Key West Literary Seminar
When: January 7 - January 10, 2027
Where: Various Locations
Pack Your Notebook: Key West's Most Poetic Weekend Awaits
Picture this: palm trees swaying, warm tropical breezes drifting down Duval Street, and some of the most celebrated poets alive today taking the stage just steps from the ocean. That's the Key West Literary Seminar, and the 2027 edition (January 7–10) is shaping up to be one for the books.
This year's theme? Poetry. And it's a full-circle moment. Thirty-four years ago, the Seminar launched with a landmark gathering dedicated to Elizabeth Bishop. Now, with the restoration of Bishop's former Key West home complete, the festival returns to the form she helped immortalize.
A Lineup That Reads Like a Hall of Fame
Where else can readers spend a long weekend with two-term U.S. Poet Laureate Billy Collins, 2025 Pulitzer Prize winner Marie Howe, New Yorker poetry editor Kevin Young, and National Book Award winner Patricia Smith — all in one room? The roster also features Hanif Abdurraqib, Kimiko Hahn, Adrian Matejka, Rowan Ricardo Phillips, Emily Wilson (whose groundbreaking Odyssey translation made history), and many more. Think solo readings, candid one-on-one interviews, lively panel conversations, book signings, and plenty of chances to chat with these literary heavyweights between sessions.
What's Included
The $825 registration fee covers all four days of onstage programming at the historic San Carlos Institute (516 Duval Street) — a stunning 365-seat theater that once served as the Cuban Consulate. Also baked in: the opening night gala reception, a farewell luncheon, and access to social events at gorgeous historic venues like the Audubon House & Tropical Garden and the Oldest House.
Here's the rough flow:
- Thursday, Jan 7: Check-in, John Hersey Memorial keynote address, gala reception
- Friday & Saturday: Full days of programming, book signings
- Sunday: Morning sessions, farewell luncheon, and a closing session that's free and open to the public
Want to Write, Not Just Listen?
Writers can level up at the Writers' Workshop Program (January 3–7, 2027) for $675. Eight to ten intimate workshops, capped at just 12 participants each, meet three hours a day for four days with esteemed faculty. Choose "All Levels" (cover letter only) or "Advanced" (writing sample required). Bonus: workshops wrap Thursday at 12:30 pm — meaning ambitious souls can do both.
Patrons & Perks
Generous supporters get extra magic. Donors at $1,000+ snag early registration and Patrons Dinner tickets. $2,500+ earns preferred seating alongside the authors themselves. And $10,000+ patrons score private VIP events, including an intimate pre-Seminar dinner and a luxury catamaran sail on opening day. Contributions are tax-deductible through this 501(c)(3).
Time to Go
Key West is barely five square miles, but it punches wildly above its weight in literary history. Where else can someone trade January's gray skies for sunshine, sea breezes, and a front-row seat to the future of American poetry? Pack the notebook, grab the sunscreen, and book the ticket — this island is calling, and the poets are waiting.
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