The St. Augustine PoetFest is a celebration of creative writing and reciting. It is St. Johns County’s official recognition of National Poetry Month (April).

All events are free of charge and open to all, thanks to the support of Flagler College, St. Johns Cultural Council, and the Ancient City Poets.

Schedule of Events:

9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Flagler College campus

Programing continues with Student showcases, St. John County Library display, a Book Bazaar, a live staged play reading, author talks and panels, and featured poets. The festival concludes in the afternoon with an awards ceremony for the winners of the St. Johns Cultural Council Haiku Contest, followed by a reception.

Registration, Book Bazaar, and Festival Contact Center
9:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
First Floor Lobby, Ringhaver Student Center
50 Sevilla Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084
Featuring author recordings and publications, as well as displays by FLARE: The Flagler Review (Flagler College).

Typewriter Poet Rosa Sophia
11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Ringhaver Student Center, 1st Floor, located at 50 Sevilla Street
Become captivated by the allure of pounding typewriters keys. Rosa will compose poems on the spot with her vintage typewriter.

Virginia Room, Second Floor, Ringhaver Student Center
50 Sevilla Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084

9:45 am to 10:50 am Virginia Room
Live staged reading of "Happier Than Madness" by Philip Butera. Featuring actress H.D. Eggleston. Presented by Rising Tide Productions.

11:00 am to 11:50 am Virginia Room
Flagler College English Department
Featured Flagler College Students
Indigo Carter, Marissa Kempf, Annella Rizzuto, Jaden Rudd

12:00 pm to 12:50 Virginia Room
Panel: Poets + Artists as Educators
Inspired by recent interviews for the FSPA Journal Of Poets and Poetry, this is a panel with mini-presentations and an interactive session with Poet-Educators and Artist-Educators. Moderator: Nikki Fragala Barnes (Poet/UCF)
Panelists: Vidhu Agarawal (Poet/Rollins), Tamara J. Madison (Poet/Valencia), Laura Mongiovi (Artist/Flagler), Jacob Z. Wan (Artist/UNF)

1:00 pm to 1:50 pm Virginia Room
"More Snakes Than People: Southern Gothic Florida Poetry"
Many see Southern Gothic literature as just recalling the "bad old days." This is not the case. There are still those places in Florida where you get hookworms by walking barefoot after an afternoon thunderstorm.
Poets: Ma Bones, Nick Dunkenstein, Cheri Eagerton Royal, Damon Thomas

2:00 pm to 2:50 pm Virginia Room
Traveling Poet Presentation by Tom Murphy,
Poet Laureate Corpus Christi (2021-2022), Texas

3:00 pm to 4:30 pm Virginia Room
Closing Event

Words from Norma Sherry
Past City of St. Augustine Poet Laureate

Presentation by Ann Browning Masters,
Present City of St. Augustine Poet Laureate

3:30 pm to 4:30 pm
Presentation by St. Johns Cultural Council
"Winners of 5th Annual Haiku Contest".

Followed by Celebratory Reception on the Tinlin Landing
2nd Floor Lobby, Ringhaver Student Center
50 Sevilla Street, St. Augustine, FL 32084