Art Park Literary and Poetry Festival

Saturday, April 11, 2026 | 10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Tuscawilla Art Park | 213 NE 5th Street, Ocala, FL

The City of Ocala, in partnership with the Marion County Public Library System, presents the first annual Art Park Literary & Poetry Festival, a brand-new addition to the Art Park Series! This free, family-friendly event invites the community to celebrate the power of language through literature, poetry, and the spoken word.

Attendees can enjoy live Open Mic poetry recitals, local and regional author showcases, food trucks, literary community vendors, non-profits, and art-making experiences for all ages. The first edition of the “My Place, My Story: Art Park Literary and Poetry Festival” book will be available for free at the event, featuring selected poems from participating poets.

This free event will host live musical performances by Def-i and Küf Knotz & Christine Elise, as well as community performances by Friends of the Public Library and the Ocala Civic Theatre.

The open-mic poetry recitations will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m., featuring original works by student poets and professional spoken word artists.

In the event of inclement weather, the Art Park Literary & Poetry Festival will be rescheduled to Saturday, April 18, 2026.

Participants and attendees will be notified of any weather-related changes by email. Updates will also be posted on the City of Ocala Cultural Arts Instagram page @OcalaCulturalArts. Please check for updates leading up to the event.

Poetry:

Open calls on January 7, 2026, will be held for North Central Florida professional poets and Marion County students. Selected poems will be featured in the first edition of “My Place, My Story: Art Park Literary and Poetry Book”, published by the City of Ocala in partnership with the Marion County Public Library. The book will be available online and distributed for free.

The theme for this year’s festival is “My Place, My Story”, encouraging poets to explore their personal interpretation of home. Poets are invited to reflect on the places, memories, and experiences that shape their sense of belonging, whether in physical spaces, feelings, people, a favorite corner of a home, a special spot in nature, or even a secret garden. Submissions may capture the stories, emotions, and experiences that make these places meaningful.

Poetry Rules and Regulations

Eligibility & Participation Guidelines

Professional poets (18 and older) must currently reside and work in North Central Florida and be eligible to work in the United States with a valid IRS Tax Identification Number.

Student competitors must be enrolled in a Marion County middle or high school and have parental or legal guardian consent. Students under 18 attending the festival must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian for the duration of the event.

All communication will be conducted via email; a valid, active email address is required to participate

Content & Materials

• It’s free to apply.
• One poem per poet.
• Poem must have a title.
• Poems cannot exceed 40 lines.
• All forms of poetry are welcome, including lyric, haiku, ballad, free verse, etc.
• Submissions must be original, unpublished work created by the participant.
• Poems must be written in English.
• No AI-Generated Poetry: All poetry submissions must be original works created by the participant. Plagiarized, copyrighted, or branded content will not be accepted.
• Poems must be family-friendly, non-violent, and non-political to maintain a welcoming environment for all ages.
• Once submitted, poems cannot be edited, but you can withdraw and submit a new one before the deadline.
• You may have someone else perform your poem during the Open Mic Recital, or you may choose not to perform at all.

Intellectual Property and Copyrights

Poets will retain full ownership of their poems. By participating in the festival, they allow the City of Ocala to share their work for festival purposes, such as promoting the event or including their poem in the festival’s book.

Vendor Applications

Applications are now open for the Art Park Literary & Poetry Festival.

This is a great opportunity to connect with families, promote your services or mission, and be part of Ocala’s growing arts and culture community. We welcome:

• Independent publishers and small presses
• Bookstores
• Authors and poets
• Zine artists and comic creators
• Magazine and newspaper publishers
• Book makers and bookbinders
• Printmakers
• Calligraphers
• Typography or letterpress artists
• Illustrators who focus on storytelling or literary themes
• Paper artists or stationery designers
• Libraries or writing clubs
• Non – profits
• Food trucks and refreshment vendors

Entries can be submitted online, via email to artinfo@ocalafl.gov, or mailed to:

City of Ocala Cultural Arts, 201 SE 3rd St., 2nd Floor, Ocala, FL 34471.

Deadline to apply: February 16, 2026.