Two Days, One Hundred Poets, Countless Voices: The Boston Poetry Marathon Returns

by Jessica A. Kent | August 5, 2026

For nearly thirty years, the Boston Poetry Marathon has offered something increasingly rare: two days devoted simply to listening to one another's words.

The Boston Poetry Marathon returns on Saturday, August 8 and Sunday, August 9 to the Community Church of Boston in Copley Square. Launched in 1998, the Boston Poetry Marathon gives readers seven minutes to share their poetry, and the 2026 event anticipates hosting over 100 poets — 63 readers on Saturday and 42 readers on Sunday — to read their work in the heart of the city.

I spoke with organizers Christina Liu, Chad Parenteau, and Xtina Strong about the Marathon's nearly thirty-year history, what to expect this weekend, and why creating spaces devoted to poetry still matters.

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