Wild Bloom Poetry Open Mic, Fort Lauderdale's Home for Poetry

Now held each month inside the beautiful and historic Emily's Garden in downtown Fort Lauderdale, Wild Bloom Poetry Open Mic is where intention meets expression, and words are planted like seeds. Produced and Curated by Stella Amador, Founder of Bloom by Stella, this gathering invites poets, listeners, and the curious into an evening of reflection, connection, and creative growth.

Whether you arrive with a poem or simply a willingness to listen, this space honors your presence. We open with intention, let poetry breathe in its own rhythm, and close with an invitation to connect deeper to Fort Lauderdale's blooming poetic community. Each gathering features one carefully chosen poet to anchor the night, followed by an open mic where stories unfold, one voice, one seed, at a time.

— There is a one–drink minimum to support the venue (non-alcoholic is perfectly fine). Delicious food, great drinks, and warm community vibes are available all night.

— Jazz music by local Trombonist and Resident Musician, Izzi Guzman

— One featured poet (10 minute spotlight)

— Open mic readers (4-minute max each; RSVP to sign up and check-in at the door)

— There will be books available for purchase from featured and local poets, thank you for supporting our creative community and helping local artists thrive.

— A monthly theme with guided prompts (see below)

✨ Recurring Every Third Wednesday (except otherwise announced):

— Music starts at 6 PM

— Paid street and back lot parking available

— RSVP is a MUST to keep the flow*

Follow us on Instagram for updates @wildbloompoetry

*RSVP Policy: All guests and poets must RSVP in advance so we can properly accommodate the space and logistics. If you RSVP and are no longer able to attend, please cancel your reservation as soon as possible to open the space for someone else. Your courtesy helps us keep this event intentional and accessible to all who wish to join.

We ask that all guests and performers honor this as a sacred space—one built on respect, deep listening, and shared vulnerability.

— Harmful language, hate speech, or slurs will not be tolerated.

— We encourage original work, spoken from the heart.

— Be generous with your listening presence and snap, clap and cheer enthusiastically.

Sheila Gutierrez is the granddaughter of a Nicaraguan farmer, is an agriculture educator whose work blends the rhythms of nature with the depths of human experience. She is dedicated to cultivating spaces for healing, connection, and growth informed by her multidisciplinary background in psychology and Social Behavior, Environmental Management, Arts in Medicine, and Farming. Her ongoing work is an exploration intertwining scientific insight with poetic imagery to honor intimacy, trust, and transformation to empower communities to engage deeply with land and food as pathways to well-being and collective strength. Follow her on IG: agriartistsheila

Meet Izzi Guzman, Wild Bloom Poetry Resident Musician

Izzi is a dynamic trombonist, composer, arranger, and educator dedicated to sharing joy, creativity, and authenticity through music. Based in Miami and Orlando, FL, she brings stories to life through her art and fosters accessible, creativity-rooted music education for the next generation.

Learn more at izziguzman.com or follow her on Instagram @izzimakesmusic

Each month at Wild Bloom Poetry is guided by a seasonal theme, rooted in nature, presence, and reflection rather than urgency or performance.

February invites us to explore love beyond romance:

self-love, belonging, and the quiet ways nature holds us.

This gathering centers on self-regard and nature’s love as steady, grounding forces, not spectacle, but connection.

Optional Poetry Prompts (For Those Who Wish to Write in This Direction)

• Write a poem honoring something within yourself you are learning to protect, accept, or nurture.

• Reflect on how nature has shown up for you, through cycles, stillness, repetition, or return.

• Explore love as presence, not performance.

All voices and experience levels are welcome.

🌸 Hi, I’m Stella Amador. I was a secret poet for most of my life.

Despite years of public speaking and a career spent building businesses from the ground up, sharing my poetry felt too personal. I wrote to process heartbreak, hope, and everything in between, but I kept those words to myself.

That changed three years ago when I made a quiet promise to show up. I began attending open mics across South Florida, searching for spaces where poetry, not performance, was the focus. Where vulnerability was met with presence. Where poems could breathe.

But nothing like that existed in Fort Lauderdale. So I created it.

Wild Bloom Poetry is one of the ways I bring my mission to life. Through my brand, Bloom by Stella, I create tools that support intentional living—from guided poetry experiences to the PLANT Your Life Planner, a reflection-based planner designed to help people live with clarity and purpose.

Whether you come to speak, listen, or simply feel something true, you’re welcome here.

Because wild blooms weren’t planted. We bloomed anyway.

Mic’s open. Hope to see you there,

Stella Amador

Author, Poet, Speaker & Event Curator

Learn more at:

https://dot.cards/stella_amador

Nestled among the palms and blooms of a 1920s Las Olas garden estate, Emily’s Garden is a restaurant like no other. Whether we're gathering inside the beautifully decorated historic dining room or beneath the stars in the lush garden, the setting transforms every gathering into a memory.

Our culinary bouquet features collaborations with local favorites like On the Run Coffee Bar, River Café, and Tacos El Machine Gon. In-house, we fire up Roman-style pizza from our outdoor Piaggio Ape Oven and serve charcuterie alongside a medley of steak and seafood entrées. The result? A rotating menu that’s always inventive, fresh, and crave-worthy.

In addition to being the new home of Wild Bloom Poetry, we offer craft wine, local brews, and DJ sets during our lively weekend brunches. Unwind at our weekly happy hour, explore exclusive vintages with Emily’s Wine Club, and join us for monthly events like garden yoga and open-air farmers markets.

Let your senses wander and your palate bloom at Emily’s Garden, where every gathering grows into something special. Come sip, savor, and explore the garden. Learn more at Emily’s Garden: https://linktr.ee/emilysgardenus

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Host or Publisher Bloom by Stella