Name: Art Park Literary & Poetry Festival
Start: 2026-04-11T10:00:00-04:00
End: 2026-04-11T17:00:00-04:00
Location: Tuscawilla Art Park

The City of Ocala, in partnership with the Marion County Public Library System, will present the first Art Park Literary & Poetry Festival, a 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 spoken word.
Attendees can enjoy live open mic poetry recitals, local and regional author showcases, live music, food trucks, community vendors and art-making activities for all ages.
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🖊 Open Call for Poets 🖊
The City of Ocala and Marion County Public Library System - FL invite you to submit a poem inspired by the theme "My Place, My Story" for the inaugural Art Park Literary and Poetry Festival.
The festival takes place Saturday, April 11, from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. at Tuscawilla Art Park, 213 NE Fifth St.
📋 Submission Guidelines:
▪ Free to apply.
▪ One poem per poet, 40 lines maximum.
▪ Work must be in English, an original and be unpublished.
▪ Must be family-friendly, nonviolent and nonpolitical.
✅ Eligibility Guidelines:
▪ Must be 18 or older.
▪ Live or work in North Central Florida.
▪ Be eligible to work in the United States.
▪ Student competitors must be enrolled in a Marion County middle or high school and have parental or legal guardian consent.
➡️ The deadline to apply is March 2. Apply now at www.ocalafl.gov/poetryfest.
For more information, contact the City of Ocala Cultural Arts Division at 352-629-8447 or [email protected].
Selected poems will be featured in the inaugural festival book. Poets retain full ownership of their work, with permission for the City of Ocala to share for festival-related purposes.
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🖋 Call for Vendors:
The City is now accepting vendor applications in the following categories:
◼ Literary vendors including independent publishers, small presses, bookstores, magazines, newspapers, authors, zine creators and comic creators.
◼ Calligraphers, printmakers, illustrators and bookmakers
◼ Food trucks, nonprofit groups and arts organizations.
Applications are available at www.ocalafl.gov/poetryfest. Completed applications may be submitted by email to [email protected] or mailed to City of Ocala Cultural Arts, 201 SE Third St., Second Floor, Ocala, FL 34471.