We hope you join us.

Your Guide to Events at the 2025 Camden Festival of Poetry

Festival Highlights

  • Tuesday May 13 • Public Reading at the Camden Public Library

    6:00 - 7:15pm. Limited seating, get there early!

    Find out more about the Poets reading

  • Thursday May 15 • The Sonic Café hosted by Rory McBride

    7:00 - 9:00pm Singer-Songwriter open mic, in the Pilgrim Room, First Congregational Church of Camden, 55 Elm Street • FREE and open to the public!

    Who's Performing? Find out more here

  • Friday May 16 • Jane Hirshfield Craft Talk

    2:00 - 4:00 pm
    Sign up for tickets, there are 65 seats available.

    Get your tickets!

  • Friday May 16 • Poetry Open Mic at the First Congregational Church

    7:00 - 9:00pm.

  • Saturday May 17 • Workshops

    7 Workshops will be held between 2:15 - 3:10pm. Sign up will be in-person on Saturday.

    Workshop Details

  • Saturday May 17 • Keynote Address

    by Jane Hirshfield 4:15 - 5:15pm

    Can't be there in Person? Register for the Zoom link

Program Overview

Kickoff Tuesday May 13

  • Public Reading and welcome
    6:00 - 7:15pm at the Camden Public Library 55 Main St . Limited seating, get there early!
    More details here.

Thursday, May 15

  • The Sonic Cafe: Singer-Songwriter Open Mic Hosted by Rory McBride
    7:00 - 9:00pm in the Pilgrim Room, First Congregational Church of Camden, 55 Elm Street FREE and Open to the Public

Friday, May 16

  • “Information, Invitation & Insight: Transitions in Poems”, a Craft Talk with Jane Hirshfield • 2:00 - 4:00pm at the Camden Public Library 55 Main St. Tickets must be purchased for this event.

  • Poetry Open Mic 7:00 - 9:00pm at the First Congregational Church, Camden.

Saturday, May 17

  • The Poetry Walk 10:00 - 11:00am Join a walk through Camden as Middle Schoolers from the Camden-Rockport Middle School read their poems which are part of the Poetry on Windows Project, led by Rory McBride. Meet at the Town Hall at 29 Elm Street at 10 am.

All other events on Saturday will take place at the Congregational Church at 55 Elm Street.

  • Welcome by Festival Chairs 1:00pm

  • Maine Poets & Musicians 1:10 - 2:10pm

    Poets: Myronn Hardy, Judy Kaber, Sal Taylor Kydd, Beau Williams, Maya Williams  Musical Performance: Louisa Stancioff and Ethan Tischler. Find out more about them HERE.

  • Workshops 2:15 - 3:10. Sign up in-person. To see a list of Workshops, click HERE.

  • Refreshments and Book Fair 3:15 - 3:45pm
    A few Book Tables are still available, sign up to get one of them BELOW.

  • Awards presentations 4:00 - 4:15pm

  • Keynote address “Living by Poetry” with Jane Hirshfield.

Book Tables at the Festival

Do you have a book you’d like to sell? Do you have a small (or medium-sized) press with books to sell? Click on the button below to get your name on the list! Limited to 20 Book Sellers!

Volunteer for the Festival

Are you local and interested in helping out befure and during the Festival? Click on the button below to get your name on the list!

Poetry Open Mic 2025

Slots are full at this time, but please come and attend the Open Mic!