Rhymes on the River: Juneteenth Poetry Slam
Fri Jun 17, 7:00 PM - Fri Jun 17, 10:00 PM

Sponsored by the Downtown Memphis Commission & Memphis River Parks, Rhymes on the River: Juneteenth Poetry Slam is a poetry competition where the power of words meet the beauty of the downtown Memphis riverfront. Comedian Rob Love will host as the poets prepare for a 3-round elimination poetry night in honor of Juneteenth. The top 3 poets will win cash prizes. In round 1, all poets must share poems on the Juneteenth theme. For the poets who advance to rounds 2 & 3, they’ll be able to share poems on any topic. No props or music allowed. This competition will use cumulative scoring, which means the poet with the most points at the end of all 3 rounds, will win 1st place. This year, we have added a color theme, so we want to see you rocking your yellow, red, and green attire or one of the three colors because this Juneteenth event is indeed a celebration.

What to expect:

Seating will be available for the first 75 guests. For the guests who like to enjoy poetry from the comfort of their own lawn chairs, those are also welcomed.

The RSVP option is encouraged and preferred so that we can make adjustments and add more seating, as needed. This will help us gage the numbers. Our Juneteenth Poetry Slam sold out, last year, so we want to more efficiently track the number of guests planning to attend.

There will be a variety of vendors on deck, including food & drink vendors, so this event will be a one-stop-shop for guests. The poetry and river view is just a bonus. If interested in vending, text #JPSVendor to 901.503.7418. If interested in being in the slam, text #JPS to 901.503.7418. Limited slots remaining for both.

Portable restrooms will be available.

There will be parking garages in the area that are open to the public, as well as some free parking on neighboring streets. Just give yourself an early start so you can find good parking. Everything will be in close proximity of the park.

To stay connected to events by Writeous Soul Productions, text the word poetry to 901.370.7055. If you think you’ll enjoy #RhymesOnTheRiver, help us spread the word.