About this Event
JCAST IAWA Showcase
Get ready for an awesome in-person experience at the JCAST IAWA Showcase! It's the perfect chance to dive into fresh ideas, meet cool people, and soak up some great vibes. Whether you're a fan or just curious, this event promises something special for everyone. Don’t miss out—come join the fun and be part of the excitement live!
Art Installation By: Micayla Mirabella
Micayla Mirabella (they/them) is a queer artist and photographer. With over a decade of experience, they capture portraits, weddings, events, engagements, and pretty much anything else worth remembering. They love to photograph beautiful things and they believe people are the most beautiful subjects. They are committed to inclusivity and accessibility and they celebrate all identities, all bodies, and all love.
About Our JCAST Partner:
Cafe Lafayette is a casual cafe serving up delicious drinks and comfort food as well as Korean specialty dishes in the Bergen-Lafayette neighborhood of Jersey City.
Located in the Be-La apartments. Cafe Lafayette features an extensive menu which caters to a variety of tastes and serves breakfast all day. We also feature popular seasonal items that are sure to satisfy.
We host seasonal vendor markets as well as the occasional private event which can be catered to your needs.
About JCAST:
The Jersey City Art & Studio Tour (JCAST) returns for its 37th year—continuing its legacy as one of the oldest and most dynamic artist open studio tours in the Northeast.
For nearly four decades, JCAST has transformed Jersey City into a vibrant, citywide arts experience—activating studios, galleries, and public spaces across every ward. It brings together artists, collectors, curators, cultural leaders, and visitors to celebrate creativity while driving tourism, economic growth, and neighborhood revitalization.
Join us this fall as we continue to position Jersey City as a regional leader in arts, culture, and the creative economy.
JCAST is about connecting thousands of people with localized art and the different neighborhoods and various cultures that define Jersey City.
The dates are set: October 1–4, 2026.
About IAWA:
IAWA was founded in 1991 to promote Italian American writing. Its members include writers, readers, editors, publishers, agents, translators, teachers, scholars, and all who are interested in the progress of Italian American writing. IAWA aims to promote Italian American literature by encouraging the writing, reading, publication, distribution, translation, and study of Italian American writing. To promote the production, publication, reception, and study of Italian American writing, IAWA has established three basic ground rules to effect change and raise the level of awareness in the Italian American writing and reading community:
Write or be written – IAWA provides a forum to encourage and educate Italian Americans to write their own realities, rather than waiting for others to do it for them.
Read one another – IAWA expands and promotes the visibility and reading of Italian American authors. We must begin with ourselves if we are to expect others to read the books of Italian American writers.
Buy our books – IAWA works actively to create a market for the sale of books by Italian American authors, and to demonstrate to publishers that a market for those books exists.
Review one another!
THE IAWA LITERARY READING SERIES
One of the cornerstones of the Italian American Writers Association [IAWA] is the regularly scheduled IAWA READINGS. This reading series has been instrumental in bringing Italian American authors into the community of writers and literature at large. Each reading features two accomplished authors, whose work is highlighted that evening and whose books are promoted and sold, as well as an open reading forum.
IAWA OPEN READINGS take place on the second Thursday of the month at the Calandra Institute in Manhattan, New York City and on the third Saturday of the month at I Am Books in Boston, MA. See the homepage of the IAWA website for information about the specific dates, times, and authors.
Event venue & nearby stays
Cafe Lafayette, 74 Maple Street, Jersey City, United States
Concerts, fests, parties, meetups — all the happenings, one place.