San José Poetry Slam – 2026 San José Poetry Festival Edition feat Reggie Edmonds-Vasquez
Advertisement
The 12th Annual San José Poetry Festival opens with bang—some spoken word competition and a headlining set from legendary performance poet Reggie Edmonds-Vasquez!
Admission: $5–10 sliding scale, tickets available via ticket tailor https://www.tickettailor.com/events/pcsj/2323736 and in person. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Come join us for poetry and some of the most delicious pizza in San José at our new venue in Willow Glen
Wheelhouse of Willow Glen
1173 Lincoln Avenue
San Jose, CA 95125
Sunday, August 16, 2026
Doors open and the sign up list goes out at 6:30pm. List will close at 7
Hosted by Scorpiana Xlent.
Poetry Slam Competition Info
Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
If you have never been to a Poetry Slam before, a poetry slam is a competition, imagine spoken word poetry as an olympic sport. The rules are simple:
1.) Poets must use their own poems.
2.) poet must use only one poem per round.
3.) no musical accompaniment.
4.) no props.
5.) there is a time limit of 3 minutes and 10 seconds. going over that will result in a time penalty.
This is a two-round slam, poets with the highest scores will move up to round two.
If you're not competing, we could use judges.''
Our Featured Poet
Reggie Edmonds-Vásquez (they/them) is a poet, educator, and cultural curator from Richmond, CA. Their work explores Black, queer, and gender-diverse identities and has earned recognition from Nomadic Press, Afro Urban Society, and the Museum of the African Diaspora. A two-time Berkeley Grand Champion and national finalist, they direct programming at Rich Oak Events.
Find them on IG: @reggiepoetry
Please remember to submit a quick audience survey to help us improve our logistics and content and report to our funders and sponsors. Here is the link to the survey: Link to come
Follow Poetry Center San José on Facebook and Instagram for announcements about other amazing South Bay poetry events happening throughout the rest of the year. Help support Poetry Center San José by becoming a member.
Admission: $5–10 sliding scale, tickets available via ticket tailor https://www.tickettailor.com/events/pcsj/2323736 and in person. No one turned away for lack of funds.
Come join us for poetry and some of the most delicious pizza in San José at our new venue in Willow Glen
Wheelhouse of Willow Glen
1173 Lincoln Avenue
San Jose, CA 95125
Sunday, August 16, 2026
Doors open and the sign up list goes out at 6:30pm. List will close at 7
Hosted by Scorpiana Xlent.
Poetry Slam Competition Info
Cash prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place.
If you have never been to a Poetry Slam before, a poetry slam is a competition, imagine spoken word poetry as an olympic sport. The rules are simple:
1.) Poets must use their own poems.
2.) poet must use only one poem per round.
3.) no musical accompaniment.
4.) no props.
5.) there is a time limit of 3 minutes and 10 seconds. going over that will result in a time penalty.
This is a two-round slam, poets with the highest scores will move up to round two.
If you're not competing, we could use judges.''
Our Featured Poet
Reggie Edmonds-Vásquez (they/them) is a poet, educator, and cultural curator from Richmond, CA. Their work explores Black, queer, and gender-diverse identities and has earned recognition from Nomadic Press, Afro Urban Society, and the Museum of the African Diaspora. A two-time Berkeley Grand Champion and national finalist, they direct programming at Rich Oak Events.
Find them on IG: @reggiepoetry
Please remember to submit a quick audience survey to help us improve our logistics and content and report to our funders and sponsors. Here is the link to the survey: Link to come
Follow Poetry Center San José on Facebook and Instagram for announcements about other amazing South Bay poetry events happening throughout the rest of the year. Help support Poetry Center San José by becoming a member.
Advertisement
Where is it happening?
WheelHouse of Willow Glen, 1173 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, CA 95125-3002, United States
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.
Host or PublisherPoetry Center San José
