Press Release
Pompano Beach Sizzles as Southern Fried Poetry Slam Comes to Town
Pompano Beach Cultural Center, Ali Cultural Center, Bailey Contemporary Arts Center and the beach
Wednesday, June 12th - Saturday, June 15th
The Country’s Most Extraordinary Spoken Word Artists Compete for Titles and Prizes
The nation’s hottest wordsmiths are descending upon the City of Pompano Beach for the 32nd Annual Southern Fried Poetry Slam. Pompano Beach Arts is proud to announce that this electrifying four-day festival will take place June 12-15, 2024. This celebration of spoken word, performance poetry, and the power of community attracts over 200 poets from around the country who will battle it out for bragging rights and a chance to be crowned champion. The festival takes place across Pompano Beach's cultural hub, including the Ali Cultural Center, Bailey Contemporary Arts Center, the Pompano Beach Cultural Center, and the beach! Tickets are $25 for a festival pass, which includes the preliminary bouts and Final Stage. Workshop passes, which include four programs, are $15. To view the full schedule visit: https://www.pompanobeacharts.org/events/southern-fried-poetry-slam
Since 1993, during the first week of June, a city in the southeastern region of the United States has played host to one of the largest spoken word and performance poetry tournaments in the world. The fierce talents of over 200 exceptionally gifted writers and orators will be on full display as they compete for cash and prizes. Representing poets hail from the southern states and beyond, with past competitors flying in from as far away as California and Hawaii to take part in this prestigious competition.
Pompano Beach local and Southern Fried Poetry, Inc’s Vice President of the Board of Directors, Sharonda “Eccentrich” Richardson has been the driving force ensuring that 2024 is her city’s time to shine in spoken word. “I have been working to make this happen for a long time, and now it’s become a reality,” said Richardson. “This event is a tremendous opportunity to immerse yourself in a spectrum of spoken word styles and perspectives, from heart-wrenching narratives to hilarious social commentary.”
Richardson is also the founder of Free on the Inside, the poetry pipeline series, which goes into prisons to facilitate workshops and showcase spoken word poetry. In 2018, she created the first poetry festival in the history of Pompano Beach, Exit 36 Slam Poetry Festival.
To learn more about Southern Fried Poetry Inc., and all event details visit https://www.pompanobeacharts.org/events/southern-fried-poetry-slam
