Slam poet veterans, avid poetry fans and people looking to break into the world poetry are all highly encouraged to come this three-day event and meet the poets who maintain the poetry industry (locally and nationally).

The event will include a small press book fair, poetry readings, open mic opportunities, meet-and-greets, as well as social after-parties for you to talk with a poet. All events will take place at La Esquina Gallery with the exception of the after-parties (which varies depending on night). You can see the entire schedule and location of the after-parties below!

Charlotte Street Foundation is excited to partner with Fountainverse to host the annual event for 2018 in La Esquina Gallery (1000 W 25th Street, KCMO) for the weekend of Friday, October 12, through Sunday, October 14, 2018.

Fountainverse: KC Small Press Poetry Fest is a three-day poetry festival featuring poets representing independent poetry publishing houses from the KC metro and across the country. The fest features scheduled readings, a pop-up book shop, and open mic opportunities. The poets and presses are invited to participate by a creative board comprised of representatives from Kansas City’s various literary scenes. Each creative board member will take lead on hosting a national press and their two groups will have one of the six main feature events. All together, twelve groups will be featured, half from KC and half nationally based. Even more small presses will be represented at the pop-up book shop.

FESTIVAL GUIDE

Friday, October 12th

Feature #1: 6 pm – 7:30 pm @ La Esquina
Spartan Press and Outlandish Press

Feature #2: 8 pm – 9:30 pm @ La Esquina
FountainVerse and Epic Rites Press

Afterparty: 10 pm – 1:30 am @ Uptown Arts Bar
Open mic and social hosted by Jeanette Powers

Saturday October 13th

Book Fair: 1 pm – 4 pm @ La Esquina

Feature #3: 5 pm – 6:30 pm @ La Esquina
Latinx Writers Collective and Aztlan Libre Press

Feature #4: 7 pm – 8:30 pm @ La Esquina
KC Poetry Slam and Write Bloody Press

Afterparty: 9 pm – 1:30 am @ TBD

Sunday October 14th

Book Fair: 11 am – 1 pm @ La Esquina

Open Mic: 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm @ La Esquina (this is the place for traveling poets not featured to read), brought to FountainVerse by Poetic Underground

Feature #5: 4 pm to 6:30 pm @ La Esquina
Riverfront Readings and Cringe-Worthy Poets

Afterparty: 7 pm to 11 pm @ Swordfish Tom’s

Open mic and social hosted by Brandon Whitehead