DodgePoetryFestival
Spoken word in every form is celebrated at the Dodge Poetry Festival on October 15-17, 2026 in Downtown Newark.
Meet your favorite poets including Elizabeth Acevedo, Tyehimba Jess, Marc Bamuthi Joseph, Aja Monet, Danez Smith, Jive Poetic, Mayde del Valle, José Olivarez and more. Discover new voices, speak your mind, call for change and mix rhyme with rhythm.
Events include:
- 7 simultaneous stages of events in a walkable village in downtown Newark
- Network and socialize at Thursday night’s mixer and open mic hosted by EvoluCulture
- Fine-tune your craft on Thursday, a day for writers created in partnership with the Academy of American Poets
- Pop-up bookstore and book signings curated and hosted by Source of Knowledge
- Special readings by Cave Canem, CantoMundo, Lampblack and Kundiman and New Jeru Slam Team
- And Saturday free outdoor Family Fun Day on Chambers Plaza
Full schedule coming soon.
Festival passes DO NOT include special ticketed events which must be purchased separately: Patti Smith, Is Brooklyn in the House? and Def Poetry Reunion.
Adrian Matejka
Afaa M. Weaver
Aja Monet
Akiba Ismail
Akil Khalfani
Alyesha Wise-Hernandez
Amanda Johnston
Ana Portnoy Brimmer
Anthony Cody
Antoinette Ellis-Williams
Anyrah Shavéh
Arthur Sze
Barbara Fant
Bonafide Rojas
Brent Ameneyro
Cara Hagan
Carl Hancock Rux
Carol Moldaw
Chanda Prescod-Weinstein
Chris “Flowmentalz” Cook
Cindy Juyoung Ok
Claudia Cortese
Cornelius Eady
Craig Bradley
D.Cross (Derrick Cross)
Danez Smith
Dena Igusti
Diamond Forde
Dr. Grisel Y. Acosta
E. Ethelbert Miller
Ebony Stewart
Ed Roberson
Edward Vidaurre
Elizabeth Acevedo
Evie Shockley
Fatimah Asghar
Frank X Walker
Gabriel Ramirez
Glenis Redmond
Hugo dos Santos
I. Buenaventura
Ilya Kaminsky
Jay Aja
Jeff Dess
Jericho Brown
Jessica Care Moore
Jessica Jacobs
Jive Poetic
John Wojtowicz
Jose Gonzalez
José Olivarez
Julian Randall
Kimiko Hahn
KP ULTRA
Kraal “Kayo” Charles
LadiiAmethyst
Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha
Leah Umansky
Len Lawson
Leslie McIntosh
Liza Jessie Peterson
M.P. Carver
Malcolm Friend
Marc Bamuthi Joseph
María Fernanda Chamorro
Marina Carreira
Martha Mooke
Matthew Marroquín
Mayda del Valle
Mckendy Fils-Aimé
Meg Day
Melida Rodas
Michael Wiegers
Naomi Shihab Nye
Natalie Diaz
Nick Martino
Nicola Alexander-Bohrer
Noah Arhm Choi
Noel Quiñones
Patricia Smith
Patti Smith
paulA neves
Peter E. Murphy
Quenton Baker
R. A. Villanueva
Rajiv Mohabir
Rashida Nakia
Rev. Bowie Snodgrass
Rickey Laurentiis
Robert Hylton
Roberto Carlos Garcia
Sanam Sheriff
Sarah Browning
Sarah N. Mess
Stephanie Burt
Tehsuan Glover
Terrance Hayes
Theta Pavis
Tiriq Rashad
Toma Zbrizher
Tongo Eisen-Martin
Tyehimba Jess
Vanessa Chica
walela Nehanda
Free Events
These events are open to the public and do not require a ticket/festival pass purchase.
evening Open Mic/Mixer
Thursday, October 15, 2026
NICO Kitchen + Bar
young artist day
Friday, October 16, 2026 @ 9AM
NJPAC
family fun day
Saturday, October 17, 2026 @ 11AM
Chambers Plaza
ADD-ONs
The shows listed below are NOT included in any of the festival passes. These performances require a separate ticket purchase.
ASL Interpretation is available by request for certain performances with two weeks’ or more advance notice (only provided in Prudential Hall and Victoria Theater). Call 973-297-5843 Mon – Fri 9AM – 5PM, or email ticketservices@njpac.org