VIP ALL ACCESS 3 DAY PASS

Melida Rodas

JCPOFEST Founder / Creative Director / Interdisciplinary Curator / Executive Producer

Poet Laureate of Jersey City 2025 - 2026

PRESENTS: The Jersey City Poetry Festival / aka JCPOFEST

• ALL ACCESS 3-DAY PASS: Unlimited entry to all performances, panels, workshops, and special events for all three days. September 19, 20, and 21st 

• 9/19 / VIP Breakfast Launch Party / Press Conference / Private Screening of Jonas Mekas Film Poems

  Venue: Mana Contemporary Hosted by our Cultural Partner, Monira Foundation

  10am -1 2pm

• 9/19 VIP FESTIVE NETWORKING EXPERIENCE with a COSPLAY ELEMENT - at The Stork Club : 7pm - 11pm

•   *Creative attire and literary figure costumes are not mandatory but they are joyfully encouraged.- Let's have some fun!  *

• An exclusive gathering for select voices in poetry, publishing, and the arts.

• Venue: The Stork Club  - 2 Chapel Avenue - Jersey City, NJ 07305

• 7pm - 11pm

  
  
  
  

This unique evening brings together creatives, visionaries, and art-lovers in an immersive celebration of poetic legacy and lyrical brilliance. As part of the evening's theme, we invite you to attend in bookish attire or dressed as a renowned poet or lyricist who has inspired you—be it Emily Dickinson, Tupac Shakur, Bob Dylan, Maya Angelou, or any artist whose words have left a mark on history. We also encourage each guest to bring a short piece—a poem, verse, or lyric—to read aloud, authored by the artist you embody. This shared experience will celebrate the timeless power of words and the diverse voices that continue to shape our cultural narrative. NOTE:  * bookish or Literary figure costumes are NOT REQUIRED - come as you are and take in the vibes!

Line up:

• Le Fiddler

• Gissel Bellas

• Rashad Wright

• Sofia Carrasco

• Victor Sotomayor

• Lisa Marie Basile

• Leilani

• Jasmine de Leon

• Meyling Wong

• Marc Del Giudice 

• Brona Nielsen

• The Jersey City Cabaret

    

Your VIP access includes:

• An exclusive networking lounge

• Passed Hors d’oeuvres

• Cash Bar - Signature Cocktails

• Participation in the Live Reading Circle (Limited to Those With Full Costume Who Arrive Early to Sign up)

• Prize for Best Costume & Poetry Performance

• An electric atmosphere enriched by poetry & art 

• Creative ambiance

• The exchange of ideas 

• Camaraderie

• Connections holding the potential for collaboration

• Celebration of creativity and community

SYNERGY : Immersive Interdisciplinary

• Venue: Museum of Jersey City History - 298 Academy St, Jersey City, NJ 07306

• Poets and Artist Showcase - exploring the SYNERGY between the language arts, science, philosophy, technology and all forms of artistic expressions.

I. Buennaventura, Producer / Melida Rodas Executive Producer

Poetic Experience:

HEADLINERS:

• Jeff Dess - Poet and Master of Ceremonies - Public Speaker/ Author /Poet / Educator / Co-Founder of Trill or Not Trill

• Melida Rodas - Poet Laureate of Jersey /  Interdisciplinary Curator / Educator / JCPOFEST Founder

• Cara Hagan - Poet / Film Maker / Dancer / Educator / Program Director for the MFA in Contemporary Theatre Performance at The New School

• Rashad Wright - Poet Laureate Emeritus, author of Romeo’s Whiskey, 2X “Grand Slam Champion of Jersey City Slam”

  Justin Calderon and Melvin Badger and John Enrique

• Le Fiddler - Award Winning International Violinist / Composer / Experimental Artist

• Sofia Carrasco Iglesias - Tenor Saxophone / Bilingual - Multidisciplinary Artist / Visual Art / Music / Writing / Fusion Victor Sotomayor - Keyboard, Gabriel Balado - Bass, Chris Paredes - Drums

  
  

• Ashna Ali

• Kay Ulanday Barrett

• Emanuel Xavier

• Jasmine Reid

• Museum of Jersey City History / The Apple Tree House

• Legendary Arenas and The Legends Who Performed There - Curated by Peter Begans

• River 瑩瑩 Dandelion

• Cheryl Gross

• Cara Hagan

• Ayesha Raees

• I. Buenaventura

  
  

• Qwert Poetry aka  Pierce Logan - custom poems and workshops - explore analog writing technology.

• Grounded - Curated by Tina Maneca

  
  

SJ - Poet Liaison

• Waye Poetry / Waye Press : Vanessa Rosensweet, Gia Clark-Grillo

• JC Writers :  Andrew Revie, Samedi Exeleine, Theta Pavis

• Poetry Unfold  : Yetvart S. Majian,Buttered Roll

• Hoboken Historical Museum : Vera Sirota and Joel Lewis

• Open Road Poetry : Poeta Rubi G, Danny Shot, Crystal Davis

• Cozy Open Mic : Cozy & SNC

• Dance Performance: Kim Ima

  
  

• NJCU Writers: Alyssa Lian Bacay , Elijah Brown , Eric Cheng, Brother Nev

  
  

• Scott Pleasants, Poet Laureate - Teaneck , NJ

•  A. SAL

• Aurelia Luciano / Golden Light Poetry

• Buttered Roll

• Cyn Grace Sylvie

• Cynthia Atkins

• La Malcriada

• Megha Sood

• Ms. Jenn

• William J Van Sickell

• Carmen Vega

  
  

A collaborative mosaic - community project - pairing poets & painters to create a unified work of art.

POETS : 

Crystal Davis

​Lisa Marie Basile

Daniella/Dani

Jay Maryeski

David Acosta “Murdock”

Elena Aguilar 

Ana Sofía Salazar (A. SAL)

Exoercista

Ms. Jenn

Dani

Gabriella Sokol

Buttered Roll

ReylaAngela

Lina Munar Guevara

Alex V. Cruz

Hayley 

TJ

Eva Estime

Iggy Manzanero 

Reyla ángeLA

Annielee Calamito

Danny Gonzalez 

Kissarne Averill Pang

Cailtin Rose Munson 

Rebecca Pinwei Tseng

Angela Suarez

PAINTERS:

Crystal Letters

Thomas Banks

Mercy

Ricardo Raphael

Athena Toledo “Flora”

Elena Aguilar 

Susana Gómez 

Erika Thangamani

Talia Benitez aka Ty

Mercy 

Marc Sokol

Amanda Estevez

Jessica Becker

María Lupianez

Artes De Pluma  

Patch

Yvette Estime

Hiyasmine, (Artistic Afro)

Amanda Estevez # 2020vision

André Nicolas

Danny Gonzalez 

Bethany Altschwager

Rayne Munson 

Marianne DeAngelis 

Vincent Zambrano

• 9/21 Sunday -  12pm - 3pm

• Venue: Museum of Jersey City History -  298 Academy St, Jersey City, NJ 07306

• Community-centered with youth performances, family-friendly activities, and surprises

• Produced by: Aurelia Luciano / Golden Light Poetry & Melida Rodas

Featuring:

• Diana Lee Santamaria - Award Winning Bi-Lingual Children's Book Author / CTV Personality, Host of Story Time With DLee

• City Kids Playhouse  - Book Adaptation Musical Performance - Award Winning

• Artist Avenue Book  - Adaptation Musical Performance Educational Arts Team -  Award Winning

• Kayla Middleton - Author / Educator / Art Therapy Life Coach / Painter - Nature Inspired Art

•  Carmen Arroyo, Teaching Artist - Intro to Music Books & Drum Circle

• Ivan Garcia - Children’s Manifestation Coloring Book

• Hermanitas - Bookish Art

• Kelly Green - Children’s sing -a-long

• Sophia Rosado - Teen Poet / Award Wining Dancer / Musician

Community Partners:

• Educational Arts Team - Teen Arts Installations & Ode's to The Wild by Camp Liberty Youth

• Jersey City Public Library - Literature and The Joy of Literacy

• Jersey City Moms - Eco - Friendly Activities + Art + Surprises

• Jersey City Parks Coalition Parks - Eco - Friendly Activities

  
  

About:

JCPOFEST is a festival for The People,  illuminating the tapestry of human connection that transcends the boundaries of individual studies and mediums. We celebrate the joy of literacy and literature! 

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Established in 2024, JCPOFEST is not just a festival—it is a homecoming of voices, a gathering of questions, a place where poetry shakes hands with science, where philosophy sits beside technology, and where all art forms exist like a harmonious ecosystem. It is a celebration of who we are, where we wander, what we wonder, and how we shape the world around us. 

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JCPOFEST is rooted in community, energized by innovation and inspires us to envision new ways of being together, of dreaming together. As part of the year round events leading to the festival weekend, multidisciplinary experiences invite us into a poem not just as readers, but as witnesses, as participants, as makers of sacred spaces that nurture collective imagination. 

JCPOFEST doesn’t just speak—it listens.

JCPOFEST, in partnership with local writers, artists, organizations and local businesses, is a gift wrapped in hope, vision, and the urgent need to remind us about the mystery, fragility and majesty of our planet earth and those who inhabit it.

STAFF:

At the heart of this vision is the festival's founder and creative director,

Melida Rodas, eco-poetry teacher and Jersey City’s Poet Laureate.

Her award wining, multimedia, body of work is equal parts elegy and call to action. 

I. Buenaventura

Producer / Panel Curator

Aurelia Luciano / Golden Light Poetry 

Family Day / Producer

Tina Maneca

Production Manager / Sculpture Garden Curator 

Zach Mayo

Photographer

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