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.

Eventos gratuitos

Estos eventos están abiertos al público y no requieren la compra de un boleto o pase de festival

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

Los espectáculos enumerados a continuación NO están incluidos en ninguno de los pases del festival. Estas presentaciones requieren de la compra de boletos por separado.

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

La interpretación ASL está disponible a pedido para ciertas presentaciones con dos semanas o más de anticipación (solo se proporciona en Prudential Hall y Victoria Theater). Llame al 973-297-5843 de lunes a viernes de 9 a. m. a 5 p. m., o envíe un correo electrónico a ticketservices@njpac.org.