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.

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.

patti smith

Friday, October 16, 2026 @ 7:30PM
Victoria Theater

def poetry reunion

Saturday, October 17, 2026 @ 5PM
Victoria Theater

is brooklyn in the house?

Saturday, October 17, 2026 @ 8PM
Prudential Hall

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.