Exit 36 Returns to Pompano Beach A Celebration of Voice, Culture, and Global Connection

Every year, one of the most compelling cultural gatherings in South Florida returns to Pompano Beach with a force that is as heartfelt as it is electric. The Exit 36 Slam Poetry Festival has grown into a signature event for the region, bringing together poets, storytellers, and audiences for three days of creative exchange and shared humanity. Now entering its eighth year, the festival continues to expand its reach while staying rooted in the community that shaped it.

This year’s event will take place December 11 through 13, with the Ali Cultural Center hosting the first two days and the Pompano Beach Cultural Center hosting the finals on Day 3. Pompano Beach Arts produces the festival and has helped nurture it into one of the most anticipated spoken word gatherings in the Southeast. Visitors have traveled from across the United States, including Hawaii, as well as from Canada, to be part of this experience. What happens on these stages is not just performance. It is voice. It is memory. It is culture in motion.

A Festival Honoring Legacy While Building the Future

Exit 36 was created by Pompano Beach native Sharonda Eccentrich Richardson, an acclaimed spoken word artist, author, educator, and cultural leader whose work has helped define and elevate South Florida’s poetic landscape. Her commitment to arts access, community storytelling, and creative empowerment forms the foundation of the festival.

From the beginning, Exit 36 was designed to honor the creative pioneers who laid the groundwork for the region’s spoken word scene. It has since grown into a platform for emerging voices and nationally recognized talent, all sharing the same stage with intention and authenticity. The result is a festival that feels both intimate and expansive, grounded in local culture yet connected to the world.

Three Days of Poetry, Craft, and Community

This year, 40 poets will compete across preliminary rounds, workshops, artist talks, special programs, and a high-energy final slam. Festival programming blends education with performance, inviting poets and attendees into spaces where craft is sharpened, personal stories are shaped, and community connections are formed.

Across three days, voices will rise, collide, and resonate. Audiences can expect deeply personal narratives, unforgettable performances, and the kind of collective energy that only spoken word can create. Competitors will vie for a total of $9500 dollars in prizes, including a $5000 dollar grand prize and nightly awards for outstanding performances. It is one of the largest prize offerings of its kind in the region and a reflection of the festival’s commitment to supporting both the art and the artists.

A Global Spotlight on Pompano Beach

This year carries added significance as the festival’s influence has reached international circles. In a remarkable development, Eccentrich was invited to Lome, Togo this past November to participate in The Calabasse Challenge, a major West African poetry festival. The invitation came after last year’s Exit 36 winner traveled to Togo and shared the story of Eccentrich’s leadership and the cultural impact of Exit 36. Organizers took notice and extended an invitation that would bring South Florida’s creative community into a global dialogue.

During her time in Togo, Eccentrich facilitated workshops, conducted interviews, engaged with students, and performed at the festival’s main event.

Her presence not only highlighted the strength of spoken word in South Florida, but also affirmed Pompano Beach as a cultural exporter whose influence reaches far beyond local borders.

This milestone adds a new layer of meaning to this year’s Exit 36. The festival now stands not only as a homegrown celebration of voice and artistry, but also as an international connector, strengthening ties through the universal power of poetry.

An Invitation to Experience Something Real

Exit 36 has always offered more than entertainment. It offers truth. It offers healing. It offers a rare opportunity for audiences to witness storytelling that is bold, unfiltered, and alive. Whether you are a longtime supporter of the arts or discovering spoken word for the first time, the festival invites you into a space where creativity becomes community.

Tickets and registration details are available through Pompano Beach Arts. With new energy, international recognition, and an ever-expanding creative community, this year’s festival promises to be one of its most inspiring editions yet.

Learn more about Eccentrich and Exit 36 from our Choose954 Podcast Episode with her.