In an era where climate change and political polarization dominate headlines, a Seattle-based poetry nonprofit is marking a decade of fostering a unique blend of art and environmental consciousness. The Cascadia Poetics Lab will host the 10th Anniversary Cascadia Poetry Festival from October 9-11, 2026, at the Rainier Beach Community Club and Kubota Garden. This year's event brings together poets, academics, and bioregionalists to explore how poetry can illuminate our connection to the natural and cultural landscapes of the Cascadia bioregion.
The festival's core mission is to challenge the arbitrary political borders that often divide communities, advocating instead for natural and cultural boundaries as a framework for addressing pressing social and environmental issues. This approach has gained urgency as climate change continues to reshape the region, making the festival's theme—poetry's role in environmental and political discourse—more relevant than ever. By prioritizing ecological and cultural ties, the festival aims to foster a sense of place and collective responsibility that transcends traditional governance.
The lineup features a diverse array of voices, including allia abdullah-matta, Greg Bem, Amaranth Borsuk, Bill Carty, Xavier Cavazos, Zach Charles, Ching-in Chen, Stephen Collis, Gary Copeland Lilley, Tess Gallagher, Gabriella Gutiérrez y Muhs, Geneviève Hicks, Alicia Hokanson, Nadine Maestas, Dion O'Reilly, Roxi Power, Mateo Quispe, Linda Russo, Sharon Thesen, Miriam Tobin, Rodrigo Toscano, Matt Trease, and Terri Witek. These poets and scholars will lead workshops and readings that delve into bioregional poetics, the intersection of poetry and politics, lyric form, and the role of poetry in times of crisis.
Workshops such as 'Startling the Poem Awake,' 'Flickers of the Poetic, A Watch Party,' 'Concerning Work and Poetry (of Course the Mundane is Generative!),' 'The Green Being,' and 'Cascadia as a Field of Action (Poetry as Politics)' are designed to engage participants in hands-on exploration of these themes. The festival also includes evening afterparties on Friday and Saturday nights at a nearby location in Rainier Beach, fostering informal community building.
The festival's significance extends beyond the literary community. It reflects a growing movement that uses creative expression to address systemic challenges. In a time when environmental policies are often gridlocked, the festival offers a space for imagining alternative futures grounded in regional identity and ecological awareness. By linking poetry to bioregionalism, the event encourages attendees to consider how cultural practices can inform political action.
Support for the festival comes from a range of organizations, including 4Culture Sustained Support and Public Free Access, Creative West, the Vogt Family Foundation, the National Endowment for the Arts, Seattle Office of Arts and Cultural Affairs, ArtsFund, and La Sala. This backing underscores the event's recognized value in the cultural landscape.
Registration for gold passes, workshop packages, reading packages, and student passes is now open on the festival website at cascadiapoeticslab.org/2026-cascadia-poetry-festival-10/. A complete schedule is available at cascadiapoeticslab.org/2026-cascadia-poetry-festival-10-schedule/.
As the festival enters its second decade, it continues to champion the idea that poetry is not separate from the world but a vital lens through which to understand and reshape it. The 10th anniversary edition promises to be a milestone in the ongoing dialogue between art, ecology, and community.
