The New York City Poetry Festival

What is Poetopia: Reimagining Poetic Futures?

Every July, The Poetry Society of New York (PSNY) transforms Governors Island into a sprawling, sun-drenched poetry wonderland known as The New York City Poetry Festival (NYC PoFest). For fourteen years, poets, poetry lovers, and poets-to-be have flocked from far and wide to frolic on the island’s lush green lawns and shout poetry to the skyline; to snack on Smorgasburg-worthy treats with new and old poetry besties; to scribble odes to Victorian mansions beneath a canopy of century-old trees.

But NYC PoFest is more than a celebration—it’s a site of transformation, a verdant sanctuary of creative expression in a chaotic world. At a time of political unrest and rampant divisive rhetoric, PSNY believes poetry is a blueprint for possibility, a practice of reimagining a more inclusive, equitable world. Foraging for wildflowers amidst proverbial sidewalk cracks, NYC PoFest 2025—July 12th and 13th from 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM on Nolan Park, Governors Island—introduces Poetopia: Reimagining Poetic Futures. This year’s festival poses a timely question to its audience of approximately 15,000+ arts enthusiasts:

What’s your Poetopia? What magic can participants and attendees alike co-create when hierarchy dissolves, language is free, and art is a communal resource?

What can attendees expect at Poetopia?

As Poetopia suggests—everything your little poetry heart can dream of, and more!

The festival remains 100% free to attend—beyond the $2.75 ferry fare, there are no barriers to entry or to performance.

More than 100 collectives and literary organizations will bring their voices to five outdoor stages The Brinkley, The Blackbird, The White Horse, The Beckett, and The Algonquin!

With no in-house poetry style, expect everything from Nuyorican Poets Cafe’s snaps-worthy spoken word to interdisciplinary performances from Poets House’s literary powerhouses.

2025 Headliners: Poetry Legends

Each afternoon from 3:00–4:00 PM, every stage except The Brinkley will go dark for our highly anticipated headliner readings. This year’s featured poets include:

Naomi Shihab Nye (19 Varieties of Gazelle, The Tiny Journalist)

Eileen Myles (Chelsea Girls, a “Working Life”)

Sam Sax (Bury It, Madness)

Anne Waldman & Andrew Whiteman (of Broken Social Scene), celebrating their new sonic poetry collaboration: Your Devotee in Rags

Spanning genres, generations, and poetic traditions, our headliners challenge the idea that poetry is an artifact of the past. Instead, they embody poetry as a living force that can shape the future.

The Youth Poetry Festival Stage

No Poetopia is possible without a new generation of poets to take up the mantle.

For the first time ever, NYC PoFest introduces the Youth Poetry Festival Stage, a dedicated space to platform—literally and figuratively—poets under 18.

Expect performances by:

Finalists for the Youth Poet Laureate position

Students from school programs and nonprofit writing organizations

Teen slam teams from across the city

Headliners: Winners of PSNY’s First Annual Youth Contest, Kassidy Khuu, Emma Hoff, and Brian Chan

The Ring of Daisies Open Mic

If hearing poetry from every corner of NYC stirs something in you, step into The Ring of Daisies Open Mic—a beloved tradition that invites anyone to read inside a literal ring of daisies.

Many festival-goers share their work publicly for the first time right here.

Open daily from 12:00–2:30 PM & 4:30–5:30 PM, sign-ups first-come, first-served.

Poetopia's Outdoor Markets

Explore Vendor Village and the Youth Vendor Village, featuring over 100 independent artisans and poetry-inspired creators.

Immersive Poetry Experiences

Poetopia will turn the festival itself into a living, breathing work of art.

Interactive installations and performances will explore poetry’s intersections with:

Technology

Sustainability

Music

Movement

Visual Art

And don’t miss The Poetry Brothel, PSNY’s legendary literary cabaret blending the sultry glamour of the 1920s with the bodily autonomy of the 2020s. Prepare for unforgettable performances and intimate, one-on-one poetry readings.

Poetopia's Core Principles

Poetopia is built on foundational values we strive to embody in every moment of the festival:

Poetry as Liberation — We wield words and art to challenge oppression, break silence, and give voice to the unseen and unheard.

Radical Inclusivity – Poetry belongs to all! We honor the voices of every race, gender, ability, and background, ensuring Poetopia is a space of true belonging.

Collective Imagination – Utopias are built together! We cultivate collaborative creativity, forging poems, performances, and discussions that spark transformation.

The Commons of Language & Art – Poetry and art are not commodities, but shared, infinite resources, creating spaces of exchange, movement, and dialogue.

Embodied Resistance & Joy – We reject the notion that revolution is only struggle—joy is its own form of defiance. Through art, we celebrate, disrupt, and reimagine!

Sustainability & Reciprocity – Our creations must nurture, not deplete. We commit to ethical, ecological, and regenerative practices in all aspects of Poetopia.

Poetry Beyond the Page – Poetry lives in the body, the voice, the street, the city, the sky. Poetopia invites installations that push poetry beyond traditional forms, into sculptural, interactive, and performative experiences.

Whether you’re a seasoned poet or someone just starting to put pen to paper, Poetopia awaits!