Battle of the Bay Slam | Youth Speaks & Berkeley Slam

Youth Speaks and Berkeley Slam Present: The Battle of the Bay Slam Invitational, a head to head slam poetry competiton featuring Youth and Adult teams from the greater Bay Area. Come support the slam community of all ages and see the best of the best compete for a cash prize at the longest running poetry slam on the west coast!

Presale: $15 Adults | $10 Youth

At the Door: $15 Adults | $15 Youth

HOW DO I COMPETE?

Are you a Bay Area teen with a slam team of your own (at least 4 total members)? Fill out this form to register your team for the slam!

Bring your best poems to the Slam to compete for a cash prize and generational bragging rights!

HOW DO I GET TICKETS?

If you’re interested in cheering from the audience, register for tickets to the Slam using this Eventbrite page or show up day of and buy tickets at the door.

WHAT IS A POETRY SLAM?

Poetry Slams are an Olympic-style competition where poets have 3 minutes to rock the stage, mic, and audience, with 5 judges scoring each round.

HOW DO THE ROUNDS WORK?

The Battle of the Bay Slam consists of 4 rounds to accommodate 4 poems from each competing team — these poems can be indie or group poems but each team must provide at least 2 group poems to qualify as a team for the slam. The top scoring teams will all receive a cash prize.

COVID Protocol

As we continue to explore new opportunities to gather & build community within an ever-changing world, we will continue to practice harm reduction & remain accountable to your safety.

In the interest of maintaining a safe and accountable environment for all participants, masks are recommended at our events! If you have tested positive for COVID or been in close contact with someone with confirmed COVID, please do not attend this event until you are able to produce a negative COVID test 5 days after your most recent exposure.

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

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Host or Publisher Youth Speaks