Individual World Poetry Slam Finals

Saul Williams, the herald of slam poetry, once said, “More people than ever are slowly but surely turning their ears towards poetry.” With the International World Poetry Slam returning to the Lilac City this week, you may be hard-pressed to disagree. Slam competitions thrive on the exuberant performances of these frenetic wordsmiths, who come together this week to compete in the annual four-day event, which culminates with a grand finale of competition on Saturday night to crown one winner. Events leading up to the finals started on Wednesday evening, and beyond performance workshops, include several open mics geared toward works performed by those within the Latinx, Native American, African American, and LGBTQ communities. Head to the iWPS website for the full schedule, and to get tickets for the finals.

Sat, Oct. 14 at 7 pm • $27; $50-$60/festival pass • Bing Crosby Theater • 901 W. Sprague • iwps.poetryslam.com