Look around: Poetry is everywhere during the O, Miami Poetry Festival

A fifth-grade student named Loudricka at Morningside K-8 Academy wrote this poem for O, Miami and National Poetry Month.

Noisy day and night/Cars, traffic everyday/But I love this city anyway

O, Miami uses the power of poetry to connect people, spark empathy and foster a shared narrative. This year, the group launched a new public art initiative called “Soy de Todas Partes” (“I am of all places”) as part of its April Poetry Festival.

The civic publishing project looks at the modern immigrant experience through 100 student poems placed in public places across South Florida. Throughout the year, drivers on MacArthur Causeway, walkers downtown and boaters on our waterways will see billboards of poetry. The group has a few more special events slated for this month.

“We invite you to experience — and shape — O, Miami. Write a poem, join a workshop, or stumble upon poetry in unexpected places,” said O, Miami Executive Co-Director Melody Santiago Cummings.

“Swap stories and clothing, get a tattoo with a new friend or find poetry in the cosmos, the coral reefs or a quilt. Honor the past, celebrate the present and dream up the future with us. Whether you’re skateboarding, shucking oysters, mothering or dancing through your grief, there’s a place for you here — come make the festival yours.”

The organization partners with venues like the Miami Beach Bandshell, with local artists and tradespeople bringing projects to life.

“At O, Miami, we’re of the strong belief that there are no wrong answers in poetry — that it’s a wild, vital and deeply inclusive means of self expression,” said artistic director Caroline Cabrera.

Upcoming events include “ABCs of Miami Story Time & Artmaking” with Westofchester’s Melissa Gutierrez. It is free with RSVP,t 4:30-5:30 p.m. April 23 at Doral Cultural Arts Center.

There is also “ZipOdes Finale at Vizcaya Late” presented in partnership with WLRN and Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, 6-9 p.m., April 23. Tickets are $5-15. This marks the 10-year anniversary of ZipOdes, the beloved community poetry project that transforms South Florida zip codes into poetic expressions.

Free readings feature Morgan Parker, Jasmine Respess and Mahogany Browne at 7-10 p.m. April 26 at Doral Cultural Arts Center, and “Poetry, Piraguas, & Paperbacks,” a collaboration with Bookleggers Library, 12-4 p.m. April 27 at Roberto Clemente Park.

“Poetry in Service,” a flavor-filled, cuisine-meets-poetry event at Recoveco, is 7-10 p.m. April 29. You can see all events and register at www.omiami.org

EXPERIENCE ‘BIRDSTOCK’ IN S. MIAMI

Tropical Audubon Society invites members, neighbors and friends to gather April 26-27 at its 2.2-acre wooded campus for a celebration of nature, art, music, activism and conservation heroes.

Gates open at 6:30 p.m. Saturday for three top-flight acts in a concert to close out Tropical Audubon Society’s 15th Annual Conservation Concert season. Singer-songwriter-composer Danny Rein will open with a solo performance of his hybrid acoustic music and world-premiere his new protest anthem, “The Day the Music Died.”

Perennial fave and Birdstock producer Acoustic Anarchy will follow with Phil Allen, Burt Bruton, Larry Misrahi and Tony Sinatra delivering gems from the ’60s and ’70s along with originals.

The finale will feature Skyrise, serious girl-led rockers out of the UM Frost School of Music, treating concertgoers to their authentic brand of classic and contemporary hard rock. The rising young band is comprised of four females — Alexys Dowling/vocals, Maddy Grant/bass guitar, Mallory Gravitt/lead guitar, Jennifer Phan/keyboards — and one guy, Ben Lepak on drums.

The next day’s events, 4-6 p.m., feature music by Funk Pedal, a Sports Grill picnic and a pop-up shop. At 4:30 p.m., TAS Education Director Daniel Mlodozeniec will lead a bird walk on the woodsy grounds. A limited number of LEICA binoculars can be borrowed.

Then, keynote speaker Xavier Cortada will talk about “Merging environmental activism with artistic expression.” He will be introduced by TAS advisory board member Cindy Lerner.

TAS President José Francisco Barros will start the Conservation Awards Ceremony by honoring National Park Service professionals (employees and those recently dismissed) for their dedication.

South Floridians are encouraged to express their appreciation for the roles these heroes play in safeguarding our parks, preserving our natural heritage and inspiring generations to cherish the wild places that define our country.

The Polly Redford Citizen Conservation Award will be awarded to Patty Phares. It will be presented by George Gann.

And the Dan Beard Government Conservation Award will be awarded to Frank Ridgley, with Ron Magill presenting.

Saturday’s Birdstock requires a $15 minimum donation per person; free for children 12 and under. The Sunday Members Migration is free to TAS members. You can join at www.tropicalaudubon.org or make a $10 minimum cash donation per person. Proceeds help fund stewardship of the historic Doc Thomas House and Steinberg Nature Center grounds.

MIAMI MUSIC PROJECT HONORED

Since its founding in 2008, Miami Music Project has provided tuition-free after-school music education to more than 33,000 students across 60 zip codes in Miami-Dade County. Now, the organization, which is using music as a vehicle for social change, will be awarded the 2025 Arts and Education Inspiration Award at the April 21 Serving the Arts Awards Ceremony.

“We are deeply honored to receive this award for our Pathways Program,” said President and CEO Anna Klimala. “This recognition celebrates the incredible journeys of our students, whose dedication and passion inspire us every day. It reaffirms our commitment to ensuring they have the mentorship and resources to reach higher education and beyond, using music as a powerful pathway to opportunity and success.”

Through the organization’s intensive El Sistema-inspired curriculum, students receive 16 hours of instruction weekly, totaling 576 hours annually and fostering musical excellence, personal development, leadership and resilience.

The Pathways: College Mentor Program was launched in 2024. It is designed to maintain the organization’s 100 percent high school graduation and higher education pursuit rate. More at www.miamimusicproject.org

ORCHESTRA TO PLAY GARDEN EVENT

Join music lovers under the stars for an evening of drinks, light bites and music to benefit Orchestra Miami.

The event starts at 6:30 p.m. May 3 and takes place in the gorgeous garden at the home of Rebecca and Allan Shulman in the Shorecrest neighborhood in Miami.

After the meet and greet, select musicians from Orchestra Miami will perform. They include Orlando Forte and Miriam Stern on violin, Viera Borisoova on viola and Aaron Merritt on cello.

The fundraiser price is $150 per person, or you can join the Friends of Orchestra Miami Circle at the “Concert Master” level of $250 or above and receive two free tickets. More at www.orchestramiami.org and bit.ly/4lymRAD

Write to ChristinaMMayo@gmail.com with news for this column.

This story was originally published April 16, 2025 at 5:04 PM.