The 2023 SLAMs are held at Fozzie’s BBQ! Sign in begins at 6:30; performances at 7 p.m. Call Watermark (218) 444-7570 if you’d like to pre-register to perform.

A poetry slam is a competitive art event in which poets perform spoken word poetry before a live audience and a panel of judges. Poets are not required to memorize their poems and are welcome to use notes.

While formats can vary, slams are often loud and lively, with audience participation, cheering and dramatic delivery.

Poets should prepare three original SLAM! poems, each under three minutes reading time. Judges, selected from the audience, give each reading a score on a scale of 1 to 10.  The poets with highest scores move forward to a second, then third round. The top three in the final round win cash prizes of $100, $75, and $50.