The NGC Bocas Lit Fest is on

The NGC Bocas Lit Fest is the largest literary festival in the Anglophone Caribbean. Now in its 14th year, the upcoming NGC Bocas Lit Fest will celebrate words, stories, and ideas in a packed schedule of events which includes stories, poetry, discussions, workshops, music, drama, awards and a fun Children’s Festival!

This year’s festival is also being described as the biggest, and possibly intellectually richest edition featuring 150 writers, performers and personalities from Trinidad and Tobago, the region, and five continents.
The festival is FREE to all – workshops are paid. Check the programme for more information or follow @bocaslitfest on Facebook, Instagram, X, TikTok, YouTube.
Can’t come? No problem, some of the events will be livestreamed on the Bocas Lit Fest’s Facebook and YouTube.

For more info: www.bocaslitfest.com/festival/programme/

The NGC Children’s Bocas Lit Fest

The NGC Bocas Children’s Lit Fest is the Caribbean’s only children’s literary festival. It was established in 2011 and continues to discover, develop, elevate, and celebrate works by young and adult writers of children’s prose, poetry and non-fiction works.
The festival season started with a series of storytelling and writing sessions with the NGC Children’s Bocas Lit Fest Storytelling Caravan at venues all around the country throughout March and April.
This year, the Caravan rolled to nine locations throughout Trinidad and Tobago and will make its final stop during the festival at the National Library (NALIS) Port of Spain on Saturday, April 27. The stories created by the children at these caravans will be published in a book.
This year’s NGC Bocas Children’s Lit Fest will take place over four days in Port of Spain at City Hall, NALIS and the Old Fire Station. Participants can expect a programme packed with inspiring and invigorating readings and performances by talented children and adult writers and performers.
Participants will also get to meet the dragons of the NGC Bocas Lit Fest, Dragonzilla and Dragonzelly, at the Festival!
Everybody is welcomed to the Festival. Whether you’re young or young at heart or are differently abled, our Festival Village is equipped to make your time with us comfortable, inspiring and entertaining. We look forward to seeing you at the Festival.

For the Children’s programme: www.bocaslitfest.com/festival/children/

The NGC Bocas Lit Fest Workshops

Creative workshops with some of the best facilitators–visionaries in publishing, language, and all aspects of writing–have been staples. This year the NGC Bocas Lit Fest has an exciting line-up of in-demand workshops at the Festival.
Outside of the annual literary festival, workshops are also available throughout the year, via Zoom and in person, for you to access wherever you are, in an intimate group with feedback and support.

For the workshops: www.bocaslitfest.com/workshops/

The First Citizens National Poetry Slam Final (Grand Slam)

Fifteen poets have advanced to the final round of the 2024 First Citizens National Poetry Slam, following an intense weekend at the Central Bank Auditorium. Nearly 100 hopefuls became 34 for the semifinal round.
The poets will compete at the Grand Slam finals on Sunday, April 28 as the First Citizens National Poetry Slam, the closing event of the 2024 NGC Bocas Lit Fest. The winner’s row takes home a total of $80,000 courtesy First Citizens, with first, second, and third places receiving $50,000, $20,000, and $10,000 respectively.
Reigning Slam Champion Kyle Hernandez, who automatically advances to the Final, will face off against the 15 qualifying poets from the semifinal round.
Tickets for the Grand Slam cost only $200 and can be purchased on Island E-Tickets, the Paper Based Book Shop, Xtra Foods locations and Queen’s Hall. For more information follow @nationalslamtt on Facebook, Instagram, X and TikTok.

For the Slam page: www.bocaslitfest.com/poetry-slam/

“Making a space for Caribbean stories and voices—here at home and in the world at large—is at the very core of our mission, our ethos, our passion, and our everyday work at the Bocas Lit Fest. It’s what we do at the festival, and it’s why from the beginning we’ve worked so assiduously to seek out and develop new writing talent and instigate opportunities for our writers