Belfast Poetry Festival (Belfast, ME)

The Belfast Poetry Festival returns this autumn in Belfast, Maine, for a rich weekend of poetry, workshops, readings, and community connection. From October 16 to 19, 2025, literary lovers, writers, and newcomers alike are invited to immerse themselves in creative expression across several venues in beautiful Midcoast Maine.

The festival opens Thursday, October 16, with A Toast to Poetry: Festival Opening Night Celebration, held at Waterfall Arts from 6:00 to 8:30 pm. Local and regional poets will share new work alongside live musical accompaniment, welcoming festival attendees to the weekend ahead.

On Friday, October 17, dive into imaginative workshops: Book as Offering at 10:00 am, where participants can handcraft their own artist books; Exploring the Monstrous at the Belfast Public Library, delving into the beautiful, the grotesque, and everything in between; plus Poetry Warm-Up, Ekphrastic Explorations, and A Poetry Workshop for Everyone, each offering different lenses and techniques for writing.

Saturday, October 18, features the Ellen Bass Craft Talk + Workshop: The Short Lyric from 2:00-4:00 pm, followed by the Evening Reading with Ellen Bass and Special Guests at First Church of Belfast. This event also features a book fair and reception, providing attendees with the opportunity to meet authors and celebrate poetry together.

Sunday, October 19, wraps up the festival with From Taking Photos on your Phone to Writing Poetry (10:00-11:30 am), Walking with Words: A Guided Reflective Walk through Brigham Green (10:00-11:30 am), and the Closing Party + Community Open Mic from noon-3:00 pm. These events are designed to be relaxed, inclusive, and offer opportunities to share, reflect, and connect.

For more details, the full schedule, and registration information, visit belfastpoetryfestival.com.
If you’d like to reach the organizers, please email .

Whether you are a seasoned poet, curious newcomer, or someone who loves to soak up art and conversation, the Belfast Poetry Festival invites you to explore language, community, and place in one unforgettable weekend.

Belfast Poetry Festival 2025 — Schedule

Thursday, October 16, 2025

• A Toast to Poetry: Festival Opening Night Celebration — 6:00 PM to 8:30 PM at Waterfall Arts
  Includes a reception and readings by Maine poets Beatrix Gates, Megan Berman, Paul McFarland, Eleanor Cade Busby, plus a cross-genre quintet and musical accompaniment.

Friday, October 17, 2025

• Book as Offering — 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Waterfall Arts (make your own handmade book)
• Exploring the Monstrous: How Writing Grotesque or Unsettling Imagery Can Serve as a Path Toward Beauty in Poems — 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at Belfast Public Library
• Poetry Warm-Up — 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM, venue TBA
• Ekphrastic Explorations — 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM at Waterfall Arts (Clifford Gallery)
• A Poetry Workshop for Everyone — 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM at Belfast Public Library (Abbott Room)
• Turning Edna Golden: Exploring Millay + Hayes — 2:00 PM to 3:30 PM at Belfast Public Library (3rd floor meeting room)
• Haiku Death Match — 7:00 PM to 9:00 PM at Colonial Theatre (Dreamland)

Saturday, October 18, 2025

• One-Page Books — 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Belfast Public Library (Abbott Room)
• Poetic Movements — 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM at Waterfall Arts (Dance Annex)
• Minor and Major Arcana — 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at Belfast Public Library (3rd floor meeting room)
• Ekphrastic Explorations — 10:30 AM to 11:30 AM at Belfast Public Library (Kramer Gallery)2nd Annual Crankie Matinee — 12:30 PM to 1:45 PM at Waterfall Arts (Dance Annex)
• Ellen Bass Craft Talk + Workshop: The Short Lyric — 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM at Belfast Public Library (Abbott Room)
• An Evening Reading with Ellen Bass and Special Guests — 5:30 PM to 8:30 PM at First Church of Belfast

Sunday, October 19, 2025

• From Taking Photos on your Phone to Writing Poetry — 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at Rockweed Center
• Walking with Words: A Guided Reflective Walk — 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM at Brigham Green
• Closing Party + Community Open Mic — 12:00 PM to 3:00 PM at Brigham Green