Saturday, April 25, 2026

FESTIVAL DAY

COURTYARD STAGE

Opening

11:00a

We officially kick off the festival with music and poetry at 11:30a on the Main Stage.

Hear official greetings from organizers, local partners and officials.

THE HIVE

Film Screenings

11:30a

South Florida has a lot of local talent dedicated to creating compelling and thought-provoking narratives and documentaries. Be dazzled by films from local filmmakers including FilmCentric, Shot by Leather and Jazz Patterson. And hear from the filmmakers themselves in conversation with local artist, Sam Houle.

Fabienne Josaphat

Join author, Fabienne Josaphat, for Untold Stories of Our City

Miami has an official story in the media, be it tourism, Art Basel, the beach, the glamour. But there is also the other Miami, the one that holds the working-class barrio, the immigrant household, the family that arrived with nothing and built something the city doesn't bother to acknowledge. In this workshop, we will write toward discovery: what story is your city, or your neighborhood, or your family, not telling? Let's write it together!

Whose Story Is It? A conversation about the importance of journalism, authentic storytelling and diverse voices during uncertain times. This important panel is moderated by Nikisha Williams of the Miami Foundation and features some powerful voices local to our community:

Raisa Habersham, The Miami Herald
Carlton Gillespie, WLRN
Nile Fortner, Independent Journalist

ALI LOFT - Zen Zone

Youth Performances

All Day

Youth Activities

All Day

12:00n

Whose Story Is It?

2:00p

Sound and Scribe

12n+ 2:30p

Soul Care & Mango Butta Luvin Experience

1:00p

Wilkine Brutus

Richard Blanco

ALI GALLERY

Highly-acclaimed storyteller and journalist, Wilkine Brutus, leads us in Preserve Voices:

Do you really know your loved ones? Every family has a history, but without a plan to capture it, stories can vanish in a single generation. Join award-winning journalist and Maps & Diaries founder Wilkine Brutus for an interactive workshop on preserving the voices that matter most.

2:15p - Join Richard for an interactive craft chat, and take a deep dive into the golden rule of writing poetry, Show Don’t Tell. Though it’s a familiar rule we often use instinctually, we’ll examine how it truly works and why, in order to gain a stronger, more purposeful command of it. We’ll apply these discoveries by starting poems grounded in place and time, thinking about the relationship between the physical, tangible landscapes that we “show” and what they “tell” or convey about the intangible emotional landscapes at the heart of a poem.

Nailah Daaj leads us in a sonic experience through the meditative harmonies of sound bowls. This exercise is coupled with a brief journaling session.

Join Shanna L. Woods for an afternoon of self-love, soulful vibes, and mango butter goodness! Immerse yourself in a space designed to uplift your spirit and nurture your body through movement, music, and hands-on soul care rituals.

SHOWMOBILE

Enjoy amazing and inspirational performances from young artists affiliated with Art Prevails Project and other local organizations.

This will feature performances by participants in the Say Sumthn Teen Poetry Experience, Art Prevails Project in-school arts education programming and local youth groups.

GREEN SPACE

Our young readers will have an amazing time in our green space dedicated to tthem. Throughout the day, your child can engage in the following:

storytime
book giveaways
bounce house
field games
interactive arts activities
workshops
bubbles

Richard Blanco

Join celebrated poet, Richard Blanco, for an afternoon of engaging poetic offerings.

Richard will be joined by famed journalist, Carlos Frias, for a poetry reading and fireside chat. Followed by a writing workshop at 2pm.

Various members of our community will hit the stage with the beauty and breadth of their creative expression. This time is dedicated to showcasing the talent that exists in our own backyard: poetry, song, storytelling, etc.

1:00p

Community Performances

2:00p

Miami Sound Choir

Miami Sound Choir, is an inclusive adult community music-making experience founded in the fall of 2019. There are no auditions to participate. New members are always welcome.

3:00p

aja monet

Join surrealist blues poet and culture worker, aja monet, for an interactive poetic experience connecting the here and now through sharing of her original poetry and leading us through writing exercises

3:30p

1:00p

2:15p