We are thrilled to bring you the latest in literary events that have caught our attention. These events encompass a range of free and ticketed registration and are not affiliated with AWP. All times are in ET.

Wednesday, April 27

7:30 p.m.— Vivee Francis shares poetry on “Picasso: Painting the Blue Period,” which is currently on exhibit at The Phillips Collection. The exhibit currently contains over seventy of Picasso's paintings, sculptures, and works on paper. This event will be streamed through Folger Shakespeare Library. After the reading, there will be a moderated conversation where audience members can ask questions. Tickets will be on sale online, ranging from $5–$30.*

Sunday, May 1

11:00 a.m.— The Literary Hill Bookfest will take place on Capitol Hill at 225 7^th St., SE Washington, DC 20003. The annual Bookfest hosts a celebration of books and authors. Activities include attending panel discussions, practicing oragami skills, and penning a community poem. Some of this year’s participating authors include Louis Bayard, Teri Ellen Cross Davis, Ariel Sabar, and Eva Pell. 

Tuesday, May 3

7:00 p.m.— NEA Big Read: A Celebration of Toni Morrison’s Beloved with Jacqueline Woodson, Crystal Dickinson, and Ty Jones. The physical reading will take place at The Center for Fiction, at 15 Lafayette Ave. in Brooklyn, New York. In-person as well as virtual tickets are free to the public. *

7:30 p.m.— Join Greenlight in welcoming author Gregory Smithers! Smithers presents Reclaiming Two Spirits: Sexuality, Spiritual Renewal, and Sovereignty in Native America, which explores the historically deep roots of gender and the perception of gender in Native American cultures. He delves into how centuries of systemic violence and oppression smothered Two-Spirit peoples’ existence. Smithers also explores how the language of colonialism has evolved to erase this history, and how it ultimately failed in censorship.*

Thursday, May 5

7:00 p.m.— NYC Voices: A Poetry and Spoken Word Experience, Parkside Lounge, East Village. This event is open for poetry, storytelling, music, and spoken word art. Tickets are available online.

Friday, May 6

12:00 p.m.— Featured poets Kathleen O’Toole and Waqas Khwaja will be presenting their poetry in “Words Out Loud.” The event will also include trivia and a brief open mic session. O’Toole is currently completing her second term as Poet Laureate of Takoma Park. Khwaja is a professor and acclaimed translator who has four published collections of poetry. The event will take place online. Registration is free!*

Saturday, May 7

11:00 a.m.— The Bay Area Book Festival, located at 1569 Solono Ave #635, Berkeley, California 94707, presents a virbrant opportunity to convene with others in the Southern California literary community. Both in-person and virtual wristbands are available for purchase. Some speakers include Charlie Jane Anders, Geeta Anand, John Agee, and Hanif Abdurraquib. The Book Festival offers a wide variety of author panels and conversations.

Tuesday, May 10

7:30 p.m.—  Greenlight honors Kyung-sook Shin and Anton Hur, joint presenters of Violets, published recently by Feminist Press. Both authors and translators collaborated on the novel’s English translation. Violets is about a young Korean woman in Seoul who deals with childhood rejection while attempting to remain autonomous in Korean society.  This event will take place on Zoom. *

Wednesday, May 11

12:00 p.m.— Kerri Ni Dochataraigh discusses Thin Places alongside Wintering author Katherine May. Thin Places is a story of the self, Ireland, and natural and social history. Dochataraigh has written for BBC, the Irish Times, and the Guardian, among other publications. May, author of both fiction and nonfiction works, has had essays in magazines such as the New York Times, Good Housekeeping, and Cosmopolitan. Reservation is free! *

Sunday, May 14

7:00 p.m.— Lost City Books presents Diccon Bewes’ Cartographica Helvetica, a book about Swiss culture and maps. This event will take place at Lost City Books, located at 2467 18^th St, NW Washington, DC 20009. RSVP online.

May 15-16

10:00 a.m.—  American Writer’s Festival, 78 E. Washington St, Chicago, Illinois 60601, is a free festival that will take place between the Chicago Cultural Center and the American Writer’s Museum. There will be more than 75 authors, artists, and playwrights in attendance. The museum will be offering free admission during the festival in honor of their fifth anniversary.

Monday, May 16

7:30 p.m.—  Join Greenlight Books at the virtual launch of The Red Arrow, William Brewer’s newest fiction novel. The Red Arrow is about a young, indebted writer who agrees to ghostwrite the memoir of a famous physicist—until his reality slowly begins to unravel. The event will take place on Zoom.*

Friday, May 20

7:00 p.m.— Lost City Books welcomes Thea Prieto with guest, author Michael Kaufman. Thea Pietro will be discussing From the Caves, a novel focused on the concepts of past, present, and future in addition to death, motherhood, endings, and beginnings. Michael Kaufman, author of The Last Exit, will be joining in the discussion. The event will be hosted for free on YouTube Live. Please RSVP. *

Saturday, May 21

1:30 p.m.— Readings by Filipino American Authors will be held at the Echo Branch of the Los Angeles Library. This event features accomplished authors Cecelia Manguerra Brainard, Noel Alumit, Melissa Chadburn, and Angela Narciso Torres. There will be a meet and greet, reading, open forum, and book signing. Please RSVP.

9:30 a.m.— Westside Poetry Workshop will take place at Westlake Porter Public Library in Cleveland, Ohio. Please bring five to ten copies of your poem you wish to workshop!

Monday, May 23

7:30 p.m.— Greenlight honors poet and author Shelley Wong! Wong presents As She Appears, her 2019 debut poetry collection. Her collection focuses on queerness, women of color, joy, and memory. A special guest will be announced for the virtual reading. This event will also offer audience conversation and a Q&A. *

Thursday, June 2

7:00 p.m.— Diane Thiel and Carl Marcum discuss poetry collections “Questions from Outer Space,” and “A Camera Obscura,” streamed through Lost City Books. It is free to RSVP, and the event will take place on YouTube Live. Both authors dabble with the idea of sight, perception, and how our reality functions around us.*

June 18-29

9:30 a.m.— Free Jazz & Poetry Summer Camp at Rutgers-Newark Campus. NJPAC’s Arts Education Summer Camp is open to students ages 13–18.

*Virtual event