Helsinki Open Mic
Club Helsinki, 405 Columbia Street, Hudson, NY
A weekly open mic for music, performance, and poetry on the incredible Club Helsinki stage.
7:00 PM – 2014 Albany Word Fest – Nitty Gritty Slam
The Low Beat, 335 Central Ave., Albany, NY
Albany’s poetry slam continues with the return of the Haiku Battle with featured poet DDE The Slammer! Admission to NGS is $5.00 / $3.00 with student ID. (18 + / 21 to drink)
7:00pm – Colonie Tuesday Night Live Poets’ Corner
William K. Sanford Town Library, 629 Albany Shaker Road, Loudonville, NY
ocal poets and writers of all ages are invited to present six to ten minutes of their original work at this open reading forum. The public is encouraged to stop in and listen. Hosted by William Robert Foltin.
7:00pm – Emack and Bolio’s Open Mic Night
Emack & Bolio’s, Delaware Ave., Albany, NY
A weekly open mic for music and poetry
8:00pm – Northampton Poetry Open Mic
Hinge, 48 Main St., Northampton, MA
Northampton’s only weekly open mic poetry night offers some of the best, most creative voices in the county. Every Tuesday night at 8:00pm. Come down and listen. Come down and share your words. Academic or slam, spoken word or political: Your words are welcome.
Wednesday, April 16
7:00 PM – 2014 Albany Word Fest – Poetry, Music, Spoken Word Showcase
Pauly’s Hotel, 337 Central Ave., Albany, NY
An evening of the finest local and regional poetry, music, and spoken word at Pauly’s Hotel featuring Nick Bisanz & Pat Irish, Dan Landa, and Metroland’s Best Poets.
Thursday, March 13
7:00pm – Rockhill Bakehouse Open Mic
Rockhill Bakehouse Cafe, 19 Exchange Street, Glens Falls, NY
Weekly open mic for musicians and writers.
7:00pm – Poetry Slam at Parlor Cafe
The Parlor Cafe, 303 Ashland Street, North Adams, MA
Monthly poetry slam in the Berkshires with cash prizes.
7:00 PM – 2014 Albany Word Fest – Third Thursday Poetry Night
Social Justice Center, 33 Central Ave., Albany, NY
Dan Wilcox hosts this open mic for poetry and spoken word featuring poets from The College of Saint Rose.
8:00pm – Starving Artist Thursdays
Hudson River Coffee House, 227 Quail Street, Albany, NY
A weekly open Mic for music, poetry, and spoken word at one of Albany’s best new coffee shops.
Friday, March 14
7:00 PM – 2014 Albany Word Fest – Open Mic
UAG Gallery, 247 Lark Street, Albany, NY
The annual Word Fest Open Mic hosted by Albany Poets returns home to the UAG Gallery on Lark St. This event will take place from 7 PM – 12:00 AM with sessions for groups and featured poets from Woodstock to Saratoga and everywhere in between. So far over 50 poets have signed up including Nancy Klepsch, Alan Catlin, Charles Straney, Da God Ezekiel, Alan Casline, Shaun Baxter, Howard Kogan, Don Levy, Carol H. Jewell, Joe Krausman, Marina Mati, Cecele Kraus, Cheryl A. Rice, Tim Verhaegen, L-Majesty, Glenn Werner, Karin Maag-Tanchak, Mike Jurkovic, Tess Lecuyer, Adam Tedesco, R.M. Engelhardt, Carolee Bennett,Matt Galletta, Bob Sharkey, Jill Crammond, Steven Minchin, Shannon Shoemaker, Casey Fisk, and Brian Dorn. Online signup continues through Monday, April 14
8:00pm – Hudson Valley Writers’ Center
Hudson Valley Writers’ Center, 300 Riverside Drive, Sleepy Hollow, NY
Featured Poets + open mike for poets, fiction writers, essayists with rotating hosts. Located in the restored Philipse Manor railroad station, which is approx. 30 miles north of midtown Manhattan and 2.6 miles north of the Tappan Zee Bridge.
8:00pm – The Parlor Cafe Open Mic
The Parlor Cafe, 303 Ashland Street, North Adams, MA
A weekly open mic each and every Friday at the Parlor Cafe in North Adams for poets, musicians, and artists. Signup at the bar and get ready for the show, starting at 8:00pm.
Saturday, April 19
7:00 PM – 2014 Albany Word Fest – Word Fest Invitational Slam
The Linda – WAMC’s Performing Arts Studio, 339 Central Ave., Albany, NY
Poetry slam teams from Albany, Suffern, Jersey City, Buffalo, Rochester, and Syracuse are coming together to close out the Word Fest and compete for prizes and bragging rights as we get closer to the National Poetry Slam in August. Tickets are just $10.00 and available now at thelinda.org.
7:00pm – Mudd Poets Poetry Series
Mudd Puddle Cafe, 10 Main Street, New Paltz, NY
Monthly poetry open mic series with a featured reader hosted by Robert Milby.
For a full listing of all of the poetry and spoken word events in upstate New York, head over to the events calendar page. And if you live in the Western Massachusetts / Connecticut area, be sure to check out Lori Desrosiers‘ Poetry News Calendar.
If you would like to have your poetry event listed on AlbanyPoets.com, send an email to albanypoets+events@gmail.com with the date and details.
