Eight-Day Festival Puts Hot Springs Poetry on Public Display

Eight days of programming anchor the Hot Springs Poetry Festival, which runs from Sunday, Nov. 1, through Sunday, Nov. 8. The event takes place at various locations in downtown Hot Springs and carries no admission fee for attendees.

Literary readers seeking formal verse can attend sessions on Saturday, Nov. 7. Clarksville native Ellie Black will recite from her debut book, “Revelator.” The Los Angeles Review of Books described the collection as a work that dares to believe a young girl on the internet might have something interesting to say. James McWilliams will also read that day. He authored “The Life and Poetry of Frank Stanford,” a 2025 biography of an Arkansas poet that received a nomination for the Pulitzer Prize.

Writers interested in craft can join online workshops during the week. Megan Nichols leads a session titled “Writing Childhood Poems” on Monday, Nov. 2. Toni Garcia-Butler presents “Poetry as Personal Archive” the following day, on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

For those who prefer performance styles, the Spa City Poetry Slam takes place on Saturday, Nov. 7. The festival concludes on Sunday, Nov. 8, with a screening of “Come See Me in the Good Light.” The documentary features the late poet Andrea Gibson and has received acclaim for its portrait of her work and life.

Organizers have compiled a full schedule of events on the website hspf.org. The lineup spans the entire week, offering options for both serious literary scholars and casual fans of spoken word.