IPA Poetry Slam - DSM Qualifier
Thu, Feb 12
|The Slow Down Coffee Co.
Join us at the DSM qualifier for the 2026 IPA Poetry Slam season!
Time & Location
Feb 12, 2026, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM
The Slow Down Coffee Co., 3613 6th Ave, Des Moines, IA 50313, USA
About the event
The 2026 IPA Poetry Slam Season is upon us! We are hosting a series of four qualifying poetry slams across the state in search of our 2026 IPA Poetry Slam Champion. Each qualifier will have up to 12 local poets competing. The top three poets from each qualifier will automatically advance to the IPA Poetry Slam Finals to be held on April 18, 2026 as part of Poetry Palooza! The winner of the IPA Poetry Slam Finals will be named the 2026 Iowa Champion and earn an IPA-sponsored spot in the 2026 BlackBerry Peach National Poetry Slam. This year's national slam will be held in Overland Park, Kansas, on July 23-26, 2026.
Find a qualifying slam near you and save the date! Find the full slam rules and registration at iowapoetry.org/slam
Final stage prizes
First place: $100 + 1-Year Membership to IPA + Publication in Lyrical Iowa + Paid Registration to…