Roethke Festival Events
SVSU is pleased to partner with various community organizations, along with past funding provided by the Michigan Humanities Council, to support the six-day triannual Roethke Poetry and Arts Festival. Our next Festival is scheduled for March 20-25, 2026.
Our past festivals have included a variety of arts-centered programming, particularly centered on the written and spoken word. Past events have included poetry readings, contests, and slams; choral and jazz concerts; interactive lectures and book discussions; and tours of the Roethke House in Saginaw.
Each triennial festival allows our region to celebrate Theodore Roethke, Saginaw’s native poet; the winners of the poetry prize; and all the people in the Great Lakes Bay region who value the power of the written word.
Theodore Roethke Poetry & Arts Festival - March 20-25, 2026
Poetry readings, musical performances, and prize ceremonies are just a taste of what is to come during the Theodore Roethke Poetry and Arts Festival, a triennial celebration of the late Pulitzer Prize-winning poet from Saginaw. Sponsored by Saginaw Valley State University, the festival activities will stretch across the Great Lakes Bay Region from March 20-25.
All events listed below are free of charge and open to the public.
Carlos Ramet
2026 Festival Chair
Associate Dean of SVSU’s College of Arts & Behavioral Sciences
Schedule - All Dates and Activities Tentative
Poetry Slam - Friday, March 20, 2026: 6:30 - 9:00 PM
Join us at SVSU's Marshall Fredericks Sculpture Museum. This poetry slam is open to adults, college students and high school students. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three winners. Live music and refreshments will round out the evening.
Tours of the Roethke House / Poetry Reading - Saturday, March 21, 2026: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM
Join us at the Theodore Roethke Home Museum, 1805 Gratiot in Saginaw. This guided tour will take attendees through the childhood home of Theodore Roethke. Then, from 2:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., the River Junction Poets will read some of their original work and discuss the influence Roethke had on the region’s longest-standing poetry group.
Ted (Roethke) Talk and Brew - Sunday, March 22, 2026: 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Join us at the Oracle Brewing, 122 N. Michigan Avenue in Saginaw. Writer Jeff Vande Zande will speak on “Theodore Roethke and the making of an American Poet.” Three special craft beers related to Roethke’s poems will be available for purchase.
Musical Tribute to Roethke - Monday, March 23, 2026: 7:30 PM
The SVSU choral group, The Cardinal Singers, will be joined by renowned soloist Emily Marvosh to perform an original composition by accomplished organist and composer Collin Whitfield, among other pieces in tribute to Theodore Roethke. The performance will take place at First Presbyterian Church, 805 Center Avenue in Bay City.
Theodore Roethke Memorial Poetry Prize Award - Tuesday, March 24, 2026:, 7:00 PM
The Theodore Roethke Memorial Poetry Prize will be awarded Tuesday, March 24 at 7:00 p.m. in SVSU’s Rhea Miller Recital Hall. This distinguished national prize has been awarded since 1968. The award recipient (to be announced) will read selections from the prize-winning collection and will sign books following the event.
Jazz and Poetry Event - Wednesday, March 25, 2026: 7:00 - 9:00 PM
The SVSU Jazz Combo and creative writing students will perform a jazz and poetry event on Wednesday, March 25 from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Creative 360, 5501 Jefferson Ave in Midland.
More Events
Throughout the month of March, the Zahnow Library at SVSU will feature a Roethke Display in the Roberta Allen Reading Room, located on the fourth floor of the library.
In addition, SVSU is sponsoring a “Write Like Roethke” poetry contest for area high school students, with prizes to be presented at an event later in the month.
For more information about the Roethke Festival or any of the events listed here, contact Carlos Ramet (ramet@svsu.edu; 989-964-4042).
The 2018 Roethke Festival
"Caseylane" at the Marshall Fredricks Museum
The 2018 Roethke Festival
Poetry workshop participant at Dow High School
The 2014 Roethke Festival
Tim Seibles at Saginaw Valley State University
The 2011 Roethke Festival
“Haunts of Roethke Tour” at the Perry's Schuch Bar & Nightclub