PLEASE NOTE: National Poetry Day for 2020 is an ‘unofficial’ celebration. Due to the unprecedented events of 2020 thus far, we are unable to provide seed-funding for events, however will still be publishing a National Calendar of Events and promoting National Poetry Day on social media.

National Poetry Day was established in 1997. A one-day national poetry event extravaganza, it is held on a Friday in late August each year.

From seasoned poets, to total newbies, to the simply-a-bit-curious, participants in the record-breaking 2019 National Poetry Day had the opportunity at about 150 events around the country, to be touched by the magic and excitement of poetry, to get involved in the poetry community, and to discover New Zealand poets, share poems and explore and experience what poetry is all about.

Our events are all organised by poetry-loving volunteers and will involve thousands of people in towns and cities all over the country.

• You can view the current calendar (will be updated for 2020 in July) National Calendar of Events here.
• You can view the 2020 Competitions Calendar here.

Phantom Billstickers National Poetry Day is governed by the New Zealand Book Awards Trust.