Celebrate the connection between art and nature through haiku in the Garden during the Atlanta Haiku Festival.
The month of fun begins with an online poetry competition (submissions open Feb. 1 – 28) with winners announced April 1. This kicks off a month of haiku activities and programs in April, including workshops, discovery stations and more.
The Garden encourages guests to experience nature in many different ways: outdoor walks, gardening classes, plant-based cooking classes, botanical art and more. Japanese plants and culture are a significant part of these experiences; the Garden features many Japanese plants, as Atlanta and Japan have very similar climates, allowing Japanese plants to thrive here. Our Japanese Garden includes Japanese architecture and a beautiful stone lamp from Kagoshima, Japan. Haiku is rooted in kachou fuugetsu, the Japanese term for experiencing nature. The Atlanta Haiku Festival marries the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s connections to nature and Japanese culture through the art of haiku.
Programs and Activities
Visit the Garden during the month of April to engage in a variety of haiku-related activities and programs. From a haiku writing workshop, to ikebana lessons and a full day of festivities on April 18, there’s something for all ages, from seedlings, to budding and blooming haiku enthusiasts.
Haiku Poetry Competition
As part of the Atlanta Haiku Festival, you are invited to submit up to two original, unpublished haiku to our competition during the month of February. Winners will be announced on April 1 and their haiku will be posted online for the month and in the Garden. Participants may submit in one of three categories: Bonsai: Elementary/Middle School aged; Sakura: High School aged; Ginkgo: Adult.
Submissions are free and open to anyone in the US. Winners will be announced on April 1.
Winning haiku will be displayed in the Atlanta Botanical Garden’s Storza Woods, on our website and read aloud during our festival day. Winners and up to three guests are invited to attend the Atlanta Haiku Festival Day on April 18 at the Atlanta Botanical Garden with complimentary admission.
About the Festival Day
Kids Programs | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Little ones can connect with haiku, art, and nature through interactive stations on the Rose Garden and Alston Overlook, as well as in a Library Corner in Gardenhouse Gallery.
Discovery Stations | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Immerse your senses in the beauty of nature at the Tea, Forest Bathing and Haiku Discovery Stations.
Scavenger Hunt | 10 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Stroll the Garden on a self-guided haiku scavenger hunt.
Drop-in Haiku Workshops
Meet at the entrance to the Canopy Walk, and learn to write your own haiku at a drop-in Haiku Workshop facilitated by a professional poet.
Chef Demonstrations
Visit the Outdoor Kitchen for a demonstration by the Garden’s educational chef about a Japanese confection with samples for guests to taste.
Reading of Winning Haiku
Hear the winning haiku from February’s competition read aloud.
Drum Group Performances
Enjoy a special performance by the Atlanta Okinawa Kenjin-Kai taiko drum group.
*This event is rain or shine. In the event of inclement weather, activities will be moved indoors.