Home » *Top Pick*, Community, Downtown San Francisco, Free Food, In Person, Literature

“Poets of the TL” Block Party + Free Food (Dodge Alley)

Celebrate National Poetry Month with an outdoor evening of poetry readings and live jazz at Dodge Alley in San Francisco’s Tenderloin. Local poets, including Mary TallMountain’s literary executor and several SF Poet Laureates, will perform alongside live musicians. The event is free with no registration required, and $15 food and drink vouchers for local businesses are available while supplies last.

Original Event Description:
_TONIGHT IN THE TENDERLOIN: Poetry, Jazz & Community Under the Open Sky. Join us at Dodge Alley (Turk & Larkin) for 2nd Thursdays featuring POETS OF THE TL — a special evening celebrating National Poetry Month and the new exhibit honoring Tenderloin poet Mary TallMountain. Two sets of readings & performances from an incredible lineup: 🖊️ Kitty Costello – Mary TallMountain’s literary executor & fellow poet 🖊️ Kim Shuck – Cherokee Nation poet & SF’s 7th Poet Laureate 🖊️ Jesse James Johnson – Mary TallMountain Award recipient 🖊️ Joel Yates – poet & Tenderloin advocate 🖊️ Nazelah Jamison – poet, emcee & 2026 Janice Mirikitani Poet Theologian in Residence at Glide 🖊️ @adrian_arias_art – multi-disciplinary artist behind the TL’s River to the Sky & Indigenous Forever murals Plus a special performance by @devmajor (SF’s 3rd Poet Laureate) & Charles Curtis Blackwell, accompanied by Sandra Poindexter on violin and Donald Griggs on trumpet 📅 Thursday, April 9 | 5–8 PM 📍 Dodge Alley, Turk & Larkin St., San Francisco 🎟️ FREE — no registration needed 🍽️ First come, first served $15 food & drink vouchers for nearby businesses ℹ INFO: LINK in BIO The TL’s stories deserve to be heard. Come listen. Brought to you by Tenderloin Museum, @tlcbd, and SF Office of Economic & Workforce Development_

Text extracted from provided image:
TENDERLOIN MUSEUM, TLCBD, SFOEWD PRESENT
2ND THURSDAYS IN DODGE ALLEY
POETS OF THE TL
IN CELEBRATION OF NATIONAL POETRY MONTH AND A NEW SHOW ABOUT MARY TALLMOUNTAIN AT TLM
FT. (IN ORDER OF APPEARANCE)
KITTY COSTELLO
KIM SHUCK
JESSE JAMES JOHNSON
JOEL YATES
NAZELAH JAMISON
ADRIAN ARIAS
+
CHARLES CURTIS BLACKWELL & DEBORAH MAJOR
WITH SANDRA POINDEXTER (VIOLIN) & DONALD GRIGGS (TRUMPET)
THURSDAY APRIL 9, 2026 | 5-8PM
DODGE PLACE (TURK @ LARKIN) | SF, CA 94102
FREE SHOW! | FREE FOOD!
$15 VOUCHERS FOR USE AT LOCAL BUSINESSES
FIRST COME FIRST SERVE
TENDERLOIN COMMUNITY BENEFIT DISTRICT
TENDERLOIN MUSEUM Celebrating 10 Years!
SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE OF ECONOMIC & WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

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*
*Free show. Free food. $15 food & drink vouchers for local businesses, first come first served.
Categories: *Top Pick*, Community, Downtown San Francisco, Free Food, In Person, Literature
Venue: Dodge Alley
Address: Turk & Larkin St, San Francisco, CA 94102

Thursday, April 9, 2026

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