OpenRoad Poetry

OpenRoad Poetry OpenRoad Poetry, partners Crystal Letters & RescuePoetix TM that hosts Poetry & Art Showcases & Open Mic events to benefit local artists & poets.

provides artists, non-profits and for profits with artistic, technical, and educational services.

Become a Hudson Scholar TODAY!Call for editors, public writers, columnists, poets, artists, and photographers!
08/08/2026

Become a Hudson Scholar TODAY!

Call for editors, public writers, columnists, poets, artists, and photographers!

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONSDreams In Hiding Anthology - Connection Deadline: August 31st @ 12:00 a.m. ESTSubmission information...
08/07/2026

CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Dreams In Hiding Anthology - Connection
Deadline: August 31st @ 12:00 a.m. EST

Submission information & guidelines
The theme of this anthology is Connection. You can write about connection to your loved ones, your culture, traditions, the breaking of traditions. A favorite memory, a meal shared.

Feel free to write about chosen family, companions, connection to nature and the earth. What makes YOU feel connected? How can we further connect to each other, to the world around us?

Proceeds from this anthology will be donated to the Lebanese Red Cross.

Mocha Mic with MillieFriday, August 21st @ 6:30 p.m. ESTMocha Mic with Millie is back, and August awaits! I can't wait t...
08/06/2026

Mocha Mic with Millie
Friday, August 21st @ 6:30 p.m. EST

Mocha Mic with Millie is back, and August awaits! I can't wait to share space with you on Friday, August 15th from 6:30–9:30 PM for a beautiful summer evening of poetry, music, and meaningful connection at the outdoor space of Bowl Burger Bistro.

Supported by funds from the Jersey City Arts Council. 🤎

This month, we're thrilled to welcome four incredible featured artists:
🎤 SJ () is a Jersey City sound poet known for his interactive performances and dedication to the local poetry community.
🎤 Just-Ace () blends spoken word and hip hop to explore identity, family, faith, and resilience through powerful storytelling.
📖 Sonia Mukherji () is an internationally published poet whose work explores identity, politics, and the South Asian experience.
🎶 Siena Milan () is a Neo Soul singer-songwriter whose rich vocals and heartfelt storytelling create moments of comfort and reflection.

Tickets
🎟️ $20 Attendees
🎤 $15 Performers
https://bit.ly/4wzRLh8

Restaurant Information
🍽️ 1 entrée minimum + 1 drink minimum
🥤 No alcohol served. Mocktails and specials will be available for purchase.
Whether you're joining us to perform, support the artists, or simply enjoy an evening of creativity, there is a place for you here. I look forward to another beautiful night of sharing stories, celebrating artistry, and building community together.

Location:
​Bowl Burger Bistro
531 West Side Ave.
Jersey City, NJ 07304

JC Writers: One Mic Stand with SJFriday, August 14th @ 6:30 p.m. ESTStep up. Speak out. Stand tall.Jersey City Writers i...
08/05/2026

JC Writers: One Mic Stand with SJ
Friday, August 14th @ 6:30 p.m. EST

Step up. Speak out. Stand tall.

Jersey City Writers invites you to One-Mic Stand with SJ—an open mic experience like no other! This is where raw talent meets electrifying energy, and every voice has a chance to shine.

On the 2nd Friday of every month, two incredible featured poets will take the stage alongside a lineup of fearless performers from our vibrant poetry community. Open mic slots are 5 minutes each, giving you the perfect space to share your truth—whether it’s poetry, spoken word, or a story waiting to be heard.

Come for the poetry. Stay for the magic. Join the movement.

$10 Suggested Donation (Cash, Venmo, Paypal)
Doors open at 6:30pm, Open Mic starts at 7pm -- first come, first served!

Our Host Steve Willett (SJ) is a sound poet who is actively involved in the poetry community and has had several feature performances around New Jersey. His poem ‘Petulance’ was a shortlisted selection for the University of Grimsby’s Hammond House International Poetry Competition in 2019.

Noah Arhm Choi is the author of Cut to Bloom, winner of the 2019 Jack McCarthy Prize. A Lambda Literary Poet-In-Residence and Valentines Editor for Honey Literary, they received an MFA from Sarah Lawrence, and their work appears in The Adroit Journal, Split this Rock, The Rumpus, Foglifter, and elsewhere.

Meliq August aka Meliq the Plant Poet is a Belizean-American, q***r, non-binary, multi-disciplinary artist, earthworker, budding herbalist, and transformative educator. Hailing from North Bergen, NJ, they are now paving the way with their robust talents in the city of Newark through healing avenues stemming from an Afro-Indigenous framework of thought.

Supported by public funds from the Jersey City Arts and Culture Trust Fund

Location:
Jersey City Writers
157B 1st Street
6th Floor, Room 608
Jersey City, NJ

Art House Productions & Ordinary Kids:Rocky Horror Picture ShowLive Movie ExperienceThursday, August 13th @ 7:30 p.m. ES...
08/04/2026

Art House Productions & Ordinary Kids:
Rocky Horror Picture Show
Live Movie Experience

Thursday, August 13th @ 7:30 p.m. EST

Get ready to slip on your fishnets and put on your high heels! The Ordinary Kids bring to life "The #1 Cult Musical of All-Time" THE ROCKY HORROR PICTURE SHOW LIVE MOVIE EXPERIENCE! Dress up as your favorite characters, scream the iconic lines, and dance the Time Warp in the best interactive show in town. Whether you're a seasoned Rocky Horror veteran or a first-timer, our cast will ensure you have a night to remember, full of energy, laughter, and a touch of the bizarre.

Don’t miss out on this unforgettable spectacle that turns a movie night into a full-on party. Grab your friends, your best costumes, and your enthusiasm for a night of outrageous fun. Let’s do the Time Warp again!

Location:
Art House Productions
345 Marin Blvd
Jersey City, NJ 07302

NJ Poetry Events and Mocha Mic with Millie: Grills & GriotsSaturday, August 8th @ 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. ESTJoin us for t...
08/03/2026

NJ Poetry Events and Mocha Mic with Millie:
Grills & Griots

Saturday, August 8th @ 1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. EST

Join us for the inaugural Grills & Griots, a new annual poetry series presented by NJ Poetry Events in partnership with Mocha Mic with Millie.

We will be coming together under the gazebo for an afternoon of delicious barbecue, dynamic spoken word performances, meaningful conversation, and a welcoming community gathering celebrating the power of poetry.

Tickets: https://www.njpoetryevents.com/tickets

Hosted by:
Millicent Ansah ()
Poet, curator, educator, and founder of Mocha Mic with Millie ()

Grill Master:
James C. Ellerbe (.c.ellerbe)
Spoken word artist, author, and founder and administrator of NJPoetryEvents.com ()

Featuring:
AVG ()
Poet, author, and activist whose work explores faith, identity, romance, and social justice, inviting audiences into spaces of reflection and healing.

Sincerely L. ()
Nationally ranked slam poet and author of Sunflower Soldier, whose poetry embraces honesty, healing, vulnerability, and transformation.

Open Mic
10 open mic spots available! Whether you're a seasoned performer or stepping up to the mic for the first time, we'd love to hear your voice.

Admission: $25 for Adults (14 years and up) - $12 for Kids (5-13 years) - Free (Under 5 years)

Registration includes your choice of a barbecue meal selected during checkout.
Advance registration is required.
This is an alcohol-free event.

Behind the lens: Expressions by MowZus will be capturing the memories, the moments, and the magic of the day through photography.

What is Grills & Griots?
Inspired by the rich storytelling tradition of griots, Grills & Griots is a new annual gathering that blends poetry, food, and fellowship to create a safe and welcoming space where Black poetic voices are celebrated, stories are shared, and community is strengthened.

This is a family-friendly event! Bring the kids, invite your friends, and enjoy an afternoon of great food, inspiring poetry, and community in the park.

Location:
Willingboro Lakes Park
60 Beverly-Rancocas Rd.
Willingboro, NJ 08046

Art House Productions:Q***r Flipside: A Night of Powerful StorytellingFriday, August 7th @ 7:00 p.m. ESTQ***r Flipside i...
08/02/2026

Art House Productions:
Q***r Flipside: A Night of Powerful Storytelling

Friday, August 7th @ 7:00 p.m. EST

Q***r Flipside is a double-feature film and theater event where protest party meets comedy, kundiman, and storytelling.

Because of You: A History of Kilawin Kolektibo is a documentary film spotlighting a collective of q***r Filipinx who built resistance, community and joy in 1990s New York City. Directed by Desireena Almoradie and Barbara Malaran.

Anak ni Tapia: Leaving Mother is a solo performance by Lani T. Montreal exploring memory, migration and q***r identity as the child of a Filipina television icon, Mely Tagasa a.k.a. Miss Tapia. Directed by Daisy Castro, visual design by Giau Truong, music collaboration with Tamey Mendoza and Panday Banale, and soundscape by Melanya Liwanag Aguila.

TICKETS:
General Admission: $25.00

SUPPORTER:
General Admission: $40.00 (incl. culinary delights prepared by James Beard-nominated chef Paolo Mendoza of Karenderya NY)

Friday, August 7, 2026
Doors: 6:00 PM / Show: 7:00 PM

Location:
Art House Productions
345 Marin Blvd.,
Jersey City, NJ 07302

TICKETS: https://arthouseproductions.ludus.com/show_page.php?show_id=200536795

Thank you Cyn Grace Sylvie for the incredible graphics ・・・POETS! The world needs your writing in print! Next month join ...
08/01/2026

Thank you Cyn Grace Sylvie for the incredible graphics

・・・
POETS! The world needs your writing in print! Next month join two for a FREE multi-series workshop on bringing your poetry manuscript to life. Susan Justiniano and Tabitha Dial will guide you through the publication process. Make your piles of poems work for you. This class will help you put together your best work for publication. Nurture your poetic lifeblood and connect to fellow poets as you learn how to create a poetry manuscript. Find new strengths, overcome challenges, and make the most of the obsessions in your existing writing.

Register on Meetup, and we can’t wait to see your work!

Call for Submissions: Sense & Sensibility’s September IssueDeadline: Monday, August 10th @ 12:00 p.m. ESTWelcome to Sens...
08/01/2026

Call for Submissions:
Sense & Sensibility’s September Issue

Deadline: Monday, August 10th @ 12:00 p.m. EST

Welcome to Sense & Sensibility! The submission call for the September issue is “Autumn/ Equinox. (Northern Hemisphere)!”

Think about trees turning yellow, orange, red, or brown. Carpets of fallen leaves on cars and streets. Some birds are flying south. The flowers’ grand finales. The shorter and cooler days. Returning from your summer holiday and going back to school or work. Buying new clothes for the season. Labor Day is the last hurrah for summer. Think about the final cookouts and block parties. The Harvest Moon. Picking apples for canning, juicing, or making pies. Candidates are already knocking on your doors for their upcoming elections. What's going on with the government? How about self-care? The list could go on. Be imaginative. Even daydream!

Submissions close August 10, at noon ET, unless we reach our quota sooner. Please submit early to increase your chances of being published.
*The prompt for September: “Autumn/ Equinox. (Northern Hemisphere)!”

Guidelines
1. Please submit 3–5 haiku for “Autumn/ Equinox. (Northern Hemisphere)!” Just put “none” in the rows you are not submitting.
2. Submissions open on August 1, 2026. Please don’t send your submissions before then because they will not be considered for publication.
3. Due to the high volume of interest, submissions will now close August 10, 2026, at noon ET, unless we reach our quota sooner. Please submit early to increase your chances of being published.
4. Publication date: by September 1, 2026, at the latest.
5. I welcome haiku/senryu of 1–3 lines, traditional and not traditional. Remember, haiku in English is not the same as in Japanese, and at times, might be too cumbersome and wordy to fit the 5-7-5 format. 17 syllables, BUT sometimes less is best. Anything over 17 will be rejected! Hallmark haiku won’t be accepted. No titles for your kus!
6. Please follow the prompt,“Autumn/ Equinox. (Northern Hemisphere)!” Be imaginative. Even daydream!
7. I will not tolerate HATE POEMS.
8. Have fun with the prompt. Let your imagination write your words!

Submit: https://forms.gle/TihKEDj2tPJVY3Fp9

Poets & Storytellers OpenFriday, June 12th @ 6:50PMJoin us for our next Poets & Storytellers Open on June 12th for an ev...
06/09/2026

Poets & Storytellers Open
Friday, June 12th @ 6:50PM

Join us for our next Poets & Storytellers Open on June 12th for an evening of poetry and conversation at Wull & Oak in Downtown Hopewell.

P&SO welcomes everyone to bring their original poetry or prose, polished or in progress, to this wonderful space. We love the poetry hits and the standards, but P&SO is a space for writers performing or working out their original pieces. The open mic signup list will be capped at 12 readers. The list does fill up quickly, so be sure to arrive on time to secure a spot! Each performer will have up to 5 minutes to share their work. For those who would only like to watch the performances, you’re more than welcome to also join our audience. The event is free and open for all to enjoy, but we do welcome donations to help keep the event funded.

This June, we’re excited to welcome SJ () as our P&SO feature, a poet whose readings redefine what a poetry performance could be. SJ is a sound poet who likes to incorporate the audience into his work. His poem ‘Petulance’ was a shortlisted selection for the University of Grimsby’s Hammond House International Poetry Competition.

As usual for our poet features, we’ll have a Q&A session following SJ’s set.

Details for the evening:
6:50 PM - doors/open mic signup begins*
7:15 to 8:15 PM - open mic
8:30 to 9:00 PM - featured poet: SJ

Location:
Wull & Oak
10 East Broad St.
Hopewell, NJ 08525

Address

New York, NY

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