BPL Announces 2024 Bards & Brews Spoken Word Poetry Schedule

The Birmingham Public Library's has announced the 2024 schedule of Bards & Brews. The popular spoken word poetry and tasting event will be held monthly on the first Friday from January through November, beginning this Friday, January 5 at the Central Library, 2100 Park Place, downtown. 

Bards & Brews is hosted monthly by Thed Weller. The program is free and open to the public. You must be 18 or older to enter and 21 and older with proof of I.D. to drink alcohol. 

This Friday's Bards & Brews Open Mic will kick off at 6:30 p.m., with Jamil Glenn serving as our first featured local poet of the year. Each Bards & Brews Open Mic spotlights a poet from the Birmingham metro area.

Celebrate the new year by joining us for some live spoken word poetry and sampling of a few beers. If you ever wanted to share original spoken word or other forms of art before a live audience, this Friday's Bards & Brews Open Mic is your opportunity.

Dates and locations for Bards & Brews  in 2024 are as follows:

* Friday, January 5, 6:30 p.m. (Poetry Open Mic)—Central Library, 2100 Park Place

* Friday, February 2, 6:30 p.m. (Poetry Slam)—Central Library, 2100 Park Place

* Friday, March 1, 6:30 p.m. (Poetry Open Mic, Women's History Month)—Location to be determined

* Friday, April 5, 6:30 p.m. (Poetry Open Mic)—Location to be determined

* Friday, May 3, 6:30 p.m. (Poetry Slam)—Central Library, 2100 Park Place 

* Friday, June 7, 6:30 p.m. (Poetry Open Mc, Tribute to Voice Porter)—The Greenhouse, 602 19 St. Ensley

* July (No Bards & Brews this month)

* Friday, August 2, 6:30 p.m. (Poetry Open Mic)—Central Library, 2100 Park Place

* Friday, September 6, 6:30 p.m. (Poetry Slam)—Central Library, 2100 Park Place

* Friday, October 4, 6:30 p.m. (Poetry Open Mic)—Location to be determined

* Friday, November 1, 6:30 p.m. (Poetry Open Mic)—Location to be determined

* December (No Bards & Brews this month)

At Open Mics, everyone is welcome to perform with any form of spoken word art. BPL will hold its 2nd Annual Open Mic Tribute to Voice Porter, late host of Bards & Brews, on June 7 at The Greenhouse, 602 19th Street Ensley.

The BPL will host three Bards & Brews Poetry Slams in 2024—February 2, May 5, and September 6. At Slams, the first 10 participants to register with the $5.00 registration fee will get to compete. First, second, and third-place Slam winners receive cash prizes. 

Bards & Brews is sponsored by the Alabama State Council on the Arts.