Genre: Poetry

Sacred Ground Cafe’s open mic is one of the longest-running open mic series in the country. They have been serving up poetry and good food since 1972 to discerning San Franciscans and their guests. The series is a free speech zone and appreciates new voices.

Book Passage is the Bay Area’s liveliest bookstore. They host over 1200 events every year, ranging from debut novelists to culinary superstars. All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. They also have a second location in the San Francisco Ferry Building.

The Mississippi University of Women hosts the Eudora Reading Series and the Eudora Welty Writers’ Symposium which is held each October in honor of MUW’s alumna and features a diverse group of Southern writers and scholars. A highlight of the symposium is the announcement of the Eudora Welty Prize for a book to be published by the University Press of Mississippi. All symposium events are held on the MUW campus and are free and open to the public.

Opened in 2007, Flintridge Bookstore is a full-service bookstore, with an attached coffeehouse and large selection of gifts. It hosts regularly scheduled poetry readings and other literary events. They work very closely with their community to feature local authors and to provide core curriculum for the La Cañada school district.