PoeFest is celebrating its 12th year commemorating the works of Edgar Allan Poe, and you can be a part of it all at multiple locations throughout Phoenix, Arizona this October. PoeFest has been a labor of love for a decade. When PoeFest first opened, it did so to just six audience members. With a packed audience on the third night, they knew they had something special. The fest includes mainstage productions of Poe’s short stories every weekend during the month of October with Poe’s stories rotate nightly. PoeFest culminates on Halloween night with ‘The Raven’ at Rosson House Museum. But there’s something extra special about PoeFest that makes Bookmans honored to be a sponsor!

For those just learning about this annual event, PoeFest is the yearly fundraiser for Arizona Curriculum Theater Inc., a 501(c)3 educational charity finding innovative ways to connect the arts to the curriculum. They offer more than two dozens programs, workshops, and shows designed for the classroom integrating the arts as a tool to teach the curriculum. Click here to learn more about ACT Inc.

The PoeFest Student Writing Competition is open to all Arizona students in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades for the 2020-2021 school year. Submissions can be emailed to contest@poefest.org. They will pick a winner for each of two categories: short stories and poetry. All winners will receive prize packages from Bookmans! But don’t delay, the submission deadline has been EXTENDED to October 28, 2020!

 


We’ve listed the writing competition guidelines below for all the young authors and poets out there! These details should provide all the tools you need to create and submit your work for the PoeFest Arizona Student Writing Competition 2020. Of course, please feel free to contact us anytime with questions.

Short Story Contest

All Arizona students in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades for the 2020-2021 school year are eligible.

  • Homeschooled students are eligible.
  • Student authors must be residents of the State of Arizona.
  • The submission EXTENDED deadline is October 28, 2020.
  • All short story submissions must be between 1,000 and 7,500 words.
  • Themes for short stories must stick to the genres of horror and/or mystery.
  • Stories must be original.
  • The authors retain all copyrights.
  • Revised previous submissions accepted.
  • Submissions can be made in electronic form (contest@poefest.org.) Word document or PDF formats only, please.
  • Submissions must include the email and phone number of a parent or guardian. All authors must have the permission of a parent or guardian to participate.
  • All submissions must include the author’s name, birthdate, school, and grade for the 2020-2021 school year. (Homeschooled students are welcome.)
  • PoeFest will declare and notify the winning poet via email after October 28, 2020.
  • Submissions will be adjudicated by a panel of judges.
  • Winning poem will be read aloud at PoeFest TBD.
  • The winning authors and one guest will be awarded complimentary passes to all PoeFest Main Stage shows.
  • Prize packages will be provided by Bookmans Entertainment Exchange.

Poetry Contest

  •  All Arizona students in 7th, 8th, and 9th grades for the 2020-2021 school year are eligible.
  • Student authors must be residents of the State of Arizona.
  • Homeschooled students are eligible.
  • The submission EXTENDED deadline is October 28, 2020.
  • All poetry submissions must be no more than 422 lines.
  • Themes for poems must stick to the genres of love, horror, and/or death.
  • Poems must be original.
  • Poets retain all copyrights.
  • Revised previous submissions accepted.
  • Submissions can be made in electronic form (contest@poefest.org.) Word document or PDF file formats only, please.
  • Submissions must include the email and phone number of a parent or guardian. All authors must have the permission of a parent or guardian to participate.
  • All submissions must include the poet’s name, birthdate, school, and grade for the 2020-2021 school year.
  • Submissions will be adjudicated by a panel of judges.
  • PoeFest will declare and notify the winning poet via email after October 28, 2020.
  • Winning poems will be are read publically at PoeFest TBD.
  • The winning poet and one guest will also receive an award of complimentary passes to all PoeFest Main Stage shows.
  • Bookmans Entertainment Exchange will provide prize packages.
More about PoeFest:

Our performances are not readings. Our actors have memorized Poe’s stories and will perform them as inmates in Poe’s fictional Maison de Santé Asylum. 

Check out the Bookmans Events Calendar for all the cool, quirky, literary and fun events that we do at our stores and around town. We hope to see you at PoeFest 2020! Until then, keep reading, writing and quoting The Raven, and if you are looking for a Poe collection, book, or collectible, be sure to check your local Bookmans store!