SDPA 2024-25 cover photography by Fernando Phillipi.

June 29, 2-4:00pm, Poets at the Grove/SDPA combination reading in Balboa Park (See map below). All poets are featured at The Grove. Readings at The Grove are open to all poets and is a safe place to share your work and enjoy a peaceful corner of our beloved Balboa Park. There’s no sign-up sheet, no microphone, no cover charge, no secret password. Connect to the earth mother and the poetry community to enjoy the most organic reading in all the land! We don’t have a wine bar, espresso bar, or personal pizzas, but we offer a lot of heart and soul. All appreciators are welcome. It’s a good idea to bring more than one poem, as we’ll each have at least three or more turns to read. As always, we sit in a circle, and take turns reading one poem each. The Grove is accessible to all.

July 19, 1–3:30pm, La Jolla / Riford Library Community Room, 7555 Draper Ave. La Jolla, CA 92037. San Diego Poetry Annual open reading. Host: Seretta Martin, SDPA Managing Editor. Open to the Public — Published readers followed by Open Mic. Sign up or get involved by email: sdpoetryannual@gmail.com Instagram: @sdpoetryannual

July 20, 6pm, Cantos in Tijuana with hosts Olga García and Mónica Morales:

Sept 8, 3pm, San Diego Poetry Annual @ Spacebar with host Jim Moreno in person and on Zoom. (Sign up or get involved by email: sdpoetryannual@gmail.com) Instagram: @sdpoetryannual

Nov. 7, 5-6:30 pm: SDPA at Dan Diego Writer’s, Ink. Come on down to the SDWI/Inspirations Gallery in Liberty Station, 2730 Historic Decatur Rd #204, San Diego, CA 92106. Bring yourself, your poem, and some words for Robt, a pillar of San Diego poetry. SDPA readers and open community reading to follow.

——————Past Events—————–

May 26, 7-8:30pm, EPHIT Memorial Day reading with host Adam Greenfield and featured readers Margaret Diloway, SDPA editor and veteran Jim Moreno, SDPA’s Michael Klam, and special guest, Samira Hassan! Samira will join us this time for a poem or two, then she’s the feature in June.

Samira Hassan is an activist, poet, writer, and aspiring journalist who was born and raised in San Diego California. I grew up in the diverse neighborhood of City Heights, which shaped much of who I am today. Since the age of 10 I’ve been deeply engaged in my community through various forms of activism. Whether through spoken word, theater performances, or canvassing my neighborhood, I’ve always found ways to raise my voice and stand up for the issues that matter to me. Poetry holds a special place in my heart. It’s not just a passion it’s my chosen form of expression.

May 4, 1-3:00pm (Social hour from noon to 1:00pm), Escondido Municipal Arts Gallery, SDPA authors featured at Poets INC, Inland North County with host Robt O. Sign up or get involved by email: sdpoetryannual@gmail.com) Instagram: @sdpoetryannual

April 22, 6pm-8:30pm: Steve Kowit Poetry Prize at Central Library hosted by Bill Harding, Valarie Hastings and Michael Klam. Sign up to volunteer and get details at sdpoetryannual@gmail.com or SDPA Instagram: @sdpoetryannual.

May 26, 7-8:30pm, EPHIT Memorial Day reading with host Adam Greenfield and featured readers Margaret Diloway, SDPA editor and veteran Jim Moreno, SDPA’s Michael Klam, and special guest, Samira Hassan! Samira will join us this time for a poem or two, then she’s the feature in June. Open mic follows the features.