The 10th annual L.A. Get Down Festival is taking over Greenway Court Theatre from April 10 to 26, turning the Fairfax venue into a monthlong hub for hip-hop, spoken word, and community workshops. The bill stacks marquee readers alongside hometown talent, with youth slams, generative workshops, and evening showcases filling the back half of April. For local poetry fans, it is the same mix of big-name readings and grassroots energy that has turned the Get Down into a National Poetry Month staple.
Opening Night And Headliners
Opening night centers on the Wordsmith Achievement Award ceremony on Friday, April 10 at 8:00 p.m., with Pam Ward named this year’s honoree. The following evening, the festival hands the mic to actress Tyne Daly for American Voices. Across the two-week run, audiences can expect workshops, a youth Classic Slam, and culminating competitions on the final weekend. Those dates and highlights are laid out in the festival announcement, according to BroadwayWorld.
Where It's Happening And Who's Backing It
All events are scheduled at the Greenway Court Theatre, the nonprofit space operated by Greenway Arts Alliance that hosts the festival each spring. Public support helps keep the lights on, with the City of West Hollywood and the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture listed as funders of the Get Down. Festival details appear on the listing from Greenway Court Theatre and on the National Poetry Month information from the City of West Hollywood.
Youth Stage And Workshops
Get Lit - Words Ignite presents the festival’s Youth Classic Slam on Saturday, April 18, from 12:00 to 3:00 p.m., bringing teams of student poets together in the organization’s signature Classic Slam format. The Classic Slam is described by Get Lit as the culmination of its in-school literacy programs and a major showcase for teen voices on the festival calendar. Founder Diane Luby Lane is listed among presenting partners, and the group has been central to the festival’s youth programming for years, according to Get Lit.
Competition Night And Closing Events
The festival wraps with a competitive streak. The InkSlam Invitational hits the stage on Saturday, April 25 at 8:00 p.m., offering $2,500 in cash prizes, and the Typewriter Poets pop up at Melrose Trading Post on Sunday, April 26. Along the way, workshops led by Brian Sonia-Wallace and Ayanna Florence and curated showcases such as Wendy Hammers’ "Poems Tasty Enough To Eat" round out the schedule. Those event listings appear in the festival announcement, per BroadwayWorld.
Festival passes and single-event tickets are available through the Greenway Court Theatre box office and online, and the theater is urging audiences to book early for weekend headliners. For schedules, tickets, and accessibility information, visit Greenway Court Theatre.
