The 52nd Annual New Year’s Day Marathon

Whether you're someone who likes to end the year in bed early or someone who leaves the rave just in time for poetry church—whatever the lang syne brought you, and however it did—we hope to see you at The Poetry Project’s 52nd Annual New Year’s Day Marathon.

One of New York City’s most iconic and longest-running annual cultural events, the New Year’s Day Marathon is an experiment in poetry and performance, maximized. As our biggest annual party and fundraiser, the Marathon is a celebration of—and recommitment to—what we do at The Poetry Project: make poetry, which is to say life, or at the very least a kind of life, more possible.

The Marathon sets the tone for the year ahead—not just at the Project, but across the city’s arts community. It gathers what poetry and performance do best and places it into a single, expansive day. What emerges is something propulsive, electric, and alive. At a certain point—when the room is full to bursting and the energy is at its peak—the Marathon seems to take on a life of its own. It becomes something both ecstatic and meditative, unruly yet deeply focused.

This event is central to sustaining The Poetry Project’s mission to support poets, writers, artists, thinkers, and students. Funds raised directly support:

• Over 50 live readings and events annually (livestreamed for free)

• A quarterly literary newsletter

• Educational programs serving hundreds of participants, including fully funded scholarships

• Honoraria for more than 200 artists, writers, educators, and technicians each year

The Poetry Project’s 52nd Annual New Year’s Day Marathon

Part One (1–6 PM)

1–2 PM – Hosted by Laura Henriksen
Ernie Brooks; Jeannine Otis; Peter Zummo; Courtney Bush; Judah Rubin; Mayada Ibrahim; Foamola; Ry Dunn; Amy Ching-Yan Lam; Joel Lewis; Bridget Talone; Amir ElSaffar and Zahra Ali; Cliff Fyman; Betsy Fagin; Samuel Espíndola Hernández; m.s. RedCherries

2–3 PM – Hosted by Morgan Bassichis
Rob Arnold; Ariel Yelen; Penny Arcade; Sophie Becker; Morgan Võ; Nora Treatbaby; Marcella Durand; Deepali Zeer; mace dent johnson; Daniel Kuriakose; Edwin Torres; Wendy Xu; Wayne Koestenbaum

3–4 PM – Hosted by Fred Moten and Cuthwulf Eileen Myles
Tom Cole; Laura Henriksen; Tilghman Alexander Goldsborough; Douglas Rothschild; Vincent Katz; Somah Toya Haaland; sadé powell; basalt hsu; Bob Holman; Vlad Nahitchevansky; Christian Nyampeta; Frank Rubino; Evelyn Reilly; Terrance Hayes

4–5 PM – Hosted by Jasmine Sanders
Tracy Rosenthal; Sky Hopinka; Erica Hunt; Don Yorty and Daniel Yorty; erica kaufman; Matt Longabucco; Wendy Lotterman; Sahar Khraibani; Garrett Devoe; Filip Marinovich; Canon Mg Lake; Yaz Lancaster; Justin Allen; Michael Bullock; Belly Chorus

5–6 PM – Hosted by Charlene Incarnate and Tyler Ashley
Maya Martinez; Jordan Tannahill; Dave Morse; Patricia Spears Jones; DAYS (Ethan Philbrick and Ned Riseley); Marc Solomon; Creighton Baxter; Jacob Wasson; Nour Annan; Hayley Stahl; John Kane; Tess Dworman; Ciarán Finlayson; Morgan Bassichis; Anthony Roth Costanzo and Bryan Wagorn

Intermission:
During the break, Rude Mechanical Orchestra will perform outside the Sanctuary.

Part Two (7 PM–Midnight)

7–8 PM – Hosted by Patricia Spears Jones
Holland Andrews and yuniya edi kwon; Sol Cabrini; Mónica de la Torre; Anahit Gulian; Gillian McCain; Yoshiko Chuma; Brenda Coultas; Praise Fuller; Greg Masters; Kelsey Lu; Anne Waldman; Christeene

8–9 PM – Hosted by David Velasco
Benjamin Krusling; Kimberly Alidio; Mai’yah Kau and Amina Ross; Early Shinada; Julio Torres; OHYUNG; Angie Sijun Lou; Drew Zeiba; John Coletti; Ed Friedman and Sam Friedman; Edmund Berrigan; Arthur K; Brandon López; Kaleem Hawa

9–10 PM – Hosted by Christeene
Cuthwulf Eileen Myles; Becca Teich; Niall Jones; Ryan Skrabalak; Alexa Jo Berry; Peter Cramer and Jack Waters; Journey Streams; Mae Howard; Lou Cornum; E.A. Bethea; Lee Ann Brown; Patrick DeDauw; Silas

10–11 PM – Hosted by Niall Jones
Nicole’s Revenge; Nile Harris; Pamela Sneed; Ana Božičević; Ted Rees; Anselm Berrigan; Esmé Naumes-Givens; Jonathan González; Slant Rhyme; Alex Press; Yuyi Chen; Uma Shannon; Laura Ortman and Katherine Liberovskaya

11 PM–Midnight – Hosted by Heather Glynis
Tracey McTague; Jim Behrle; Heather Glynis; James Barickman; Noa Mendoza; Pedro López; Gary Gomez and Cerine Z; Jonathan Aprea; Roberto Montes; Anna Cataldo; Kay Gabriel; Mirene Arsanios; Will Farris; Nicole Wallace

Tickets & Access

• Part One (1–6 PM) – $30

• Part Two (7 PM–Midnight) – $30

• Late Night (after 9 PM) – $20

• Livestream (pay what you can) – suggested $10–$30

Due to high attendance in recent years, entry may pause during peak hours (typically 8–11 PM). Purchasing in advance is strongly recommended.