Events

Past events

2025

October 25, 2025, 6:30-7:30PM PST
Litcrawl Phase 2: Campfire Stories and Other Ghostly Narratives
with Doug Henderson, Jennifer Christgau Aquino, Beth Winegarner, Sezin Devi Koehler, Rowena Leong Singer
McSweeney’s International Library of Youth Writing, San Francisco, CA

October 19, 2025, 7:30-9PM PST
Turn it Up: Celebrating 5 Years of Litquake Out Loud
with Sarah O’Neal, Diego Plascencia-Vega, D’mani Thomas, Giovanna Lomato, Josiah Luis Alderete 
Make-Out Room, San Francisco, CA

May 3-29: Carolyn Moore Residency
Tigard and Portland, OR
May 8, 7PM: Constellation Reading at Bishop & Wilde / Tin House (in-person)
May 17 10AM: Workshop (in-person)

April 26: Rooted & Written Symposium
Class: “Creating Art from Invisible Wounds” (virtual)
11:10AM-12:10PM PST

March 26-29, 2025 AWP
Los Angeles, CA
March 27, 2025, 7PM Off Site. On Purpose.
MG studios, 1319 11th St
March 28 6PM Writers Grotto Reading & Soiree
1230 Horn Ave, West Hollywood

2024

June 18, 2024, 5-6:30PM PST (VIRTUAL)
Explore the Poetry of Science (Creative Writing Workshop)
SF Writers Grotto
$60

June 11, 2024, 5-6:30PM PST (VIRTUAL)
Explore the Poetry of Science (Creative Writing Workshop)
SF Writers Grotto
$60

June 4, 2024, 5-6:30PM PST (VIRTUAL)
Explore the Poetry of Science (Creative Writing Workshop)
SF Writers Grotto
$60 per session or $150 for all three

May 14, 2024, 5-6:30PM PST (VIRTUAL)
Cancelled Poetry About Mothers (Creative Writing Workshop)
SF Writers Grotto
$54 if you sign up before May 7th; $60 after

March 5, 2024, 5PM PST(VIRTUAL)
Write-in at the Writers Grotto ($25 or $99 for season pass)

February 27, 2024, 5PM PST (VIRTUAL)
Write-in at the Writers Grotto ($25 or $99 for season pass)

February 10, 2024, 9PM CST (IN-PERSON)
[AWP] Mothership: A Reading
  Nighthawk, 1228 Baltimore Ave, Kansas City, MO

February 8, 2024, 7:30-9PM CST (IN-PERSON)
[AWP] C&R Press and Steel Toe Books Reading
  Tavernonna Italian Kitchen, Kansas City, MO

February 8, 2024, 1:45-3PM CST (IN-PERSON)
[AWP Panel] Pathways to Success: Practical and Personal Tips for Getting Published
 with Lydia Kang, Jean Alicia Elster, Lisa Williamson Rosenberg, A.H. Kim
  Kansas City, MO

January 18, 2024, 12-3PM EST (IN-PERSON)
The Future of Health – Boston Summit
Banners @ TD Garden, Boston, MA

January 7, 2024, 5-6:30PM PST (VIRTUAL)
New Year, New Poems (Creative Writing Workshop)
SF Writers Grotto
$54 if you sign up before Jan 1st; $60 after

January 2, 2024 (VIRTUAL)
New Year, New Poems (Creative Writing Workshop)
SF Writers Grotto
$54 if you sign up before Dec 26th; $60 after

2023

June 16—December 11, 2023 (literary & video exhibit)
Bernice Bing: Open Call
Asian Art Museum, San Francisco, CA

November 4-13, 2023 (HYBRID)
Rooted & Written (core faculty)
“We Contain Multitudes: a Poetry Workshop”

October 14, 2023 1:45-3:00PM (IN-PERSON)
Litquake Out Loud (curator): feat. Francesca Bell, James Cagney, Kimi Sugioka, Dashaun Washington, Matthew Zapruder
Yerba Buena Park

October 10, 2023 7:30-9PM (IN-PERSON)
Happy Endings: Grindstones and Rhinestones with Duane Horton, Lauren C. Johnson, K.R. Morrison, & Katie Wheeler-Dubin
Make-Out Room (Suggested donation $10)

October 5, 2023 7-10PM (IN-PERSON, ticketed: $40 adv / $45 door)
Litquake’s Opening Night Party
University Club of San Francisco

September 25, 2023 6PM (VIRTUAL)
Write-in at the Writers Grotto ($25 or $99 for season pass)

September 18, 2023 6PM (VIRTUAL)
Write-in at the Writers Grotto ($25 or $99 for season pass)

September 7, 2023 7PM (IN-PERSON)
Metabolics launch: Jessica Johnson with Jenny Qi & Preeti Vangani
Green Apple Books on 9th, San Francisco, CA

July 23, 2023 1-5PM (IN-PERSON)
City Lights Books 70th Anniversary Reading
with Josiah Luis Alderete, James Cagney, Meilani Clay, soledad con carne, Donna de la Perrière, Forrest Gander, Tongo Eisen-Martin, Juba Kalamka, Joseph Lease, DA Powell, Jenny Qi, Dean Rader, Barbara Jane Reyes, Kim Shuck, Maw Shein Win, and Matthew Zapruder; emceed by Peter Maravelis
Kerouac Alley, San Francisco, CA

June 26, 2023 6PM (VIRTUAL)
Write-in at the Writers Grotto ($25 or $99 for season pass)

June 22, 2023, 7PM (IN-PERSON)
The Racket: Futureshock
with Matthew Zapruder, Kiana Shaley, Ilana Kramer, Giovanna Lomanto, Halim Madi, Julian Mithra
The Sycamore, San Francisco, CA

June 19, 2023 6PM (VIRTUAL)
Write-in at the Writers Grotto ($25 or $99 for season pass)

June 13, 2023, 12:30-1:30PM (IN-PERSON)
Poetic Tuesdays with LitQuake (curated by Karla Brundage)
with Paul Corman-Roberts, Cassandra Dallett, Shilpa Kamat, & Sara Biel
Jessie Square, Yerba Buena Gardens, 760 Mission St., San Francisco, CA

May 25-28, 2023 (MST, IN-PERSON)
Mountain Words Literary Festival (Mountain Words Writer-in-Residence)
Center for the Arts, Crested Butte, CO

May 26, 5:30-7:30PM: Writers-in-Residence readings
May 27, 5:00-6:30PM: Forest Woodward gallery opening + readings
May 28, 10:00-11:00AM: “First Draft” podcast live recording

April 22, 2023 3PM (IN-PERSON)
NaPoMo Grotto Poets Reading
with Tonya Foster, Maw Shein Win, Shikha Malayvia
Book Passage Ferry Building, San Francisco, CA

March 27, 2023 6PM (VIRTUAL)
Write-in at the Writers Grotto ($25)

March 13, 2023 6PM (VIRTUAL)
Write-in at the Writers Grotto ($25)

March 5, 2023 6PM (IN-PERSON)
Bazaar Writers Salon
Bazaar Cafe, San Francisco, CA

March 2, 2023 5PM (IN-PERSON, postponed from 2/23/23 due to weather)
Salesforce Park Poetry Series
with Preeti Vangani, Shikha Malayvia, Maw Shein Win
San Francisco, CA

February 27, 2023 6PM (VIRTUAL)
Write-in at the Writers Grotto ($25 or $99 for a season pass)

February 17, 2023 5-7PM (IN-PERSON)
SF Writers Grotto Reading & Meeting
with Louise Nayer, Doug Henderson, Christl Perkins, & emcee Dominic Lim
The Writers Grotto Office: 1663 Mission St., San Francisco, CA

February 8, 2023 7:30-8:30PM EST (IN-PERSON)
SWWIM Reading with Susan Leary
The Betsy Hotel Library, Miami, FL

2022

Wednesday December 7, 2022 6-7:30PM PST (IN-PERSON)
SFPL Author Reading & Lecture (sponsored by Friends of the SFPL)
Chinatown / Him Mark Lai Library, San Francisco, CA

Tuesday November 29, 2022 6:30-8:30PM EST (VIRTUAL)
FSC Virtual STEM Poetry Series
with Neil Aitken

Thursday October 27, 2022 7PM PT (IN-PERSON)
The Racket Reading Series: They Rise Like a Wave
Old Devil Moon: 3472 Mission St, San Francisco, CA
with Candy Shue, Maw Shein Win, & Christine No

Thursday October 22, 2022 6:30-7:30PM PT (IN-PERSON)
LitCrawl Phase 2: Friends and the Brown Handler Residents
Manny’s: 3092 16th St, San Francisco, CA
with Doug Henderson, Preeti Vangani, Lindsey Smith, & tanea lunsford lynx; MC Kathleen McClung

Thursday October 20, 2022 7:30-9PM PT (IN-PERSON)
LitQuake: Best American Poetry & ZYZZYVA
Amado’s, San Francisco, CA (ticketed: $15 advance / $20 door)
with William Brewer, James Cagney, Victoria Chang, Sarah Mumolo, & sam sax; hosted by Matthew Zapruder & Oscar Villalon

Thursday September 1, 2022 7PM PT (IN-PERSON)
University of San Francisco MFA, class visit

Friday August 19, 2022 9AM PT (VIRTUAL)
Rooted & Written, generative poetry workshop

Wednesday August 17, 2022 10AM ET (VIRTUAL)
Herricks High School, poetry workshop

Wednesday July 27, 2022 7PM PT (IN-PERSON)
Medicine for Nightmares San Francisco, CA
with Gustavo Barahona-Lopez, Alan Chazaro, Muriel Leung, & Hector Son of Hector

Saturday July 16, 2022 (IN-PERSON)
University of Nebraska Omaha Visiting Writer Series, craft talk & reading

Sunday, May 22, 2022 2PM PT (IN-PERSON)
Skylight Books Los Angeles, CA
with Pete Hsu and Lily Hoang

Saturday, April 30, 2022 (IN-PERSON)
Sierra Poetry Festival
Miners Foundry Cultural Center, Nevada City, CA
with Forrest Gander, Isadora Goudsblom, and many more

Thursday, April 28, 2022 7PM PT (IN-PERSON)
Literary Speakeasy
Martuni’s, San Francisco, CA
with Tory Adkisson, Kevin Madrigal Galindo, Richie Hofmann, & Roberto F. Santiago

Thursday, April 21, 2022 5PM PT / 7PM CT (VIRTUAL, watch here)
Women & Children First, Chicago, IL
with Ananda Lima & Dustin K. Pearson

Sunday, April 3, 2022 2PM PT
Book Passage Ferry Building (IN-PERSON)
One Ferry Building 42, San Francisco, CA
with Tonya Foster, Maw Shein Win, & Preeti Vangani

Saturday, March 12, 2022 5:30PM PST
Babylon Salon (IN-PERSON)
with Lee Kravetz, Yang Huang, Georgina Beatty, & Scott Bird

Friday, March 11, 2022 5PM PST
Salesforce Park (IN-PERSON)
with Rita Chang-Eppig, Jenny Bitner, & Grace Rubenstein

Wednesday, March 9, 2022 6:30PM PST
UC Berkeley MCC (VIRTUAL)
with Sagaree Jain and Caleb Luna

Thursday, March 3, 2022 6PM CST / 4pm PST
Room Project (VIRTUAL)
with Jennifer Huang, Courtney Faye Taylor & Kemi Alabi

Saturday, February 5, 2022
The Porch (VIRTUAL workshop & reading)

Thursday, February 3, 2022 7pm CST / 5pm PST
BookWoman (VIRTUAL)
with Annelyse Gelman and Susan Nguyen

Friday, January 21, 2022 6pm PST
Berkeley Poetry Festival (VIRTUAL, watch here)
with Celeste Chan, Susan Ito, Shelley Wong, & Anna Christine Rodas

Wednesday, January 19, 2022 8pm EST / 5pm PST
Brookline Booksmith (VIRTUAL, watch here)
with Antonio Lopez

Tuesday, January 11, 2022
Dominican University (VIRTUAL)

2021

Wednesday, December 15, 2021
Bellevue Literary Review: How Words Can Heal (VIRTUAL, watch here)
with Patrick Donnelly, David Watts, Saleem Hue Penny, & Sarah Sala (moderator)

Tuesday, November 30, 2021 6pm PST
Nomadic Press (VIRTUAL)

Monday, November 22, 2021 6pm PST
The Book Jewel, Los Angeles, CA (IN-PERSON)
with Bryan Byrdlong and Julayne Lee

Monday, November 15, 2021 7pm PST
Folio Books: Odd Mondays reading series (VIRTUAL)
with Maurice Carlos Ruffin and Alison Wellford

Wednesday, October 27, 2021 4pm PST / 7pm EST
Union of Concerned Scientists: The Poetry of Science (VIRTUAL, watch here)
with Kimiko Hahn, Jane Hirschfield, Sara Sala, & Elizabeth Coleman (moderator)

Tuesday, October 26, 2021 6pm PST
UCSF Alumni Book Club (VIRTUAL, watch here)

Sunday, October 24, 2021 5pm PST
Rattlecast (VIRTUAL, watch below)
Video: YouTube | Facebook
Audio: Soundcloud | iTunes | Rattle

Friday, October 22, 2021 7pm PST
Green Apple Books (IN-PERSON & recorded, watch here)
with Teresa K. Miller

Sunday, October 17, 2021 12pm PST
LitQuake Festival: Debut Poets in COVID (IN-PERSON)
Yerba Buena Gardens, San Francisco, CA
with Amanda Moore, Alan Chazaro, Claire Meuschke, Dena Rod, & Benjamin Gucciardi

Thursday, October 14, 2021 6:30pm PST
Voz sin Tinta (VIRTUAL)
with MK Chavez and Vanessa Hua

Wednesday, October 13, 2021 6pm PST
The Booksmith: Launch for FOCAL POINT / Jenny Qi (VIRTUAL, watch here)
with Francesca Bell and Mariya Zilberman
RSVP/Tickets | Booksmith | Facebook

FOCAL POINT PUB DAY – October 13, 2021

Women and Children First (VIRTUAL, recording)
with Susan Nguyen and Roy Guzmán
Thursday, September 16, 2021 5pm PST

Beast Crawl Lit Fest: Lyrics & Dirges (VIRTUAL)
with Marian Flores and Rose Heredia
Saturday, September 4, 2021 5pm PST

KSW Presents Preeti Vangani with Jenny Qi (VIRTUAL)
sponsored by Kearny Street Workshop
Friday, August 27, 2021 6pm PST

Get Lit by Nomadic Press (VIRTUAL)
Tuesday, June 15, 2021 7pm PST

The Grand Experiment: a discussion on the intersections of science and poetry (VIRTUAL)
sponsored by the NYU Center for the Humanities
with Sarah M. Sala, Karel Green, Pruthvi Mehta, & Joralda Morancy
Wednesday, June 2, 2021 7pm EST/3pm PST

Virtual Open Mic
with James Matthewson, Amanda Keefe, & S. Elizabeth Cook
Thursday, April 29, 2021 6pm PST

ILLUMINATE (VIRTUAL)
a virtual poetry reading and open mic in response to the rise in Anti-Asian violence and hate crimes
with Yume Kim, Maya Looney, Jenny Qi, Greer Nakadegawa-Lee, & Lauren Ito
Friday, March 19, 2021 7pm PST

AWP 2021 (VIRTUAL)
“Schrodinger’s Paradigms: Science As a Literary Act” (panel)
with Atenea Garza, Jenny Qi, Jan Steckel, Pamela McCorduck, Sarah Sala
Friday, March 5, 2021 2:10pm PST