The Chicago Poetry Center presents BLUE HOUR, a free, public monthly in-person reading series and generative writing workshop.
Each event takes place at Haymarket House (800 W. Buena Ave.) and features two readers from Chicago and beyond, preceded by a brief open mic and limited-space workshop that includes a guided generative writing practice.
2026–2027 Season Lineup (click on each poet’s name to register!):
- September 16: Hussain Ahmed + Ali Black
- October 21: Mary Helen Callier + Andy Sia
- November 18: Alyssa Moore + Katherine Gibbel
- January 20: Cai Sherley + Preeti Parikh
- February 17: Ellie Black + Nick Martino
- March 17: AWP Reading – Special Features to be Announced
- April 21: Mckendy Fils-Aime + Asha Futterman
- May 19: Eduardo Martínez-Leyva + Diana Cao
P.S. Did you know that you can stream last season’s Blue Hour readings (and more!) on our YouTube channel? Just use the link here!
About the Curator
Helene Achanzar is a poet and editor whose writing has been published in The Georgia Review, Sixth Finch, Oxford American, and elsewhere. Winner of the 2022 New England Review Award for Emerging Writers, her work has been supported by the Mastheads, T.S. Eilot Foundation, and the Chicago Architecture Biennial. She is a senior editor for Poetry Northwest, a regional chair for Kundiman, and the director of programs at the Chicago Poetry Center.
About the Host
Marty McConnell is a poet, educator, and healer based in Chicago. She is the author of when they say you can’t go home again, what they mean is you were never there, winner of the 2017 Michael Waters Poetry Prize; her first full-length collection, wine for a shotgun, received the Silver Medal in the Independent Publishers Awards and was a finalist for both the Audre Lorde Award and a Lambda Literary Award. Her first nonfiction book, Gathering Voices: Creating a Community-Based Poetry Workshop, is available through YesYes Books. She is the co-creator and co-editor of underbelly, a web site focused on the art and magic of poetry revision. An MFA graduate of Sarah Lawrence College, her work has appeared in numerous journals and anthologies including Best American Poetry, Southern Humanities Review, Gulf Coast, and Indiana Review.
About the Space
Each event includes ASL interpretation. All restrooms at Haymarket House are gender-neutral, including single-user and stalled restrooms. Masks are encouraged for all events, and the room is equipped with a professional air filtration system.
Haymarket House (800 W. Buena Ave.) is ADA compliant and fully wheelchair-accessible. Email curator@poetrycenter.org to ensure ramp access and to let us know about any other accessibility needs.