Poets & Storytellers Open is a poetry open mic series presented by Echo Thread Books at Wull & Oak (10 E. Broad St., Hopewell, NJ). Poets & Storytellers Open begins with an open mic, each reader performing up to a five minute set of original work, and concludes with a special performance by a featured musician or poet. Poets & Storytellers Open is held on the 2nd Friday of each month.

Details:

6:50 PM - doors/open mic signup begins* (caps off at 12 performers)
7:15 to 8:15 PM - open mic
8:30 to 9:00 PM - featured poet/musician

A featured musician closes out the event on nights where we have a musical guest, while evenings with a featured poet consist of a set of their work followed by an interview/audience Q&A session. We transcribe the interviews with our featured poets, and the transcriptions end up on our page for The Interviews. A few more details here. 

Please note that images of the evening's performances will be shared on social media. You can let us know in advance if you prefer to not have your likeness shared, we will happily oblige!

Check our Events Page for other upcoming Echo Thread Projects events.

*Please be mindful that W&O closes at 6PM on Friday evenings, and we use the next 50 minutes to rearrange and set up the space before opening back up for the event signups.

Echo Thread Projects/Books considers all events a safe space and will not tolerate any instances of discrimination, harassment or abuse in or around any event. Respect and consideration for others are core values to be upheld by all, both participant and attendant. Discrimination against and/or harassment of any person on the basis of race, ethnicity, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, religion, age, or any other factor is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

Upcoming Poets & Storytellers Open

04/10/26

Wull & Oak - 10 E. Broad St. Hopewell, NJ 

6:50 PM - Doors/Sign-ups 
7:15 PM - Open Mic
8:30 PM - Featured poet, Colby Cedar Smith

Colby Cedar Smith is an award-winning poet, novelist, and educator and the author of two verse novels The Siren and The Star (2025) and Call Me Athena (2021). Her lyric work focuses on the untold stories of women throughout history, and often explores themes of body, gender, and identity, while incorporating images from the natural world. Colby’s work has been selected for an American Booksellers Association Indie Next Pick, an American Library Association Rise: Feminist Book selection, a Goodreads Choice for Poetry Nominee, and a New Jersey Council on the Arts Fellowship in Poetry. Her poems and narratives have been featured by Forbes, POETRY, and NPR. She holds a B.A. from Colorado College and an Ed.M. from Harvard University. With over two decades of classroom experience, Colby loves leading workshops and speaking to audiences across the country.

FUTURE P&SO DATES: 

05/08/26 | 06/12/26 | 07/10/26

Previous P&SO Features

Click here for Past P&SO Features
(2024 - 2025)