Naked Bulb began as a private, backyard open mic once a month in a tidy little Fruitvale neighborhood. The core tenant, that everyone has something to say, is what transformed Naked Bulb from a gathering of writers into a larger venue for the Oakland's creative community. Naked Bulb Press was born out of this gathering and is now on its seventh publication - Andrew J. Thomas, Elynn Alexander, Andy Keating, Kelly Landmine, Gary Turchin, Ruth Crossman, and G Macias Gusman.

Tureeda Mikell is a story medicine woman, poet, Qi Energy Worker and Black Panther alum, selected MoAD 2022 Poet in Residence. Committed to voices seldom heard, she has published over 70 at-risk student classroom anthologies from five bay area counties. Her work has traveled or Zoomed across several countries and continents from China, U.K. to Egypt. Synchronicity: The Oracle of Sun Medicine, was nominated for the California Book Award, and co-curated The Patrice Lumumba Anthology with EastSide Arts Alliance both published by Nomadic Press, now available by Black Lawrence Press, New York.

Since the pandemic, K.R. Morrison has been searching for mermaids in a sea town in Southern California, often returning to the Bay Area for her poetry nests and to play drums for two all-female fronted rock bands – HARRIOT and UNICRÖNE. Morrison is a Pushcart Nominee for her poem, “Her Altar” and still enjoys readings and podcasts celebrating Cauldrons, published by Paper Press Books. K.R. spent 17 years as a sea captain for the teens at Galileo High School– using creative writing and literature, she worked with countless students, earning the name “Mama Mo” with many who left her classroom armed with writing and literacy tools for healing. Morrison continues her work in education through workshops in the juvenal hall system and online teaching. These days, Morrison gypsies up and down the coast for music and poetry and drowns in an abyss of new poems that will hopefully, take the form of three separate manuscripts.

Lee Foust is an author and performer from Oakland, California who has lived in Italy since the late-1990s. He teaches literature and creative writing at the Sant’Anna Institute in Sorrento and lives in the Piedigrotta neighborhood of Naples. He is the author of Poison and Antidote, nine Bohemian tales of 1980s San Francisco, and four novels: Inbetween, Here Lies, San Salvi, and Fake Novel. Foust’s fiction, poetry, recordings, and essays have appeared in journals in Europe, Australia, Canada, and the U.S.A. You can download his audiobooks and performance recordings at bandcamp.com.

William Taylor Jr. lives and writes in San Francisco. He is the author of numerous books of poetry, and a volume of fiction. His work has been published widely in literary journals, including Rattle, The New York Quarterly, and The Chiron Review. He was a recipient of the 2013 Kathy Acker Award, and edited Cocky Moon: Selected Poems of Jack Micheline (Zeitgeist Press, 2014). His new poetry collection, A Room Above a Convenience Store, is available Roadside Press.

M.D. Wallace Is a Bay area transplant from the Midwest. A musician and seeker of creative endeavors. His poetry is an expression of observation.

La Area Bahia’s long running monthly Latinx/Chicanx reading series comes to Beast Crawl! Come hear decolinized verse, Spanglish poesia, Latinx lyrics and poetic chismes from some of La Area Bahia’s most chingon poets.

SARA BORJAS is a Xicanx pocha and a Fresno poet. Her debut collection of poetry, Heart Like a Window, Mouth Like a Cliff was published by Noemi Press in 2019. Sara was named one of Poets & Writers 2019 Debut Poets, is a 2017 CantoMundo Fellow, and the recipient of a 2020 American Book Award. She teaches innovative undergraduates at UC Riverside, lives in Los Angeles, and stays rooted in Fresno. Find her @saraborhaz or at www.saraborjas.com.

Hilary Cruz Mejia (they/she/elle) is a poet and activist from the coastal waters of Guatemala. Her work has appeared in a couple of online magazines. Hilary’s transition to the U.S. as a queer, immigrant, and first-generation college student has been presented in her poetry where she also encourages her readers to preserve the indigenous roots of the lands that were stolen. Outside of writing, she spends her time learning her abuela’s recipes, decolonizing her tongue, and keeping on track with her homework. Follow her on Instagram @hilary_natasha.”

​Josiah Luis Alderete is a full blooded Spanglish speaking Poeta from La Area Bahia y left handed callejero de Aztlán. He has published two books of poetry “Baby Axolotls & Old Pochos” (Black Freighter Press 2021) and “Fuchi Faces de los Estados Jodidos (pinche pandemico poems and other Nalga-Hyde chismes)” (For The Pueblo 2023). Currently Josiah Luis tends the portal known as Medicina Para Pesadillas Bookstore & Galeria.

Xavi Burgos is a multidisciplinary artist, writer, organizer, and educator from New York City and Chicago who currently resides in San Francisco.

Leg 3 (7pm - 8pm) Venue: The Hatch 

We all need to start somewhere. The Starting Points open mic team is inviting writers of all stripes, whether you’re new to reading in public or you read out every week, to come and share your freshest work with us in 3-minutes-or-less at this open mic event. Meet, mingle, and trade chapbooks with other members of the community. We have a feeling this will be the start of a beautiful friendship.

Sara Biel is a poet, visual artist, and social worker. Her work combines original text with different art materials. She is passionate about collaborative art and performance processes and focuses on art as a community-building medium. Her debut poetry collection, Prescribed Burn, was published by Finishing Line in 2023.

​Elisa Salasin is a writer/poet and educator living in Berkeley, California. Her writing and photography have appeared in a range of online publications including AMP/Always Electric, CounterPunch, sPARKLE & bLINK, and Digital Paper, the online magazine for the Bay Area Writing Project. Her debut poetry collection, She Watches Wild Horses, was published by Finishing Line Press in 2023.

​Keith Mark Gaboury earned a M.F.A. in creative writing from Emerson College, a M.A. in English from San Francisco State University, and a B.A. in English from Baker University. His poems have appeared in such literary publications as Poetry Quarterly and New Millennium Writings along with chapbooks from Duck Lake Books, The Pedestrian Press, and Finishing Line Press. Keith lives in Oakland, California.

Leg 1 (4pm -5pm) Venue: ​Feelmore Adult 

Join us for a magical evening of poetry featuring the 2023 Berkeley Poetry Slam Team. Earlier this year, the placed 3rd place at the Bigfoot Regional Slam in Portland, OR. Tune in for the poems that these poets brought with them to represent what the Bay Area poetry scene has to offer. ​

Leg 3 (7pm - 8pm) Venue: ​Tamarack

Tamarack is a collectively run bar and restaurant, serving simple and delicious comfort food with inspiration from all over the world. Our menu includes rotating craft cocktails focused on house made ingredients, in addition to a selection of local beer, wine, and premium liquor. We see the communal act of eating, drinking, and being together as a foundation for growing friendships and building the world of our dreams.

Beast Crawl Literary Festival created the Reginald Lockett Memorial Open Mic to commemorate the life and contributions of poet Reginald Lockett. Reginald was a founding member of the Black Students Alliance at San Francisco State University. He would later return to teach creative writing there, as well as at City College of San Francisco, Laney College and College of Marin. He was a tenured instructor of Language Arts at San Jose City College for the last 20 years.

A dedicated teacher, Mr. Lockett was best known as a poet. He was also the owner and publisher of Juke Box Press, which published many other poets and raised thousands of dollars for Hurricane Katrina victims with the publication of "Words upon the Water."

Reginald was the author of "Where the Birds Sing Bass," which won a PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Award in 1996, "Good Times & No Bread," "The Party Crashers of Paradise" and "Random History Lessons," published by Creative Arts Books in 2003. (Source)

Leg 2 (5:30pm - 6:30pm) Venue: Night Heron 

Night Heron, a colorful cocktail bar that pays homage to Oakland’s history and diversity through the works of talented local artists.

Night Heron is an art-studded destination for craft cocktails, bento boxes, and all the right vibes located across the street from The Fox Theater.

Food is available from neighboring restaurant Itani Ramen, whose chef/owner Kyle Itani curated two Bento Boxes exclusively for Night Heron. Patrons can order via QR code and food will be delivered directly to them.

MoonDrop Productions is the creation of Kelechi Ubozoh & Cassandra Dallett. It is a quarterly submission based/themed reading. We encourage writers to share their personal evolutions, revolution, love and lust. We strive to hear from a diverse group of writers and are committed to creating new spaces where those who haven't been given a stage can shine. Contact us at moondropproductionswriters@gmail

For the 2023 Best Crawl Literary Festival, MoonDrop Productions presents a diverse group of poets who all have a special connection with Oakland and we are going to rock the house.

Christine No is a Korean American writer, teaching artist and daughter of immigrants. She is a Sundance Alum, VONA Fellow, Pushcart Prize and Best of the Net Nominee; and Kearny Street Workshop's APAture Festival's featured literary artist. You can find her work in the Columbia Journal, Story Magazine, The Rumpus amongst others. Her First full length poetry collection “Whatever Love Means” is available via Barrelhouse Books. Check her out on the internet at @iamchristineno. ​

​About First Edition:
First Edition 1915
Located in Uptown Oakland, we have over 3000 square feet of available space, including two mezzanines, an outdoor roof deck, and two full bars. All of our art is graphic novel/comic book inspired and created by local artist Michael Brennan. We aim to create a casual, neighborhood environment where exploration of new cocktails and introductions to new friends is the norm. Whether you're enjoying a happy hour cocktail on the patio or dancing the night away with our weekend local DJs events, we’re here to share our passion for making cocktails fun and approachable in a clean, safe, inclusive environment.

Leg 1 (4pm -5pm) Venue: ​Binny's Cocktail Bar & Restaurant

A celebration of the return to an intimate and community-based bar and dining experience. Binny’s presents a tailored menu of original and classic cocktails with shareable plates of uncomplicated, veritable bites. From the Art Deco-inspired interiors to the elegant U-shaped bar and cozy banquet seats, Binny’s invites you to have a laugh, enjoy the atmosphere and stay awhile.

ABOUT BOOKMARK BOOKSTORE:
Bookmark Bookstore
The Bookmark Bookstore is a nonprofit used bookstore that is owned and operated by the Friends of the Oakland Public Library and staffed by volunteers. All of the many thousands of books and media in store are donated, and all proceeds support the Oakland Public Library. A true local establishment, the Bookmark celebrated its 30th anniversary this past year. Located at 721 Washington Street in Old Oakland, the store is open Wednesday-Friday from 11:00am – 4:00pm and Saturday-Sunday from 10:30am – 5:30pm. 

The Hatch We are back! Thank you for your support. Its been a year like no other but we are happy to still be here serving you your favorite food and drinks.

Small bites for every occasion featuring our world famous fresh cut fries and homemade sauces.

Enjoy our signature burgers and sandwiches or make your own custom creation. Sky's the limit.

Your favorire Hatch Cocktails, Slushes and beers are now available for takeout.

Your friends at The Hatch. 

California Poets in the Schools Laney College presents "Preachers, Reachers and Teachers." Tobey Kaplan and friends: Long -time Oakland poet and educator presents the best of the BEAST-- literary luminaries--writers who teach and encourage critical and creative process in the classroom and in the streets; these EAST BAY instructors will share their own work that inspires others to craft their own memoirs, poetry, essays and fiction.

Tobey Kaplan, a poet originally from New York City, with degrees from Syracuse and San Francisco State Universities, has been teaching in the San Francisco Bay Area for thirty years.  An active member of California Poets in the Schools and Associated Writing Programs,  Ms. Kaplan has given readings, workshops and presentations throughout the country regarding creative process, literacy and social change. She had previously worked for the Washoe Tribe to coordinate a range of educational services and identify career building programs for the Native American community in Alameda Country.

Ms. Kaplan has received grants from the California Arts Council, 1979-1982 to serve as poet in residence at community mental health centers, and has also taught creative writing as an adult education instructor at  Pleasant Hill Adult School. She has also worked for Contra Costa County  Schools as an instructor in the jails, and for Project Second Chance as the detention facilities tutor coordinator.  Her honors include: being named Dorland Mountain Colony Fellow, honorable mention Crazyhorse poetry prize 2008 and Affiliate Artist at the Headlands Center for the Arts, as well as being the recipient of a Bay Area Award (New Langton Arts, 1996). Among her publications are: Across the Great Divide ( Androgyne, 1995). Her poems are contained in numerous literary anthologies. As an adjunct faculty member, Tobey Kaplan currently teaches creative writing, literature, humanities, reading and composition at several East Bay community colleges.

Sarah Kobrinsky is the former Poet Laureate of Emeryville, CA. She is the author of Nighttime on the Other Side of Everything (New Rivers Press). Her poems and stories have appeared in Magma Poetry, Red Light Lit, Eleven Eleven, Monkeybicycle, *82 Review, 100 Word Story, Fjords Review, among many others. She was long-listed for the 2019 University of Canberra Vice Chancellor's Poetry Prize.  She was born in Canada, raised in North Dakota, seasoned in England, and tempered in California. Sarah and her husband have a handmade ceramic dinnerware company in the Bay Area called Jered's Pottery. She is also a martial artist and an aspiring polyglot.

Leg 2 (5:30pm - 6:30pm) Venue: ​​Oakland Photo Workshop

Oakland Photo Workshop is a community gallery and workspace, offering exhibitions by local photographers and community groups, as well as photography classes, talks by local artists, photo walks, and meetups.
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We’re in the historic Asian Resource Center building, in the heart of beautiful Oakland Chinatown.