Sedona Poetry Slam
January 24, 2026 | Mary D Fisher Theater
With 2025 in the rear-view mirror and 2026 underway, the Sedona Poetry Slam’s 17th season continues as performance poets bring high-energy, competitive spoken word to the Mary D. Fisher Theatre on Saturday, Jan. 24, starting at 7:30 p.m.
Audience members can expect everything from heartfelt confessions to biting political satire, as poets compete for cash prizes and a chance to represent Sedona at statewide competitions.
A poetry slam is like a series of high-energy, three-minute one-person plays, judged by the audience. Slam poetry is an art form that allows written page poets to share their work alongside theatrical performers, hip-hop artists and lyricists.
Poets come from as far away as Phoenix, Tucson, Prescott and Flagstaff, competing against local poets from Sedona and Cottonwood, college poets from Northern Arizona University and youth poets from Verde Valley high schools. All types of poetry are welcome on the stage, from street-wise hip-hop and narrative performance poems, to political rants and introspective confessionals. Any poem is a “slam” poem if performed in a competition. All poets get three minutes per round to entertain and inspire the audience with their creativity.
Anyone can sign up to compete in the slam for the $75 grand prize and $25 second-place prize. To compete in the slam, poets will need three original poems, each lasting no longer than three minutes. No props, costumes nor musical accompaniment are permitted. The poets are judged Olympics-style by five members of the audience selected at random at the beginning of the slam.
Email foxthepoet@yahoo.com to sign up early to compete or by the Friday before the slam, or sign up at the door the day of the slam. Poets who want to compete should purchase a ticket in case the roster is filled before they arrive.
Tickets and Venue
The Mary D. Fisher Theatre is located at 2030 W. SR 89A, Suite A-3, in West Sedona. Tickets are $12 in advance or $15 at the door. For tickets, call 928-282-1177 or visit SedonaFilmFestival.org.
The prize money is funded in part by a donation from Verde Valley poetry supporters Jeanne and Jim Freeland.
For more information, visit sedonafilmfestival.com or foxthepoet.blogspot.com.
