HS Poetry Contest Seeks Perspectives on What it Means to Be Human
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We are proud to announce that our annual high school poetry contest is now open for submissions. For 2026, students are asked to craft a poem on the topic “What Is Humanity?”
First and second place winners will receive $250 and $100, respectively. Third place and fan favorite winners will receive $50 and $25, respectively. Winners will be unveiled at the Gaithersburg Book Festival on May 16, 2026, at 10:15 a.m., followed by an open mic reading from students and audience members.
“Every year our high school poets surprise us with their imaginative poems,” said Jud Ashman, Festival chair and Mayor of the City of Gaithersburg. "We’re excited to see how they view humanity in this year’s High School Poetry Contest at the Gaithersburg Book Festival."
To participate, students must be enrolled in grades 9-12 at a public or private school, or be in a homeschool program, for the 2025-2026 school year. Additionally, entrants must reside in Maryland, Virginia or the District of Columbia.
Full contest entry rules can be found on the GBF website.
Poems must be submitted electronically via web by midnight ET on Friday, February 20, 2026.
Up to 12 poems will be selected as finalists and posted on the Gaithersburg Book Festival website prior to the Festival. Finalists will also be asked to record a video of themselves reading their poems, which will accompany their poem in print on Gaithersburg Book Festival website for fan favorite voting. A release will be required.
Questions?
Email writingcontest@gaithersburgbookfestival.org
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Applications Now Open for
2026 GBF Workshop Leaders
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Calling all experienced writing teachers, professors and literary coaches – share your skills and passion for the written word and storytelling as a 2026 Gaithersburg Book Festival workshop leader! We are now accepting proposals from professionals in the literary community to lead in-person writing workshops for adults, teens and children.
We welcome workshop ideas across genres and formats. Past sessions have explored poetry, personal essays, short stories and novel writing, comic book creation, songwriting, and publishing and book marketing strategies.
Whether you specialize in flash fiction or memoir, graphic novels or grammar, we’re eager to see proposals that are specific in scope, age-targeted and designed to engage participants in 45–55 minutes of literary exploration.
The Workshop Selection Committee evaluates proposals based on:
- Teaching experience of the workshop leader
- Topic appeal and relevance to our audience
- Diversity of offerings across genres and age groups
Selected workshop leaders may choose between a $100 stipend or a complimentary exhibitor booth at the Festival.
Proposals are due March 1, 2026, and selected presenters will be notified by early April.
Submit your proposal here.
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Earlier this year, we lost two members of the Gaithersburg Book Festival family.
 Jubi Arriola-Headley
The American poetry world mourns the loss of poet, storyteller and activist, Jubi Arriola-Headley, who passed away on October 17. He was part of a wonderful panel of Queer poets at the 2025 Gaithersburg Poetry Festival at which he read from his books "Bound" and "original kink." Joseph Ross, author of Crushed and Crowned and Raising King, recalls, “I read with Jubi twice in the last year, and he was always gracious, kind, and funny. His poems were brave, unapologetic, and beautifully crafted.” PEN America wrote that Jubi “served as leader of the PEN America Florida Chapter, giving of his humor, time, and creativity with a generosity of spirit, always committed not just to his own writing but to creating space for others, always believing deeply in queer voices, in Black voices, and in his own steady sense of purpose.” His poetry and his life were gifts to many of us, especially to his friends, family and husband of 17 years, Paulo Arriola-Headley. Read more about Jubi’s life and work in his 2020 PEN Ten interview.
 Larry Matthews
Former GBF committee member Larry Matthews passed away in August 2025 at age 81. A retired broadcast journalist, Larry dedicated over 30 years to reporting, anchoring, producing, editing and leading newsrooms across the country. Beyond journalism, he was the author of 11 published books. In retirement, Larry remained deeply engaged in his community. He spent his time writing, and volunteering and serving on the board of Friends of the Library Montgomery County (FOLMC). "Larry was a dedicated and active board member for six years and served in several leadership roles," said Ari Brooks, executive director of FOLMC. "He never missed a meeting during his entire tenure on the board. He gave author talks and introduced authors for our luncheon speakers’ series. He was the enunciator for our senior spelling bee, the moderator for panel discussions and assisted with securing a major donor for our first gala. Larry was a connector. I am forever grateful to him for introducing me to Mayor Jud Ashman many years ago. Through that relationship, FOLMC has been a proud partner of GBF since its inception. Most importantly, Larry was a true Friend of the Library."
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Are you interested in participating in the 2026 Gaithersburg Book Festival?
If so, mark these deadlines on your calendar:
January 15, 2026
February 20, 2026
March 1, 2026
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