Disclaimer: This Inside South Florida segment is sponsored by Pompano Beach Cultural Affairs Department. All opinions and views are of the advertiser and does not reflect the same of WSFL-TV.
The nation's top wordsmiths are descending upon Pompano Beach for the 32nd annual Southern Fried Poetry Slam. Pompano Beach Arts is proud to announce that this electrifying four-day festival will take place from June 12 through June 15. This event is a celebration of spoken word performance, poetry, and the power of community. Inside South Florida sat down with Sarita Goods to learn more about what attendees can expect from this dynamic event.
Sarita Goods, a representative of Southern Fried Poetry Slam, explained that slam poetry is a competition where individuals or groups perform original poetic works. They are then scored by judges, and the team with the highest score at the end of the bout wins. "[Slam poetry] was founded in the 80s by Marc Smith in Chicago and has evolved significantly over the years. We’re very excited to bring slam poetry to Pompano Beach," Sarita shared.
One of the unique aspects of slam poetry is its wide range of topics. "The fun part about slam poetry is that you can write about anything. It doesn’t have to be personal; it can be about any topic you’re passionate about. Some poets write about heavier content like personal struggles and traumatic events. We also have some poets that like to be lighter and do poems that are funny. You’re going to cover the gamut of emotions when you come to a poetry slam," she said.
In addition to the poetry competition, Southern Fried Poetry Slam offers various workshops. This year's workshops cover a range of topics, including performing a feature set, refining poetic works, developing artistic vision, and managing mental health while dealing with heavy topics. "We have tried to cover all the different parts of poetry," Sarita noted. These workshops are designed to help poets at all levels improve their craft and find new ways to express themselves.
Participation in the poetry slam is open to anyone who wants to compete, though advance registration is required. "For our specific tournament, you need to register in advance… This time of year we don't really have any openings available. However, we’re always looking for the community to come out and find something that really excites them. And maybe in years to come they too will come and be participants," Sarita explained.
For those interested in attending the Southern Fried Poetry Slam, tickets and festival passes are available. These passes grant access to preliminary bouts and the final stage on Saturday. Visit southernfriedpoetryslam.com and pompanobeacharts.org to purchase tickets for workshops and festival passes.
