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APRIL 5-13, 2025 | GAINESVILLE, FLORIDA
Come join us in celebrating Alachua County's Bicentennial Birthday!
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Featured American Poet

LOLA HASKINS

Lola Haskins has published 15 books of poetry and three of prose. The most recent books of poems are Like Zeros, Like Pearls, (Charlotte Lit 2025), Homelight (Charlotte Lit 2023) --named Poetry Book of the Year by Southern Literary Review, and Asylum (University of Pittsburgh, 2019)-- featured in the NYT Magazine. Past honors include the Iowa Poetry Prize, two Florida Book Awards, narrative poetry prizes from Southern Poetry Review and New England Poetry Review, a Florida's Eden prize for environmental writing, and the Emily Dickinson prize from Poetry Society of America. She has served as Honorary Chancelor for the Florida State Poets Association since 2016.

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BARD & BROADSIDE NORTH CENTRAL FLORIDA POETRY FESTIVAL 

North Central Florida's Premier Poetry Festival is the only festival in North Central Florida dedicated to the art of poetry in all its many diverse forms. Held in the beautiful city of Gainesville, Florida. ​​​

All Festival Activities are Free and Public!

Schedule

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
From April 5 - 13, Bard & Broadside Poetry Festival is bringing together the North Central Florida community and artists for collaborative sessions that will help you discover a new way to use your words. In addition to workshops, poetry events, and youth activities, you will learn how American Poet Lola Haskins explores strategies to enrich art.  
All events are
first come, first serve and FREE and open to the public.

Saturday, April 5  /  1:00p - 3:00p

WORD SLAY:"Standing On Words" 

Teen Spoken-Word Poetry & Monologue Competition

Alachua County Library District's Headquarters

401 E University Ave, Gainesville, FL

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Sunday, April 6th

Youth Poet Laureate Commencement Ceremony

North Central Florida - Alachua County

Alachua County Library District's Headquarters

401 E University Ave, Gainesville, FL

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Tuesday, April 8  /  6:30p - 8:00p

Where We Live: 200 Years in Community

AN EXPLORATION of EDEN:

Poetry, History,  Art and Humanities in Alachua County 

Encouraging Community Connections!

A Panel Discussion and Conversation with community members, artists, scholars and historians.

Matheson History Museum of Alachua County 

513 E. University Ave., Gainesville, FL.

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Thursday, April 10th  /  6:00p - 9:00p

Museum Nights

Join our local poetry community and guests for an Open Mic Night!​

Free & open to the public. All poets are welcome. Some content may not be appropriate for children.

Harn Museum of Art

3259 Hull Rd, Gainesville, FL 32608

Co-hosted by  ARTSPEAKSgnv, Civic Media Center's Thursday Night Poetry Jam, UF Living Poets Society and The University of Florida Harn Museum of Art

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Open Mic at The Harn Museum of Art
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Friday, April 11th  /  6:30p - 9:00p

Free Fridays Concert

Join us at Bo Diddley Plaza For MUSIC and POETRY 

FEATURING:  BENNIE & THE BAND

Attendees are invited to share their poems on stage during the Open Mic intermission 

Bo Diddley Plaza

111 E. University Ave. Gainesville, FL

 

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Saturday, April 12  /  6:30p

SWAMP-BERRY JAM: Poetry Slam 

North Central Florida's Premier Poetry Slam

Featuring America's Best Slam Poets!

Vecinos Neighborhood Restaurant and Bar

208 W University Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601

Sunday, April 13  /  1:00p - 3:00p

Free Community Poetry + Creative Writing Workshop

Workshop facilitated by special guest poet Lola Haskins 

Alachua County Library District's Headquarters

401 E University Ave, Gainesville, FL​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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Sunday, April 13  /  4:00p - 5:00p

Poetry Reading + Book Signing

Book Signing facilitated by special guest poet Lola Haskins 

Alachua County Library District's Headquarters

401 E University Ave, Gainesville, FL​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

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SUPPORT THIS EVENT!

Your generous contribution will help continue to bring programs like the Bard & Broadside Poetry Festival to our community free of charge.

​

This event is brought to you by, ARTSPEAKSgnv Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The organization's primary mission is to support literacy in youth and adults through the art of Poetry, Spoken Word, Storytelling, and Creative Writing. ARTSPEAKS promotes healthy communities by utilizing all forms of creativity and artistic expression through collaboration with educational and public health organizations.

​

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

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Matheson logo - PNG.png
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Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this (publication) (program) (exhibition) (website) do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For more information, contact bardandbroadside@gmail.com

Saturday, April 5 | 1:00p - 3:00p

WORD SLAY:"Standing On Words" 

Teen Spoken-Word Poetry & Monologue Competition

Alachua County Library District's Headquarters

401 E University Ave, Gainesville, FL

Graphic - SoW.png

Sunday, April 6th

Youth Poet Laureate Commencement Ceremony

North Central Florida - Alachua County

Alachua County Library District's Headquarters

401 E University Ave, Gainesville, FL

YPL LOGO.png
Open Mic pics_edited.png

Thursday, April 10th | 6:00p - 9:00p

Open Mic at Harn Museum Nights

Join our local poetry community and guests for an Open Mic Night!​

Free & open to the public. All poets are welcome. Some content may not be appropriate for children.

Harn Museum of Art

3259 Hull Rd, Gainesville, FL 32608

Co-hosted by  ARTSPEAKSgnv, the Civic Media Center's Thursday Night Poetry Jam, Gainesville's DOPEnmic, & UF's Living Poets Society

BDP.jpg

Friday, April 11th | 7:00p - 9:00p

Free Fridays Concert

Join us at Bo Diddley Plaza and enjoy a plethora of musical talent!

Bo Diddley Plaza

111 E. University Ave. Gainesville, FL

swamp berry jam.png

Saturday, April 12 | 6:30p

Swamp Berry Jam

North Central Florida's Premier Poetry Slam

Featuring Many of America's Best Slam Poets!

Vecinos Neighborhood Restaurant and Bar

208 W University Ave, Gainesville, FL 32601

Sunday, April 13 | 1:00p - 3:00p (Workshop) + 4:00p - 5:00p (Signing)

Free Community Poetry + Creative Writing Workshop
Poetry Reading + Book Signing

Workshop & Book Signing facilitated by special guest poet Lola Haskins 

Alachua County Library District's Headquarters

401 E University Ave, Gainesville, FL

CB headshot.jpg
Screen Shot 2023-01-03 at 10.26.36 AM.png

SUPPORT THIS EVENT!

Your generous contribution will help continue to bring programs like the Bard & Broadside Poetry Festival to our community free of charge.

​

This event is brought to you by, ARTSPEAKSgnv Inc., a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. The organization's primary mission is to support literacy in youth and adults through the art of Poetry, Spoken Word, Storytelling, and Creative Writing. ARTSPEAKS promotes healthy communities by utilizing all forms of creativity and artistic expression through collaboration with educational and public health organizations.

​

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS

Screen Shot 2023-03-01 at 12.15.23 PM.png
AASP UF better logo for BandB.jpg
Florida-Humanities_Logo-RGB-768x311.png
Flag_of_Hampton_Inn_&_Suites_by_Hilton.png
acldlogosloganCOLOR.jpg
FgvKMQJU_400x400.jpg
visit gainesville alachua county 2 color.png
Matheson logo - PNG.png
CUSA_Logo_CMYK-stacked-4800x2794.jpg
Outlook-01t3jgle.png
Final-banner-minimum-margins.png
Glogo.png
unnamed1.png
Unknown.png
NEH-Preferred-Seal820 (1).jpg

Funding for this program was provided through a grant from Florida Humanities with funds from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this (publication) (program) (exhibition) (website) do not necessarily represent those of Florida Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.

For more information, contact bardandbroadside@gmail.com

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#ARTSPEAKSgnv
ARTSPEAKSgnv Inc. is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit charitable organization. All Donations to ARTSPEAKSgnv Inc. are Tax Deductable

​

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