Join Boston Poet Laureate Porsha Olayiwola and the Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture for the second biennial Roxbury Poetry Festival at the Bruce C. Bolling Building on Saturday, August 5, 2023!

The festival features several award-winning writers, panelists, and curators, and includes a keynote address from 2022 MacArthur Fellow, poet and essayist, Hanif Abdurraqib. The day-long event culminates with a Publisher’s Poetry Slam sponsored by Button Poetry that yields a book contract for a local writer.

Other events include a craft talk on politics and poetry by Ruth Lily Fellow and activist, Darius Simpson, and a workshop from Guggenheim Fellow Eileen Myles. The festival includes workshops taught by several local writers including Nakia Hill, Paloma Valenzuela, Brandie Blaze, Ekua Holmes and a pop-up open mic hosted by If You Can Feel It, You Can Speak It and so much more.

This festival is free and open to the public

Register today!

Presented by the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture and Boston-based Hip Hop crew STL GLD, join us at City Hall Plaza for an unforgettable day of music, food, and culture. This day-long event will bring together the Boston community highlighting the rich history of Hip Hop music and culture.

EarthGang and Dead Prez will headline GLD FSTVL, and the day-long event will also feature local performances by STL GLD, Billy Dean Thomas, Van Buren Records, The Hip Hop Transformation, Latrell James, Kei, and Oompa, as well as local DJs, food trucks, and retail vendors.

With a vibrant atmosphere and amazing performances, GLD FSTVL promises to be an epic celebration of music and community.

The BCYF Fun Fest will offer a variety of free activities including a cookout, music, ice cream, children's activities, center information and more. 

The BCYF Fun Fest will offer a variety of free activities including a cookout, music, ice cream, children's activities, center information and more. 

The BCYF Fun Fest will offer a variety of free activities including a cookout, music, ice cream, bouncy house/obstacle course, costume characters and clowns, face painting, carnival games and prizes. center information and more. 

The BCYF Fun Fest will offer a variety of free activities including music, a cookout, dunk tank, Mega Obstacle Course, DJ and dance party, snow cones and cotton candy, face paint and balloon magic, Hoop Mania, ice cream and Cookie Monstah trucks, special guest performances, giveaways and information about BCYF Condon Community Center’s programming and activities. 

This women and gender minority forward festival includes an amazing lineup of DJs, producers, and performers, as well as beautifully crafted items sold by the Boston Women's Market. There will also be a curated selection of food trucks. Don't miss out on all the summer fun!

This event was supported in part by a grant from the Mayor's Office of Arts & Culture.

Register for the event