Known annual festivals/conferences:

Groups meeting regularly, especially focused on poetry:

Sunday:

Last Sunday monthly (afternoon) – Best of the Venue @ Dockmaster’s Grill in Waterside (Norfolk) http://www.venue-35.com/

Monday. Don’t know of any regularly occurring events.

Tuesday.

(generally) 1^st and 3^rd Tuesday evening @ VB Higher Ed Center – VB Open Page Poets http://www.chesbaypoets.org/VB_OpenPagePoets.html

2^nd Tuesday evening – Word 4 Word Poets @ Aroma’s Coffeehouse, Oyster Point City Center, NN http://www.chesbaypoets.org/WORD-4-WORD.html

Wednesday:

3rd Wednesday evening monthly – Synnika Lofton hosts open-mic poetry @ Greenbriar Library http://host5.evanced.info/chesapeake/evanced/eventcalendar.asp

Thursday:

Every Thursday evening – the Venue on 35^th in Norfolk open mic http://www.chesbaypoets.org/Venue.html; http://www.venue-35.com/

Every Thursday evening – Phoebus Library (and nearby locations) Writers on Writing open mic http://www.hamptonpubliclibrary.org/calendar.html

3^rd Thursday evening – open-mic poetry @ Pfac (Peninsula Fine Arts Center), Newport News http://www.chesbaypoets.org/PFAC.html

Friday:

Every Friday evening 8:30-10 Synnika Lofton MC’s The Prime Time Poetry Show at Bean There Café 223 E. City Hall Ave, Norfolk. $5 cover. www.ChesBayPoets.org/PrimeTimePoetry.jpg

1sr Friday evening Poetry Salon at the Muse Writing Center http://www.the-muse.org/readings-events.html

2^nd & 4^th Friday POETICS “an evening of Spoken-Word poetry from 7-9 p.m. at Old Towne Art 525 High St Poetsmouth, VA. $10 MC Angle and Featuring Hamza, Chystal Leigh, Godchild, and more. www. dreamswork2020.com

4^th Friday evening Fourth Friday Jam at the Muse Writers Center http://www.the-muse.org/readings-events.html

4^th Friday evening monthly – open mic at the Barnes & Noble Bookstore in the Jefferson Mall in Newport News http://www.chesbaypoets.org/BN-NN.html

4^th Friday evening monthly – open, sit-down poetry reading and contributions to feed welcome – home-made soup provided, BYO libations – Jack Callan’s house http://www.chesbaypoets.org/4th_FRIDAY.html

Friday evening (once a quarter) Poetry Prose and Pizza! At the Russell Memorial Library in Western Branch, Chesapeake http://www.chesapeake.lib.va.us/locations.asp Scroll down to the Russell Memorial and click on Russell Memorial Library Calendar

Saturday:

1^st Saturay morning (Sept-June) – PSV (Poetry Society of Virginia) feature reading at the James City County Library, Norge. http://www.poetrysocietyofvirginia.org

4^th Saturday morning – open sit-down poetry conversation-reading-critique group @ Prince Books in downtown Norfolk http://www.chesbaypoets.org/PRINCE_BOOKS.html

Last Saturday afternoon monthly – open to all, feature poetry read at Iris Art Studio in Poquoson http://www.chesbaypoets.org/IRIS.html

Variable and frequent: HRW (Hampton Roads Writers) open mic readings of poetry and prose usually at a public library. http://hamptonroadswriters.org

Let me know of others that I have missed.

Conferences, Festivals, Special Events, and Workshops

ODU Annual Literary Festival usually January or February at Old Dominion University, Norfolk

Chesapeake Poetry Festival usually February or March at the Russell Memorial Library in Western Branch, Chesapeake

CNU Annual Writers Conference usually March or April at the Ferguson Center for the Arts in Newport News

TCC Annual Literary Festival usually March or April at the various campuses of Tidewater Community College, typically opening at the TCC/Roper Theater in Norfolk

PSV (Poetry Society of Virginia) Annual Poetry Festival in Mayat the James City County Library at Norge and locations at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg

HRW (Hampton Roads Writers) Annual Writers Conference in September in Virginia Beach

The Muse in Norfolk hosts classes, workshops, readings, and more, most on a quarterly cycle, but much going on throughout the year.