Home » In Person, Literature

3rd Saturday Poetry in Chinatown

Saturday, July 18, 2026 - 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm | Cost: FREE*
*Clarion is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, donations are welcome!

Clarion Performing Arts Center | 2 Waverly Pl, San Francisco, CA

Event Details

Open mic before and after the featured poets. Sign up at 3 pm.

 

Norma Smith (normasmithwriter.com) is a Bay Area poet, memoirist, and lyric essayist. She was born in Detroit and grew up in Fresno. She worked in hospitals for decades and has also worked as a journalist, translator-interpreter, social researcher, event and conference organizer, and editor-writing coach. Her work has been published in literary, scholarly, and political journals and anthologies, including POETS READING THE NEWS, COLLOSSUS, DESPUES DEL AGUACERO (Pan Dulce Poets), BUTTERFLIES IN GAZA, and Círculo de Poetas & Writers Anthology (forthcoming).  She offers online and in-person writing workshops. Her book of poems, HOME REMEDY, is available at https://blacklawrencepress.com/books/home-remedy/

 
 

Cave Canem fellow James Cagney is the award-winning author of Black Steel Magnolias In The Hour Of Chaos Theory (Black Lawrence Press, 2023), MARTIAN: The Saint Of Loneliness (Nomadic Press, 2022). His current collection, Ghetto Koans: A Personal Archive, is published by Black Lawrence Press. He was born, raised, and currently resides in Oakland, Ca. Visit his website JamesCagneyPoet.com.

 
 

Parking tip:

$8 all-day parking at St. Mary’s Square Garage.

Disclaimer: Please double check event information with the event organizer as events can be canceled, details can change after they are added to our calendar, and errors do occur.


Cost: FREE*
*Clarion is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, donations are welcome!
Categories: In Person, Literature
Address: 2 Waverly Pl, San Francisco, CA

Saturday, July 18, 2026

4:00 am   Hot Air Balloon Festival: 2 Days of Sky Magic (Sonoma County)  $12
5:00 am   5th Annual Outdoor Comedy Night w/ TV Headliners (San Leandro)  FREE*
*Free. First Come, first served. We seat 400
9:30 am   Free de Young Museum Day for Bay Area Residents (Every Saturday)  FREE*
*Free general admission to Bay Area residents. Valid ID or proof of residency required. This offer applies only to the permanent collection galleries. Advanced timed tickets required.
9:30 am   Free “Legion of Honor” Museum Day for Bay Area Residents (Every Saturday)  FREE*
*Free general admission to Bay Area residents. Valid ID or proof of residency required. This offer applies only to the permanent collection galleries. Timed advanced tickets required
10:00 am   The Wardrobe Project Flea  FREE*
*FREE FOR ALL AGES
10:00 am   2026 San Francisco Arts and Crafts Show at The Presidio (July 18-19)  FREE
10:00 am   LDEI-SF 2nd Annual Culinary Rummage Sale (SF)  FREE
10:00 am   Secondhand Saturday: 60+ Vintage Vendors + Live Music (SF)  FREE*
*Free
10:00 am   “Kids Rock” 2026 Music Festival in the Park (Redwood City)  FREE*
*FREE! ALL AGES!
All Day   Free PresidiGo Shuttle | Downtown to Presidio  FREE
10:00 am   Free 2-Day Community Arts Market: 20+ BIPOC Vendors (Presidio Tunnel Tops)  FREE
10:00 am   SF’s “Secondhand Saturday” 2025 w/ Sunset Mercantile (Every Third Saturday)  FREE*
*Free Admission
10:30 am   SF Election Kickoff: Join Voter Registration + Forums Team (2026)  FREE
11:00 am   “Science@Cal”: Renowned Scientist Lecture | UC Berkeley  FREE
11:00 am   SF’s “Summer Vibe Art Fair” Grand Opening Market w/ 125+ Artsits (Pier 27)  FREE
11:00 am   Free Opening: City Lab for Kids w/ Special Guests + Prizes (SF)  FREE*
*Tickets are free (donations always appreciated)
11:15 am   Free African American Folktales Live w/ Music + Storytelling (SF)  FREE
11:30 am   Free 2025 International Chess Day Tournament (Berkeley)  FREE*
*https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1tpDWevhDGoSsvFP140UMCygD0x0RGVjrnT1iZmscxb4/viewform?edit_requested=true
11:30 am   2026 Valley Car Show: Free Concert + Hot Rods (Woodacre)  FREE
12:00 pm   2026 Hayes Valley Carnival: Free Circus Bella Shows (SF)  FREE
12:00 pm   Free Summer Carnival: Fresh Victor Tastings (Hayes Valley)  FREE
12:00 pm   Free Caviar Day Fest: Veuve Clicquot Pours + Live DJs (Tiburon)  FREE*
*Please note that reservations are required, and seating is limited. We encourage guests to book in advance to secure their spot for the celebration.
12:00 pm   National Caviar Day 2024: Free Tasting + Ice Cream Cart (SF)  FREE
12:00 pm   SF’s Free Cheese + Date Syrup Tasting Pop-Up (Hayes Valley)  FREE
12:00 pm   Pop Nosh  FREE*
*Free to attend -food for sale
12:00 pm   SF’s 115th Annual Hayes Valley Carnival (2026)  FREE
12:00 pm   Free Rhythmix in the Parks: Andre Thierry Live (Alameda)  FREE*
*RSVP
12:00 pm   Golden Gate Park “The Whale’s Tail” Beer/Wine Garden + Live Music (Summer 2026)  FREE*
*Free admission and entertainment for all ages. Dogs and bikes welcome. Food and beverages available for purchase.
1:00 pm   SF’s 30th Annual Urban Youth Arts & Graffiti Festival (2026)  FREE
1:00 pm   “Bike to the Future” Alley Cat Race at Snow Park (Oakland)  $15*
*Rider donation; winner’s pot goes to charity; food & beverages for sale; BYO allowed.
2:00 pm   Soccer Watch Parties at PIER 39’s Outdoor Screen (June 12 – July 19)  FREE
2:00 pm   “San Francisco Mime Troupe” Live Summer Musical in the Park (2026)  FREE*
*Free, but donations are accepted
3:00 pm   SF’s 2026 “Glen Park Night Market” (June-Sept.)  FREE
4:00 pm   Richmond Night Market (SF)  FREE
4:00 pm   SF’s “Heart of the Richmond District” Summer Night Markets (2026)  FREE
5:30 pm   Luther S. Allison Trio: Soul, Gospel + Bebop Fusion Live (Oakland)  $25*
*25.00
6:00 pm   Golden Gate International Choral Festival-Closing Concert (Oakland)  $35*
*Kids under 5 FREE
7:00 pm   Guess What? All-Improvised Comedy Game Show Madness (Old Sacramento)  $17.10*
*Your ticket also gets you into all of our other shows for the evening! We will stamp your hand to ensure you can come and go.
7:00 pm   “Crazy Funny Asians” Free Comedy Showcase (SF)  FREE*
*Free tickets, but RSVP Required. Donations ($5-$10) greatly appreciated. Otherwise, $25 door tickets also available
7:00 pm   “Golden Gate Comedy Night” SF’s Most Intimate Comedy Club  FREE*
*Free with RSVP. 21+
7:30 pm   Summer Choir Concert: 90+ Voices Sing the Classics of Love (Walnut Creek)  $30*
*$15 Youth Tickets
7:30 pm   Tony-Winning Voices: “Sutton Foster & Kelli O’Hara” Live in Concert (SF)  $69*
*Tickets start at $69 (while supplies last)
7:30 pm   Summer w/ the Symphony: Sutton Foster + Kelli O’Hara in Concert (SF)  $30*
*Tickets start at $30 Center Terrace, $69 2nd Tier
8:00 pm   Whose Line x D&D? Sharks Barksley’s Wild Comedy Show (Old Sacramento)  $17.10*
*Your ticket also gets you into all of our other shows for the evening! We will stamp your hand to ensure you can come and go.
8:00 pm   “Puff Puff Laugh” SF’s Cannabis Lounge Comedy Show (Moe Greens)  FREE*
*Free with RSVP (21+ with Valid ID) - One item minimum purchase per person required, but pre-rolls start at just $7
8:30 pm   2026 High Level: Kai Alce w/ Eric Groove + DJ Said (SF)  $15*
*$15 - $25
9:00 pm   Drunk Shakespeare: A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Old Sacramento)  $17.10*
*Your ticket also gets you into all of our other shows for the evening! We will stamp your hand to ensure you can come and go.
9:00 pm   Free Tix: HellaSecret “Desi Comedy Night” Live in SF (7p + 9p)  FREE*
*Free with RSVP for first 100 people. $25 at door without RSVP
9:00 pm   SF Neo-Futurists “The Infinite Wrench” (30 Plays in 60 Minutes, every Fri & Sat)  $18.60*
*$13 + roll of a die at the door, OR $16 online. Group discounts—bring friends!
11:59 pm   San Francisco Midnight Mystery Ride (Every Third Saturday)  FREE
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