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OPA Ambassadors Report: NW Ohio with Sandra Rivers-Gill

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The northwestern part of Ohio has been all the buzz of events and accolades all around. In the ars poetica sphere is a chyron, moving and peaking our listening ears. So, I will do my best to recap a listing of events over the past few months. In fact, the summer months have been such a blur of motion, it seems that every nook and cranny in NOW, particularly, Toledo is releasing rich and powerful words into the atmosphere; inundated with mood, metaphor, meter and meaning. So much so that my Poet Ambassador’s Corner newsletter has taken a pause to only share the happenings that have flooded my feed on Facebook.

If any event or celebration has slipped through unseen, charge it to my head and not my heart. Viva la Poetry! It will never cease or become missing in action.  Here is a loose documentation of NWO’s poetry scene: past, present and approaching. Please note ongoing events: WritersShop and Uncloistered events are graciously hosted by Lucas County Poet Laureate, Jonie McIntire (Toledo) via Facebook; Friday Nite Live Open Mic, hosted by Gary Bonds (Toledo) via Facebook; Respect Tha Mic Poetry and Steamy Stroke & Sip, Poetry & Painting, hosted by SunKissed Ryc Brown (Toledo) via Facebook; Sylvania Writes Out Loud: Poetry Slam is hosted by Sylvania Writes via Facebook; and the Online Artist Support Group, is hosted by Joe Sparks (Toledo) via Facebook.

June

  • Respect Tha Mic Poetry, 7-9PM, 2nd Wednesdays. @Code Bar, 827 Starr Ave. Toledo, OH
  • 6PM last Thursdays: Online Artist Support Group, @ Joe Sparks
  •  Congrats to Monique Shanice Wilbert (Lima), on “Pomegranate,” her poetry collection. Read a review here.
  • 6.24.25, 6-8PM: Uncloistered Poetry Live, featuring poets: Dan Denton, Dennis Hinrichsen, and Bob Phillips
  • 6.15.25, 6-8PM: Uncloistered Poetry Online featuring Leonard Kress
  • 6.20.25, 4PM: Author Naykeshia D.D. Darby published her book, Reflective Expressions: Selected Poems” at the BG Arts Council Artist Space, Bowling Green, OH
  • 6.24.24, 6PM: WritersShop, “Finding Your Voice” featuring PEACE Bell, @Reynolds Corner Library, 4833 Dorr St, Toledo, OH
  • 6.28.25, 1-4PM: Toledo Has Spoken, 2018 Collingwood Ave.,Toledo, OH @Del Grace 419-304-3088

July

    • 6PM last Thursdays, Online Artist Support Group, Details via Facebook. Hosted by Joe Sparks
    • Respect Tha Mic Poetry, 7-9PM: 2nd Wednesdays, @Code Bar, 827 Starr Ave. Toledo, OH
    • Lima Land Poetry Slam Open Mic, 2nd Fridays,7PM @ Vibe Coffeehouse & Cafe, 311 E. Market St., Lima, OH
    • 7-11-25, 6PM: @ Art Space Lima. Featured a reading Joni McIntire (Toledo), Laurin Wolf (Lima), and Sandra Rivers-Gill (Toledo). Lima, OH.
    • 7.11.25 @6PM: Sylvania Writes Out Loud: Poetry Slam, Olive’s on Main, 5629 Main St., Sylvania, 43560 Details @Sylvania Writes
    • Lima Land Poetry Slam Open Mic, 2nd Fridays, 7PM, Vibe Coffeehouse, Lima, Ohio @LimaLandPoetsSlam
    • 7/19/25, 6pm: A Poetry Evening, featuring Jonie McIntire, Tanasio and Anna Barnes @ The Switchboard, 912 Monroe St., Toledo, OH  

    August

    • 6PM last Thursdays, Online Artist Support Group, Details via Facebook. Hosted by Joe Sparks
    • Respect Tha Mic Poetry, 7-9PM, 2nd Wednesdays. @Code Bar, 827 Starr Ave. Toledo, OH 
    • Lima Land Poetry Slam Open Mic, 2nd Fridays, @ Vibe Coffeehouse & Cafe, 311 E. Market St., Lima, OH 
    • 8.9.25, 6-8PM: Uncloistered Poetry Live, featuring Leigh Yenrick, Richard Vargas, and Ellen Austin-Li. 
    • 8.10.25, 6-8PM: Uncloistered Poetry online featuring Sandra Marchetti 
    • 8.22.25, 8-10pm: Let’s Get Serious: Poems & Stories by Comedians @201 S Erie St, Toledo, OH 
    • 8.23.25, 7-8pm: Spoken Word Night @Coyote Beads & Jewelry, 178 S Main St., Bowling Green, OH 
    • 9.28.25, 6-8PM: WritersShop, Writing from the Outside In,” featuring Jack Cheng @Point Place Library, 2727 117th St, Toledo, OH

    September

    • Congrats to Lucas County Poet Laureate, Jonie McIntire (LCPL) on being selected as one of several Artist Champions finalists through CreativeOhio. Read the article here. 
    • Respect Tha Mic Poetry, 7-9PM, 2nd Wednesdays. @Code Bar, 827 Starr Ave. Toledo, OH 
    • 6PM last Thursdays,  Online Artist Support Group, Details via Facebook. Hosted by Joe Sparks 
    • Lima Writers' Community Virtual Writing Group, 7PM, every Wednesday online/virtual 
    • Lima Land Poetry Slam Open Mic, 2nd Fridays, @ Vibe Coffeehouse & Cafe, 311 E. Market St., Lima, OH 
    • Book release, Letters to Our Children, an anthology of essays edited by several Northwest Ohio poets/writers includes Sarah Rainey-Smithback (Bowling Green), Ally Day (Toledo), Curtis Deeter (Perrysburg), Rachel Richardson (Toledo), and Sandra Rivers-Gill (Toledo), Edited by Lee Fearnside (Toledo) and Rovbin Robin  (Toledo) 
    • 9.5.25, 6PM: Sylvania Writes Out Loud Poetry Slam @Olive's On Main, 5629 Main St, Sylvania, OH 
    • 9.13.25, 6-8PM: Uncloistered Poetry Live, featured poets: Molly Fuller, Robert Miltner, and Huntor Prey @ The Attic, 1702 Adams, Toledo, OH 
    • 9.14.25, 10-4PM: Parking Lot Party & Author Fair! @Gathering Volumes, @Gathering Volumes, 196 E. South Boundary, Perrysburg, OH. 
    • 9.14.25, 6-8PM: Uncloistered Poetry Online, featuring Leah Umansky 
    • 9.18.25: Congrats to Sandra Rivers-Gill landing a poem in Rattle landing a poem in Rattle 
    • 9.18.25, 6PM: Presence: Queer Reading Series & Open Mic, PRIDE Center 419, 2413 Collingwood Blvd, Toledo, OH 
    • 9.19.25, 5-10PM: Artomatic419, Erie Street Market, 201 S Erie St, Toledo, OH 
    • 9.19–21.25, 8-11PM: Friday Nite Live Open Mic, 252 Ottawa St, Toledo, OH 
    • 9.25.25, 6-9PM: Flowpoetry, featuring Evan Michael Palermo & Luca Albano, Brewing Green, 322 N Grove St, Bowling Green, OH 
    • 9.27.25, 3-6PM: Toledo Has Spoken, 2108 Collingwood Blvd, Toledo, OH 
    • 9.30.25, 6-8PM: WritersShop, “Storytelling,” featuring Ray McNiece, Point Place Library, 2727 117th St, Toledo, OH

    October

    • Lima Land Poetry Slam Open Mic, 2nd Fridays, @ Vibe Coffeehouse & Cafe, 311 E. Market St., Lima, OH 
    • 6PM last Thursdays, Online Artist Support Group, Details via Facebook. Hosted by Joe Sparks 10.3.25, 6PM: Sylvania Writes Out Loud Poetry Slam, @Olive's On Main, 5629 Main St, Sylvania, OH 
    • 10.8.25, 7:30PM: Steamy Stroke & Sip, Poetry & Painting, @Code Bar, 827 Starr Ave. Toledo, OH ($5-25) 
    • 10/11/25, 6-9PM: Uncloistered Poetry Live 
    • 10/11/25, 6-9PM: Uncloistered Poetry Live, featuring Gary Bond, Holli Carrell, and Juliet Cook. @ The Attic, 1702 Adams, Toledo, OH 
    • 10.15.25, 7-10PM: Poetry & SOUL Sessions, featuring She Speaks and Sandra Rivers-Gill @TolHouse 1447 N. Summit, Toledo, OH via EventBrite, ($7/$10 Cover). 
    • 10.16.25. 5-8PM:  Art Loop: Literati, @ Main Branch Library, 325 N. Michigan Ave. Toledo, OH 
    • 10-18-25, 2-4PM: Dan Denton’s poetry book launch, “Fight Songs for the Underdogs.” @Gathering Volumes, 196 E. South Boundary, Perrysburg, OH. 
    • 10.28.25, 6-8P: WritersShop, "The Poem as Metaphorical Statement” lead by Chiquita Lee Mullins @Point Place Library, 2727 117th St, Toledo, OH

    November

    • Respect Tha Mic Poetry, 7-9PM, 2nd Wednesdays. @Code Bar, 827 Starr Ave. Toledo, OH
    • 6PM last Thursdays, Online Artist Support Group, Details via Facebook. Hosted by Joe Sparks
    • 11.7.25, 6-9PM: Underground Lit Fest. Featuring Lucas County Poet Laureate, Jonie McIntire, Sandra Rivers-Gill, Huntor Prey, and Pella Felton @ The Attic, 1702 Adams, Toledo, OH.
    • 11.7.25, 7PM: Sylvania Writes Out Loud: Story and Poetry Slam @ Olive’s on Main, 5629 Main St., Sylvania, OH
    • 11.8.25, 12–7PM: Underground Lit Fest. Featuring food, book fair and poetry performances @ Culture Clash Records,  912 Monroe St, Toledo, OH
    • 11.25/25. 6-8PM: WritersShop, “What’s Love Got to Do With Love Poem?” led by Adrian Lime @ Toledo Heights Library, 423 Shasta Dr, Toledo, OH

    DECEMBER

    • 12.11/25 6–8pm: WritersShop, Open Mic and potluck @Toledo Heights Branch Library, 423 Shasta Dr, Toledo, OH
    This update provided by Sandra Rivers-Gill.

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    Location: Toledo, OH, USA

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