February 2026 - Features: Chicharra Poetry Slam Festival Expands Its Voice and Its Vision in 2026
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The Chicharra Poetry Slam Festival has quickly established itself as one of the most electric, inclusive, and community-driven arts events in the Southwest. Returning to Albuquerque for its third year from March 19–21, 2026, the festival brings together poets, performers, and audiences for three and a half days of high-energy competition, experimentation, and connection — and it’s doing so at a scale few could have predicted so early on.
“It happened much quicker than we expected,” says Producer and Founder Zachary Kluckman, reflecting on Chicharra’s rapid rise. In just three years, the festival has grown into the second-largest poetry slam event of its kind in the country, a distinction that speaks not only to its ambition, but to the deep hunger for live, participatory storytelling in New Mexico and beyond.
While poetry is at the heart of Chicharra, Kluckman is quick to point out that the festival’s success goes far beyond words on a page or points on a scorecard. “People don’t come just for the poetry or the spectacle,” he explains. “They come for this sense of connection — and belonging to something.” That philosophy has shaped how the festival has evolved, especially as attendance and national attention have grown at a rapid pace.
Chicharra isn’t content to be a passive viewing experience. Instead, it positions audiences as an essential part of the event itself. “You don’t just come as a spectator,” Kluckman says. “You come as a participant.” From open mics and themed slams to audience-judged competitions, the energy in the room is shaped as much by those watching as by those on stage. Each cheer, gasp, and snap feeds into the momentum of the performances, making every night feel alive and unpredictable.
What truly sets Chicharra apart is its scope. Over the course of the festival, attendees can experience more than 30 distinct events, each with its own tone, style, and audience. Traditional slam poetry sits alongside playful and unexpected showcases like Nerd Slam, Haiku Deathmatch, and the always-popular Erotica and Burlesque Reading. Whether you gravitate toward academic verse, spoken word, deeply personal storytelling, or irreverent humor, Chicharra creates space for it all — often within the same evening.
Kluckman describes the festival as “the Olympics of Poetry,” a comparison that feels increasingly accurate as poets travel from across the region and the country to compete, collaborate, and connect. Yet despite its scale, Chicharra remains grounded in accessibility. With the exception of the final-stage competition, the festival is free to attend, a deliberate choice that reinforces its commitment to community over exclusivity.
That accessibility is no small feat for an event of this size. When asked how the festival manages to grow while remaining largely free, Kluckman points to collaboration at every level. “It’s really because we have community involved everywhere,” he says, crediting partnerships with the City of Albuquerque’s Arts and Culture Department, the Hispano Chamber of Commerce, and a dedicated volunteer base that includes people who travel from out of state just to help make the festival happen. “People trust us in a profound way with these experiences,” he adds — a responsibility the Chicharra team takes seriously.
For 2026, that trust has allowed the festival to expand in meaningful new directions. One of the most exciting additions this year is youth programming, offering events specifically designed for poets ages 13 to 20, including a dedicated youth slam competition. By making space for younger voices, Chicharra is investing not just in the present moment, but in the future of poetry and storytelling in New Mexico.
The festival is also branching into new creative territory with events like a late-night movie screening at The Guild Cinema, adding another layer to the already eclectic lineup. These expansions reflect Chicharra’s willingness to experiment — to blur the lines between literary art forms and other modes of storytelling, and to meet audiences where curiosity leads them.
At its core, Chicharra remains deeply rooted in the power of lived experience. Kluckman hopes that first-time attendees leave with more than just memories of great performances. “My hope is that people walk away feeling like they’ve experienced the world through someone else’s eyes,” he says. Whether that sparks empathy, inspiration, or the courage to tell one’s own story, that emotional resonance is the festival’s true measure of success.
That impact is felt not only on stage, but in the conversations that spill out into hallways, sidewalks, and late-night gatherings after the events conclude. Chicharra has become a place where artists and audiences intersect — where vulnerability is celebrated, risk is rewarded, and community is built one story at a time.
The Chicharra Poetry Slam Festival runs March 19–21, 2026, with events taking place across multiple venues in Albuquerque. Full schedules, event details, and tickets for the final-stage competition are available at CicadaPoetrySlamFestival.com, where visitors can also find links to past performances and festival highlights. For those curious about what to expect, the festival’s online presence offers a compelling glimpse into the energy, diversity, and creative fire that define Chicharra.
As it enters its third year, the Chicharra Poetry Slam Festival stands as a powerful reminder that poetry is not a relic of the page, but a living, breathing art form — one that thrives when shared, challenged, and celebrated together. For audiences, it’s an invitation to listen closely, speak boldly, and be part of something larger than themselves.
