SF Bay Area Poetry Contest 2026

Calling all Bay Area Youth!

The contest is now open for 2026

Hosted by the Atherton Library and Atherton Youth Advisory Group

Event Rules

Open to all students from kindergarten to 12th grade. Any form of poem submission is allowed. There are three submission groups – Elementary School, Middle School and High School.

For full contest rules, please click here to view the Event Rules document.

Submission Period

Jan 24, 2026 – Feb 28, 2026

Click here to submit

Prizes

Watch this space for details of the Prize Ceremony to be held in April 2026

High School Winner – $150, Middle School Winner – $120, Elementary Winner – $75

Looking for the 2025 Contest?

Information about the Atherton Poetry Contest 2025 — including rules, winners, and the award ceremony can be found here: Visit the 2025 Competition Page

Additional Information

Contact: adigarg@athertonyouth.com for any questions.

Judges

Our esteemed judges are from top Bay Area institutions including Stanford and other prominent literary institutions.