Patti Smith, Def Poetry alumni join Dodge Poetry Festival in Newark
Patti Smith, Def Poetry alumni join Dodge Poetry Festival in Newark
Gene Myers, NorthJersey.comThu, October 15, 2026 at 9:42 AM UTC
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Rocker and writer Patti Smith and poets Terrance Hayes and Elizabeth Acevedo will join the Dodge Poetry Festival in Newark from Oct. 15 to 17, with readings, writing workshops and a free family day.
The three-day festival will feature 139 poets and 70 events that will take place at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center and surrounding downtown locations.
The festival, which is presented by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and NJPAC, features a few acts that will appeal to non-poets and poets alike.
Patti Smith helped shape punk by bringing poetry’s language and ambition to the '70s scene, influencing generations of musicians and writers in the process.
Smith’s “Songs and Stories” performance is scheduled for Oct. 16 at 8 p.m. at NJPAC’s Prudential Hall.
On Oct. 17, "Def Poetry Jam" alumni will reunite for performances honoring Abiodun Oyewole, a founding member of the influential poetry and music group The Last Poets, at 5 p.m. in NJPAC’s Victoria Theater.
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Participants include D.Cross, Kraal “Kayo” Charles and Bonafide Rojas, with Newark Mayor Ras Baraka also scheduled to appear. Connecting poetry and hip-hop culture, HBO’s "Def Poetry Jam" series brought spoken-word to a national audience.
Other poets taking part include Tyehimba Jess, Arthur Sze, Aja Monet, Jericho Brown and Naomi Shihab Nye.
There’s a free family event on Oct. 17 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m at NJPAC’s Chambers Plaza. It will include poetry readings, face painting and a children’s obstacle course.
“Do the Write Thing,” a discussion and multimedia event with filmmaker and author Nelson George, takes place later that day at 8 p.m.
A pop-up bookstore and book signings are also planned throughout the festival.
One-day and three-day passes are available at njpac.org. Smith’s performance, the Def Poetry Reunion and “Do the Write Thing” require separate tickets.
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Patti Smith, Def Poetry alumni join Dodge Poetry Festival in Newark
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