Birmingham Public Library Presents Bards & Brews Open Mic Tribute Honoring the Legacy of Voice Porter on June 5 at Ferus Artisan Ales

What: BPL’s Bards & Brews Open Mic Tribute to Voice Porter
When: Friday, June 5, 2026 | 6:30–8:30 p.m. (doors open for open mic sign up at 6 p.m.)
Where: Ferus Artisan Ales’ The Reserve, located above Umami in the Trussville Entertainment District at 215 Bell Way, Suite B, Trussville, AL 35173
About the Event: Birmingham Public Library’s Bards & Brews will host a special open mic honoring the late Brian “Voice Porter” Hawkins and his legacy of creativity, community and artistic expression. Voice Porter hosted Bards & Brews for nearly a decade until his passing in August 2021. Bards & Brews is supported through a grant from the Alabama State Council on the Arts to the Friends Foundation of the Birmingham Public Library.

Birmingham, Ala.  -  The legacy of the late Brian “Voice Porter” Hawkins, longtime host of Birmingham Public Library’s popular monthly spoken word poetry and craft beer series Bards & Brews, will be celebrated during a special Bards & Brews Open Mic on Friday, June 5, 2026, at Ferus Artisan Ales in Trussville.

The spoken word open mic will take place across from Ferus in the Trussville Entertainment District at The Reserve, a venue located above Umami at 215 Bell Way, Suite B, Trussville, AL 35173. Doors will open at 6 p.m., followed by a musical guest at 6:30 p.m. and poetry.  

Hosted by current emcee Thed Weller, the evening will feature live music by Kari Dione followed by open mic spoken word poetry celebrating the creativity, community and artistic expression championed by Voice Porter.

For nearly a decade, Voice Porter served as the face and voice of Bards & Brews until his unexpected passing in August 2021 at age 42. Porter was widely known throughout Alabama’s spoken word community as an advocate for Ensley, poets, artists and community expression.

This year marks the third consecutive year Birmingham Public Library has hosted a June tribute event in Porter’s honor during his birth month. Porter mentored dozens of poets across Alabama and helped transform Bards & Brews into a welcoming space for creative expression and community connection.

The event is free and open to the public. Guests must be 18 or older to attend and 21 or older to purchase alcoholic beverages. Beer, wine and liquor will be available for purchase.

Anyone interested in sharing original spoken word poetry before a live audience is encouraged to participate.

For more information, visit www.cobpl.org, follow the Bards & Brews Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BardsandBrews or the Birmingham Public Library Facebook page at www.facebook.com/BirminghamPublicLibrary.

Written by Roy L. Williams, Public Relations Specialist - Birmingham Public Library