Events

The Southern Fried Poetry Slam is an annual performing arts festival celebrating poetry, spoken word, and community outreach. Born in 1993 from a sense of family, home cooked meals and good ol’ Southern food, Southern Fried Poetry shares the absolute best southern offerings — hospitality, comfort and tradition.

During the first week of June every year, a city in the Southeastern region of the United States plays host to one of the largest Spoken Word and Performance Poetry tournaments in the world and showcases some of the world’s most extraordinary writers, orators and artists whose talents will be on full display as they compete against 200+ poets for cash and prizes, and of course bragging rights to the South!

Cultural venues will host a variety of events, our detailed agenda is listed below.

Festival Event Schedule:

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

• 6:00 - 10:00 PM | Poetry Bouts | ALL VENUES
• 10:30 - 11:30 PM | Haiku Slam | ALI

Thursday, June 13, 2024

• 7:30 - 8:30AM | Sunrise Yoga | Beach Pavilion 3
• 12:30 - 1:45 PM | Workshops | ALI
• 2:00 - 3:30 PM | Nerd Slam | ALI
• 6:00 - 10:00 PM | Poetry Bouts | ALL VENUES
• 10:30 - 11:30 PM | Rookie Slam | ALI

Friday, June 14, 2024

• 6:00 - 10:00PM | Poetry Bouts | ALL VENUES
• 10:30 - 11:30PM | Haiku Slam Final | ALI

Saturday, June 15, 2024

• 10:30 - 12:00PM | Workshops | PBCC
• 12:00 - 2:00PM | “Harlem Nights” Rated R | PBCC
• 7:00 - 10:00 PM | Final Stage | PBCC
  

Check out 2023's Southern Fried Poetry Slam's intro video here featured on Knoxville's WVLT.

Festival Weekend Agenda

Look for updates on Southern Fried Poetry's website by clicking here.

If you are interested in volunteering please sign up by clicking here.

This event is presented by Southern Fried Poetry Inc.