Upcoming Events
Tahoe Literary Festival
Tahoe Literary Festival
Tahoe City, CA
October 9—11, 2026
Lee will be in conversation, “The Power of Poetry: Poets Laureate in Conversation,” with Nevada Poet Laureate Shaun Griffin, moderated by Nevada County Poet Laureate Karen Terry, on Saturday, Oct. 10 from 1:45 - 3:00 pm.
Lee will also give a generative poetry workshop on Sunday, October 11 from 10:00 am—1:00 pm. Registration ticket with fee required.
For more details, to register, and the full schedule, visit Tahoe Literary Festival.
Las Vegas Book Festival
Lee will be on a panel of poets laureate at the Las Vegas Book Festival, October 17, 2026. Details forthcoming.
Poet Film Stage - Beyond Baroque
In Person at Beyond Baroque and Live on YouTube. Tickets required, available here.
Beyond Baroque Literary Arts Center
681 Venice Blvd.
Venice, CA
A mysterious suitcase travels through Los Angeles in Double Exposure, the third Poet Film Stage production at Beyond Baroque, following the sold-out Outlaws & Angels in May. This original 80-minute live production places poetry at the center of a seven-part cinematic and theatrical journey. Film, scripted performance, vignettes, and an original live score create a continuous work of poetry and story across screen and stage.
Featuring California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick, actor Corinne Conley, poets and performers Harry E. Northup, Joseph Paulson, Amy Raasch, Rich Ferguson and Benin Lemus, former San Francisco Poet Laureate Kim Shuck, Poet Laureate of Pacific Palisades Michelle Bitting, and Los Angeles poets and performers Conney Williams, Suzanne Lummis, S.A. Griffin, Pam Ward, Luivette Resto, AJ Luxton, Dennis Cruz, jimmy vega, Nicelle Davis, Elaine Mintzer, Dig Wayne, and Kathleen Florence.
Opening film: featuring Amy Raasch, Harry E. Northup, Rich Ferguson, Benin Lemus, and Joseph Paulson, directed by Kathleen Florence.
Vignettes performed by: Joseph Paulson and Amy Raasch
Original live score by: Butch Norton
Directed by: Rich Ferguson and Kathleen Florence
Council of Korean Americans - Envision Gala and Summit
Lee will speak at the 15th Anniversary of the Council of Koreans Americans Envision Gala and Summit in Los Angeles, California. The three-day summit concludes with the Gala on Saturday, October 24, where Lee will speak. The annual Envision Summit & Gala returns to Los Angeles for an unforgettable weekend of connection, celebration, and community. Join us as we celebrate 15 years of CKA, 20 years of NetKAL, and the 250th anniversary of the United States. With special programming, distinguished honorees, and memorable experiences on the horizon, this is an event you won’t want to miss. Reserve your spot today, and stay tuned for exciting announcements about sponsorship opportunities, hotel accommodations, and more. For tickets, visit CKA.
Sacramento Poetry Center Writers' Conference
Lee will be part of the Sacramento Poetry Center’s Writers’ Conference. Details forthcoming.
Arroyo Grande with San Luis Obispo Poet Laureate Caleb Nichols for his book launch
Lee will read with San Luis Obispo Poet Laureate Caleb Nichols for Caleb’s book launch. Details forthcoming.
Fresno State - Juan Felipe Herrera book launch
Lee will read at the book launch for Juan Felipe Herrera. Details forthcoming.
Claremont McKenna
Lee will speak at the Claremont McKenna Athanaeum. Details forthcoming.
Ojai Rotary Club
Lee will speak at the Ojai Rotary Club in Ojai, California.
Noon, Friday, November 13, 2026
For location and more information, visit here.
Orange County Book Fair
Lee will be on a panel at the OCBF in Tustin, CA. Details forthcoming.
Santa Cruz
UC Santa Cruz
Cultural Center at Merrill
6:00 pm
The Humanities Institute is proud to present The Seventeenth Annual Morton Marcus Poetry Reading featuring California Poet Laureate, Lee Herrick. Lee Herrick is the first California Poet Laureate to be reappointed to a second term. He is the author of four books, most recently In Praise of Late Wonder: New and Selected Poems(2024). He co-edited The World I Leave You: Asian American Poets on Faith and Spirit and the AGNI Portfolio of Adoptee Writing. His writing appears in anthologies such as Here: Poems for the Planet, with an introduction by the Dalai Lama; Indivisible: Poems of Social Justice, with an introduction by Common; and Dear America: Letters of Hope, Habitat, Defiance, and Democracy, among others. Born in Daejeon, Korea and adopted to the United States at ten months old, he lives with his wife and daughter, and teaches in Fresno, California. Poet Gary Young, will host the program, and the evening will include an announcement of the winner of the Morton Marcus Poetry Prize (recipient receives a $1,000 prize).
For free registration ticket and more information, visit here.
Napa Library
Gather for a night of verse from California Poet Laureate Lee Herrick and Napa County Poet Laureate Aisha Rivera as they share their work and give tips on writing poetry of your own. Moderated by local author Linda Ruggeri. For more information, visit here.
Napa Library
Community Meeting Room
580 Coombs St.
Napa, CA 94559
Book launch for May-lee Chai's My Hungry Ghosts: Essays and Incantations
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2026, 7:00 PM PST
May-lee Chai (Book Launch for “MY HUNGRY GHOSTS”)
May-lee Chai in conversation with CA Poet Laureate Lee Herrick – City Lights celebrates the publication of MY HUNGRY GHOSTS: ESSAYS & INCANTATIONS – By May-lee Chai – Published by Blair Books
This event is free to the public and will take place both instore and online. The virtual part of the event will be hosted on the Zoom platform. You will need access to a device that is capable of accessing the internet. To attend online you must register. To register and for more information, visit here. Instore seating is limited and on a first-come, first-serve basis. No reservation required.
Barnes and Noble, Brentwood
Lee will read in Brentwood, CA at Barnes and Noble. Time and details forthcoming.
Mill Valley Public Library
Lee will read with Francesca Bell and Albert Flynn DeSilver at the Mill Valley Library, Creekside Room. Free and open to the public. For more information, visit here.
San José Poetry Festival
Lee will give a poetry workshop (10:00 am—12:30 pm, registration required) and a reading (4:30 pm) at the San José Poetry Festival. The reading, with Brandon Luu and Solange Aguilar, is free at the Markham House inside Historic Park. The festival features many wonderful poets. To register for the workshop and for more information on all the events, visit https://www.pcsj.org/events.
Korean Adoptee Poetry Workshop
Lee will give a poetry workshop focusing on editing, as the third part of a three-workshop series. KADs are encouraged to take all three workshops. Bay Area, location forthcoming. Limited to 20 participants. Details forthcoming or email contact@leeherrick.com for information and to enroll.
CalMatters Ideas Festival
Lee will speak and read at the CalMatters Ideas Festival, alongside Attorney General of California Rob Bonta, CEO Latino Community Foundation Julian Castro, President of the CA Federation of Labor Unions Lorena Rodriguez, former U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano, and more.
“Join us at the CalMatters Ideas Festival to meet people who care about, are affected by, and have the power to do something about California’s pressing challenges. The programming will focus on the future of California as new technology, new leadership, and new ideas shape how we live our lives in the Golden State. Your ticket includes a continental breakfast, lunch, and an evening reception.”
May 21, 2026
9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sheraton Grand Sacramento Hotel
1230 J. Street
Sacramento, CA
Writers in the Woods, Incline Village, Nevada
Lee will read for the Writers in the Woods Reading Series for the University of Nevada, Reno at Lake Tahoe. For more information, visit here. He will give a poetry workshop on Saturday, April 25. Workshop time and details fortchoming.
UNR-Lake Tahoe Campus
Prim Library Building
6:00 pm (doors at 5:30 pm)
Free
Poetry Workshop (Zoom) - UCLA Extension
Lee will reprise his poetry workshop, “I’ve Been Here and Never Been Here: Writing Poems About Place and Displacement” for the UCLA Writing Programs Extension. Free. Zoom. To enroll and read more about the workshop, visit here.
10th Anniversary of Inspirational Messages of Peace, Celebration of Student Voices
Lee will give a short keynote for the 10th Anniversary of Inspirational Messages of Peace, Celebration of Student Voices at the University Park World Peace Rose Garden in Stockton, CA. 599 E. Magnolia St., Stockton, CA.
California Arts Council 50th Anniversary Celebration
Lee will help give awards and celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the California Arts Council in Sacramento, CA. Details forthcoming.
Pacific Grove Library
Lee will give an afternoon youth poetry workshop and an evening reading at the Pacific Grove Library. Details forthcoming.
WeHo Reads with Jen Cheng
Lee will read and be in conversation with West Hollywood Poet Laureate Jen Cheng for the WeHo Reads series. Zoom. Link forthcoming.
KFCF Tower Live with Benjamin Boone
Lee will read and perform with acclaimed saxophonist Benjamin Boone for the KFCF Tower Live Series.
VISTA Theater
Fresno, CA
6:00 pm
Vacaville Museum Presents Center Stage
Lee will read along with Solano County poets laureate past and present for Center Stage at the Vacaville Museum. Open mic will follow the laureates. $12 non-members, $10 members. There will be a limit of 75 sold for courtyard comfortability. Tickets here.
Thursday, April 9.
6:00 - 8:30 pm
Vacaville Museum
213 Buck Ave.
Vacaville, CA
In This Time: A Gathering of Poets Laureate from the West
Lee will read at In This Time: A Gathering of Poets Laureate from the West, featuring state poets laureate from Nevada, Oregon, Idaho, Arizona, New Mexico, California, and Washington. Sponsored by the Nevada Arts Council.
Brewery Arts Center
Carson City, Nevada
Zimmerman Boys and Girls Club: Youth Poetry Workshop
Lee will give a poetry workshop for kids and teens at the Zimmerman Boys and Girls Club.
540 N Augusta St, Fresno, CA 93701
3:00 - 4:00 pm
AWP - Baltimore - Panel Reading: Twenty Years of poemoftheweek.com
Twenty Years of PoemoftheWeek.com
Founded in 2006 by Andrew McFadyen-Ketchum, PoemoftheWeek.com was one of the first online anthologies dedicated to sharing and promoting the best in contemporary poetry. Now, after twenty years, POW is coming to print. Twenty Years of PoemoftheWeek.com will be the first major collection to showcase the evolving voice of twenty-first-century American poetry. Join us for a special celebration of POW’s twenty-year legacy with a reading by a diverse and dynamic lineup of award-winning and emerging poets.
Speaker(s):
Poetry Reading, March 6, 2026 - 9:00 - 10:15 am
Location: Room 325, Level 300, Baltimore Convention Center
Session Code: F124
A Courage of Poets
Sixteen Rivers Press presents A Courage of Poets, a community reading to remember those killed by ICE. This event will feature 300+ poets and friends reading 2-3 lines each in succession, with Lee concluding with a final poem.
February 6, 2026
10:00 am - Noon
West Side of State Capitol
10th & L
Sacramento, CA
Martin Luther King. Jr. Day reading
Lee will read alongside community members, from MLK’s “I Have a Dream” speech.
Betty Rodriguez Library
3040 N. Cedar Ave., Fresno (free)
Leadership Fresno
Lee will speak to this year’s Leadership Fresno class in downtown Fresno.
Benicia Public Library
Lee will read at a holiday-themed reading at the Benicia Public Library, with a variety of treats and live music. Lee will read and have a Q & A for the first hour, followed by an open mic open to all.
Benicia Public Library
Doña Benicia Room
150 E. L Street
Benicia, CA
3:30 - 5:30 pm
Santa Cruz Art and Poetry Exhibition
Lee will read alongside eight artists and poets for an art and poetry exhibition in Santa Cruz, CA. Details forthcoming.
Poetry Workshop (Zoom), UCLA Extension
Lee will teach an online course for UCLA Extension, titled “I've Been Here and Never Been Here: Writing Poems About Place and Displacement.” Explore strategies for writing poems situated in a specific space, from a small room to an entire city. More information and registration here.
LitHop
Lee will be introducing Fresno City College students at LitHop. This event is from Noon - 12:45 pm at Lotus Room (620 E. Olive Ave., Fresno). Visit LitHop Fresno more more details.
Riverside Book Festival
Lee will give the keynote at the inuagural Riverside Book Festival.
Riverside Main Library. For a full list of speakers and more details, visit here.
Linden Tree Books - Reading and Signing
Lee will read from his new book and sign copies at Linden Tree Books in Los Altos, CA.
4:00 - 5:30 pm
Linden Tree Books
265 State Street
Los Altos, CA
Fresno State Asian American Studies Major Celebration
Lee will be reading his original poem for the Fresno State Asian American Studies Major Celebration.
Malibu library workshop
Lee will give a poetry writing workshop on the theme “origins.” Details forthcoming.
Selected Past Events
Write America, online
Zen and the Art of Writing, online
Sierra Poetry Festival, online
Adoptee Literary Festival, online
Association of Writers and Writing Programs conferences in New York City, Boston, Denver, Seattle, Minneapolis, Washington DC, Chicago, Los Angeles, Portland
Association of Asian American Studies Conference, Chicago, IL
Korean Adoptee Mini Gatherings in Honolulu, HI, San Francisco, CA, Boston, MA, and Seattle, WA
Association of Korean Adoptees, SF, 10th Year Anniversary, San Francisco, CA
Boston Korean Adoptees, 10th Anniversary, Boston, MA
KoRoot, Seoul, South Korea
Association of Asian American Studies Conference, San Francisco, CA
Yosemite Conference, Oakhurst, CA
John Natsoulas Art Gallery, Davis, CA
The Loft, Minneapolis, MN
Brooklyn Poets, Brooklyn, NY
Rutgers University, Camden, NJ
Augustana College, Sioux Falls, SD
Sierra Nevada College, Incline Village, NV
University of California, Santa Barbara
University of California, Riverside
University of California, Berkeley
University of California, Davis
University of California, Merced
St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN
Metropolitan State University, St. Paul, MN
University of Texas, El Paso
University of Texas, Austin
California State University, Stanislaus
California State University, Fresno
San Francisco State Poetry Center, SF, CA
University of Nevada, Reno, Visiting Writer, Reno, NV
Reedley College, Reedley, CA
Fullerton College, Fullerton, CA
Evergreen Valley College, San Jose, CA
Merced College, Merced, CA
Modesto Junior College, CA
Clovis Community College, Clovis, CA
Mission College, Santa Clara, CA
Sacramento City College, Sacramento, CA
Fresno High School, Fresno, CA
Washington Union High School, Fresno, CA
Davis High School, Modesto, CA
Bakersfield College, Bakersfield, CA
Augustana College, Sioux Falls, SD
Sierra Nevada College, Incline Village, NV
University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA
University of Washington, Tacoma
Asian American Writers Workshop, New York City, NY
English Council of California Two-Year Colleges, Long Beach, CA
The Korea Society, New York City, NY
Verlaine, New York City, NY
American Library Association Conference, San Francisco, CA
Alliance for the Study of Adoption and Culture Conference, Oakland, CA
KoRoot, Seoul, South Korea
Port Antonio, Jamaica
Kundiman, New York City, NY
The Democracy Center, Cambridge, MA
Fresno Poets' Association, Fresno, CA
LitHop, Fresno, CA
EP Foster Library, Ventura, CA
Mission Poetry Series, Santa Barbara, CA
Watershed Environmental Festival, Berkeley, CA
Lyrics and Dirges, Oakland, CA
World Series of Poetry, San Francisco, CA
Valley State Prison, Chowchilla, CA
Fresno Art Museum, Fresno, CA
Fresno Arts Council, Fresno, CA
Respite By the River, Fresno, CA
Modesto Stanislaus Poetry Center, Barkin Dog, Modesto, CA
The Ruskin Art Club, Red Hen Press, Los Angeles, CA
Civic Center Studios, Los Angeles, CA
The Last Bookstore, Los Angeles, CA
Beyond Baroque, Venice, CA
Fig Garden, Woodward Park, Betty Rodriguez, and Downtown Library Branches, Fresno, CA
Eastwind Books, Berkeley, CA
Owl and Company Bookstore, Oakland, CA
Pegasus Books, Berkeley, CA
Literary Arts, Portland, OR
Lincoln Center, New York City, NY
New Orleans Poetry Festival, New Orleans, LA
Little Casa Theater, Los Angeles, CA
LitQuake, Yerba Buena Gardens Festival, SF, CA
LitCrawl, San Francisco, CA
Writers by the River, San Marcos, TX