If you’re a spoken word poetry fan, or a budding one, you can check out poets from Dayton Poetry Slam this weekend as part of Sideshow 16, a two day music and arts festival at Yellow Cab Tavern.
Just what is Dayton Poetry Slam? Co-organizer Link Schreiber says, “We're one of Ohio's oldest poetry shows and [were] founded in 1999. We've been holding shows twice a month at Yellow Cab Tavern for the past 7 years. We host open mics and featured poets on the first Sunday of the month and we typically host a Poetry Slam on the third Sunday. A Slam is a competition where a poet has 3 minutes and 10 seconds to perform a piece of their own creation with some other rules and caveats that change depending on the show. Then some judges, from the audience, gives them a score from zero to 10. The winner typically takes home $50, 2nd place gets a free admission to the show, and 3rd place gets a warm hug (if they so consent).”
“I've had a lot of fun running this show for almost 20 years now, with a varying cast of characters and co-organizers," says Schreiber. "Currently we have myself, Lincoln Schreiber, Johnathon Galliene, Ayesha Alexander, and Morgan McGee running the show and we're all dedicated to one thing: giving a space for anyone who needs to speak their words/mind/truth. We have a very diverse set of regular poets and I'm very proud to have been a part of this community for so long."
I asked Schreiber about this weekend’s show, specifically its tie with Sideshow 16. He said, “[Sideshow] is run by another organization, we're just a featured performer. It's a giant alternative arts gala. With featured artists, musicians, and other performers.”
If you’re hungry for more Dayton Poetry Slam content post-show, Schreiber added this, “...we have a growing fanbase over on YouTube, as well. We post all of the poets that consent and give them (and us) more exposure. https://www.youtube.com/@DaytonSlam “
Event info:
Friday May 19, 5:30-6pm including poets Steven Wuebker, Joy Schwab, Polly, Sierra, Link, and Brett
Saturday May 20, 11:40pm – 12:10am including poets Sam, John Elison, Stephanie Ridgeway, Evan, Donte, Ayesha, Johnathon, Karah, and Iden
Yellow Cab Tavern
700 East 4th Street, Dayton, Ohio
