The next time you’re out and about in the city, be sure to keep an eye out for poems because O, Miami is taking over! With the arrival of April comes the return of the O, Miami Poetry Festival, which celebrates its milestone 15th year. The nonprofit organization is pulling out all the stops for their quinceañera with over 50 events and projects throughout Miami-Dade and Broward.
Whether it’s written in water on the sidewalk or hidden in a classified ad, language is becoming the lens through which we get to rediscover the magic of the 305. So here’s what to expect from this month-long literary celebration:
April 2: Head to Gramps Getaway in Key Biscayne at 7 p.m. for this free event. O, Miami founder P. Scott Cunningham is celebrating the release of his brand new poetry collection, Self Portrait as the ‘i’ in Florida.
April 3: Grab the kids and your comfiest sleepwear for Poetry in Pajamas at Pinecrest Gardens from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. It’s a cozy evening featuring a kids’ open mic on a stage designed by The Interknit, plus a live performance by local electro-pop duo Afrobeta.
April 4: Take the family to the Gold Coast Railroad Museum for All Aboard-Leggers Free Saturday! From 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., enjoy train rides, a Bookleggers pop-up and a scavenger hunt.
April 4: Stop by the free Miami Zine Fair at Miami Design District’s Paradise Plaza for the release of Forager: A Subjective Guide to Miami’s Edible Plants. You can even swap an original poem for local sodas like Materva and Jupiña! This event runs from noon to 5 p.m.
April 4: Cap off the night (7:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.) at Books & Books in Coral Gables for a free gallery opening and panel unveiling the photography from O, Miami’s newest publication, Literally Everyone’s Invited: An Ode to South Florida.
April 12: O, Miami is throwing “Everyone’s Quince” at the 94th Aero Squadron from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.. Hosted by Cuci Amador of Afrobeta, the night promises gowns, crowns and heavy doses of nostalgia to celebrate a decade and a half of civic poetry.
April 16: Premiering during Miami Beach Culture Crawl, Read by Miami Poetry Film Screenings at The Bass features a collaborative series of ten short films showcasing local poets and performers with deep South Florida roots. The event runs from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
April 19: Step right up for the Circus of Words with Raw Fig from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. This all-ages figure drawing and poetry session lets you live-draw aerial acrobats from Circensia Studio while building collective poems. Popcorn, poses and circus-inspired bites will be on hand!
April 26: Presented by City of Miami Beach, OnStage!, dog lovers are invited to a free canine carnival with a variety of pet-friendly activations and giveaways, culminating in a screening of Best in Show by Miami Film Festival.
April 28: Led by Julie Frances at Easy Peasy Tattoo, this 18+ workshop teaches the basics of safely handling a tattoo machine. From 7 p.m. to 9 p.m., participants will tattoo short Miami-inspired poems onto fruit or practice skin, experiencing poetry as an impermanent, living art form.
April 29: Start practicing your 305-inspired haikus now! The festival closes with a ZipOdes Finale, celebrating Miami’s favorite home-grown poetic form at Vizcaya Museum & Gardens.
In addition to an absolutely stacked celebration, keep an eye out for ongoing initiatives throughout the month like the continuation of Soy de Todas Partes, which places 100 poems celebrating the immigrant experience in public spaces all across the county. There’s also Dream Delivery Service, in which poet Mathias Svalina is writing and delivering daily dream poems directly to South Florida subscribers.
So get out there, explore the city and let O, Miami spark some joy in your neighborhood this month! For a complete lineup and RSVP links, visit their website.
