5th Annual St. Augustine PoetFest

Overview

Poets and poetry lovers will gather for the 5th annual St. Augustine PoetFest on April 9-11. The festival, a National Poetry Month celebration of creative writing and reciting, is presented by St. Johns Cultural Council, Flagler College, and Ancient City Poets. www.ancientcitypoets.org/st-augustine-poetfest

2026 Schedule of Events

Thursday, April 9, 2026 | 6–9 p.m.
The Waterworks, 184 San Marco Ave., St. Augustine
Kick off the festival with a Beat Poet Summit featuring 10-minute readings by past and present Beat Poet Laureates, followed by a community open mic. Open mic sign-up begins at 6 p.m. (first 10 participants; five-minute limit).

Free and open to the public. Doors 6 p.m. | Show starts 6:30 p.m.

Friday, April 10, 2026 | 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Flagler College, Ringhaver Student Center, 50 Sevilla St.
Continue the festival with registration and a Book Bazaar (10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.), a Blackout Poetry Workshop (11 a.m.-1 p.m.), and a full day of readings in the Virginia Room, including the Florida Poet Showcase (11 a.m.-12:50 p.m.), featured Florida and traveling poets, “Poetry in Their Voices: Menorcans in St. Augustine” with Dr. Ann Browning Masters (2:30-3:20 p.m.), and the keynote presentation by Ray McNiece (4-4:50 p.m.).

Evening Open Mic | 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Relampago Coffee Lab, 74 Spanish St. (Sign-up at 6 p.m.)

Saturday, April 11, 2026 | 9 a.m.–5 p.m.
Flagler College, Ringhaver Student Center, 50 Sevilla St.
Conclude the festival with a full day of student showcases, a Book Bazaar and registration (10 a.m.-2:30 p.m.), author talks, monologues, a staged play reading, featured and traveling poets, and the Creation Ignition Station mini-chapbook workshop (11 a.m.-3 p.m.).

Highlights in the Virginia Room include “Monologues at the Mic” (10-10:50 a.m.), a live staged reading of The Trojan War, The Monster and Me (11-11:50 a.m.), featured Flagler student poets (12–12:50 p.m.), book features with Lola Haskins (1-1:20 p.m.) and Lenny DellaRocca (1:30-1:50 p.m.), traveling poets Cynthia Atkins (2–2:20 p.m.) and Kevin Pilkington (2:30-2:50 p.m.), and closing presentations by Norma Sherry and Ann Browning Masters (3-4:30 p.m.).

The festival concludes with the St. Johns Cultural Council’s 6th Annual Haiku Contest awards (3:30-4:30 p.m.), followed by a celebratory reception on the Tinlin Landing.