Waffle Awards 2026

Following many comments about the breath of fresh air the Love In brought to Friendly Street, we are introducing 3 awards for your enjoyment and participation:

The Damp Hankie Award
for the soppiest love poem at the 1 May 2026 City Meeting;

The Avoid Them Like The…. Award
for the most awful cliché(s) at the 7 August 2026 City Meeting;

The It’s A What ? Award
for the worst metaphor/simile at the 2 October 2026 City Meeting.

How it works:

This competition is entwined with the normal Friendly Street meetings. Your poem must be no more than 30 lines long and be read within a normal 3-minute slot.… Click for more

FSP March City Meeting & Open Mic

Friday 6th March 2026
doors at 6:00pm for 6:30pm start

The Box Factory
59 Regent St, Adelaide, SA 5000

$5 to read, free to listen.

It’s Adelaide Festival and Fringe time and the poetry continues at FSP!

As usual, a strict 3-minute time limit applies, including any introductions, explanations and post-scripts. Bring two typed / printed copies of your poem with all your contact details on the back of the pages for submission to the next FSP Annual Anthology.

Membership fees for 2026 are now due: $25 for wage earners and $15 for others.
Click here for information about membership and forms.… Click for more

Poem of the Month – December 2025 – Steve Evans

The Poem of the Month for December 2025, selected by 2025 Anthology editors Val Braendler and Ben Adams, is North Yelta by Steve Evans. The commended poems are Jacaranda, Advent’s flower by Dawn Colsey, Big-hearted  Joe by Elizabeth Salna and Slammed by Jill Wherry.

North Yelta
Steve Evans

Before you wake
I sit at the table in the derelict house
that was your home
and watch the grey feathered sky.

If we could dismantle it,
we would take away the bed
on which you sleep a last time,
that bed you lay on first at ten
and have brought me to
at thirty five.… Click for more

CHANGE OF VENUE for the launch of Chronicle – The First Fifty Years of Friendly Street – The Second Edition

Constellations at the Exchange

Monday, 2 March, 2026
1:00 – 2:00 pm

The Exchange
55 Exchange Pl, Adelaide SA, 5000

Please note the change of venue (originally scheduled for Adelaide Town Hall)

Chronicle – The First Fifty Years of Friendly Street – The Second Edition will be launched as part of the Constellations Festival at the Exchange Building (former Stock Exchange and home of RiAus).

Welcome a panel of Friendly Street poets, as they launch Chronicle, their vibrant history publication, and relate colourful stories from the hippie ’70s to present day, along with readings of some of the best poetry presented at the longest-running, un-censored open mic in Australia.… Click for more

FSP February City Meeting and Open Mic

Friday 6th February 2026
doors at 6:00pm for 6:30pm start

The Box Factory
59 Regent St, Adelaide, SA 5000

$5 to read, free to listen.

Our monthly poetry open mic meetings are returning for 2026!

As usual, strict 3-minute time limit, including any introductions, explanations and post-scripts. Bring two copies of your poem with all your contact details for submission to the next FSP Annual Anthology.

Membership fees for 2026 are now due: $25 for wage earners and $15 for others.
Click here for information about membership and forms.

Announcements will be made to inform everyone about FSP’s plans for the year.… Click for more

Poem of the Month – November 2025 – Geoff Aitken

The Poem of the Month for November 2025, selected by 2025 Anthology editors Val Braendler and Ben Adams, is gratis is not a liveable wage by Geoff Aitken. The commended poems are 15 seconds by Mandy McPeake, Yellow Moon by Maxine Platt and Semaphore 2025 by Mike Ladd.

gratis is not a liveable wage
Geoff Aitken

he was unable to discuss
additional conditions
over the phone.

did say
caterers would be paid

so too the emcee.

the equipment
leased

and the premises
hired

while he as organiser
warranted a token fee.

my reputation
of course, acknowledged

and writing promoted,
if i agreed to terms.… Click for more

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