Within Words We Are One
Ekphrasis is when one form of art inspires another. There are three upcoming ekphrastic events in Solano County. Two in Fairfield and one in Benicia. Details are below. Questions should go to the poet laureate organizing each event. Request to join their mailing lists to …
The seeds of poetry are abloom in Solano County. If your New Year’s resolution is to share your poetic creations with a welcoming, diverse community of writers or just enjoy live spoken word, there are plenty of local opportunities just waiting for you. On a …
Below are the expected dates of regular shows, barring unforeseen circumstances and federal holidays, there are many opportunities to read your poetry and hear spoken word performers in Solano County, ranging from all ages to 21+ events. Always check official Facebook pages and websites closer to the date to confirm just in case of conflicts.
Current Vallejo Poets Laureate Jacalyn Eyvonne and Kathleen Herrmann are starting a new open mic series called Tea House Poetry, meeting on the second Sundays from 2 to 4 PM at 717 Marin in Vallejo beginning June 9th, 2024.
Poetry Speakeasy at Chris Club meets twice a month every other Monday at 656 Benicia Road, Vallejo at 7 PM. Due to the nature of the venue, participants must be 21 or older. Follow Chris Club on Facebook for announcements. The show is hosted by Remo Valentino.
Poetry by the Bay meets on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 51 Daniels Avenue, Vallejo at 7 PM. Visit poetrybythebay.com for details. Hosted by Keith Thompson. Vallejo’s longest running open mic, the show was founded by Kyrah Ayers who hosted from 2008 to 2018, and Jeremy Snyder hosted from 2018 to 2023, temporarily moving the show online during the pandemic. Verify dates and times on the Mira Theater Guild website.
Art Beat Poetry Hour on KZCT 89.5 FM meets on the 4th Thursdays at 1026 Georgia Street, Vallejo at 10:15 AM. Poets take turns reading their work live on the air. Airtime is 10:30 AM. Due to national holidays in November and December, shows in those months are scheduled on a different date, TBA closer to the time. Hosted by DJ LaLa and Tom Stanton.
Every Wednesday at the Townhouse, Rich Adams hosts an open mic from 8 to 11 PM. Primarily musicians, but poets are welcome. 401a Georgia Street. 21+
Poetry in Notion will return January 13th, 2024 from noon to 2 PM at the JFK Library in downtown Vallejo at 505 Santa Clara Street. Genea Brice formed this group at the library, hosting from 2015 to 2017, D.L. Lang hosted from 2017 through 2019, and Jeremy Snyder hosted a few meetings before the pandemic disrupted the schedule. Kathleen Herrmann and Jacalyn Eyvonne, the new Vallejo Poets Laureate, will host the poetry circle. It meets in the Program Room on the 2nd Saturday of the month. Verify dates and locations on the Solano Library website.
Poetry in Notion was cancelled due to low attendance.
Hosted by Benicia’s Poet Laureate, the Benicia First Tuesday Poets meet on the first Tuesday of the month at 150 East L Street, Benicia. Come for snacks and schmoozing at 6:15. Show starts at 6:30 PM. Benicia’s current poet laureate is Kathy Monroe. Visit Library website for more information.
Visit the website of Poet Laureate, Suzanne Bruce for regular ekphrastic events and occasional poetry open mics in Fairfield.
In an historic first Vallejo, California will appoint two poets to serve the community side by side as co-poets laureate, Jacalyn Eyvonne and Kathleen Herrmann. Their term will begin January 1st, 2024, and they will be proclaimed at city hall at a later date.
In celebration of November’s Vallejo Art Walk and annual Vallejo Open Studios, Jean Cherie invites poets to write an ekphrastic poem to her life-size sculpture Edna & The Turtle Dove. This visual and poetic art collaboration will be held at the Temple Art Lofts Gallery in downtown Vallejo, California. Poets are …
Address: 51 Daniels Avenue, Vallejo, CA
Website: http://www.poetrybythebay.com
Host: Keith Thompson
Vallejo’s longest running poetry open mic!
Poetry by the Bay meets at 51 Daniels street on the 4th Wednesday of the month at 7 PM.
Open mic format. 4 minutes per poet. Multiple rounds depending on how many folks show up.
List does not close, so you can sign up at any time during the show. However, the venue closes at 9:30 PM, so arrive early and sign up to ensure you get on stage.
Park behind the building in the chain linked fence area and use the accessible entrance in the back.
Event is all ages, so all are welcome, but it is uncensored, so expect to hear colorful language and subject matter.
Event is free, but donations are accepted to support the venue and PBTB’s rental of the space.
Host: DJ LaLa
Address: 1026 Georgia Street, Vallejo, California
Arrive by 10:15 if you intend to read. Otherwise just tune in to KZCT 89.5 FM
Host: Remo – https://instagram.com/remo.valentino
Address: 656 Benicia Road, Vallejo, California
Event is 21+ since the venue is a bar and serves alcohol.
Applications are now closed. A new poet laureate will be chosen and announced in the coming weeks. Stay tuned. Thank you to all that applied. The application for Vallejo Poet Laureate was due November 15th. Follow in the footsteps of Vallejo Poet Laureate – Genea …
February 27, 2020 was the last time Poetry by the Bay met in person. It returns at 7 PM on March 22nd and every 4th Wednesday thereafter at 51 Daniels Street. Whether you can attend or not please help spread the word by posting this …
For over a decade Poetry by the Bay has provided The City of Vallejo with a FREE Spoken Word Open Mic show where thousands of poets have come and shared their work. We want to continue to be able to do this for the decades to come, but to do so we need your help.
Everything has a cost, even setting up a non-profit (which just sounds weird to me). If you find it in your heart and budget to donate, these funds will be used to establish Poetry By The Bay as a non-profit entity allowing us to have more opportunities for us to return to an in person show and to help the show last for decades to come.
To donate, please click below and submit your pledge in support for the Vallejo arts community.
Please donate here: https://www.paypal.com/pools/c/8Mw33TPLyR
Thank you again for your support, time and patience with us as we’ve gone through our many transitions. We look forward to hearing what you’ve been writing sooner than later.
Sincerely,
Kyrah A. Ayers
Founder of Poetry By The Bay
Read the full message from founder Kyrah Ayers
Follow PBTB on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/PoetryByTheBay
Poetry by the Bay would like to evolve into a 501c3 organization, and its founder, Kyrah Ayers is currently doing a fundraiser in order to come up with the fees for that process. Poetry by the Bay was the first poetry-centric open mic I attended, and it quickly became my poetic home due to its welcoming atmosphere, commitment to inclusivity and anti-censorship. Without that I might never have gained the experience necessary to be a poet laureate. If you have anything to spare to help grow the poetry community in Vallejo, please consider giving a donation in the linked fundraiser. If you cannot give, please share to your networks.
D.L. Lang
Vallejo Poet Laureate emerita
SAY GOODBYE TO WRITER’S BLOCK AND HELLO TO THE DEEP VOICE WITH “METHOD WRITING” Beginning on Saturday morning, March 26, Vallejo writer Charles Kruger (columnist for The Rumpus and LitSeen, theatre and book reviewer, and published poet) will be debuting an online class in “Jack …