Writers, musicians, performers, translators, and other creatives from Texas and around the world will gather in Dallas this July. With readings, installations, community dialogue, and live music, the Deep Vellum Music & Literature Festival will showcase global voices in the heart of Dallas.

SECURE YOUR FESTIVAL PASS

Based in the Deep Ellum cultural district in Dallas, Texas, this festival will expand well beyond the Deep Vellum bookstore, engaging major cultural venues across the neighborhood to celebrate the area’s rich music history and its ongoing drive to uplift the arts. Stages and venues include: Sons of Hermann Hall, Ruins, Undermain Theatre, Life in Deep Ellum, Kettle Art Gallery, Deep Ellum Art Co., AllGood Cafe, Poets Books, TRG, Deep Ellum Community Center, Nature of Things Gallery, and Deep Vellum Books.

If you are not able to make it to the festival this year, but want to support the community programming work done by Deep Vellum, you can make a tax-deductible donation here.

Announcement: Due to unforseen circumstances, Carmen Boullosa, Samantha Schnee, Karan Mahajan, and Mayhill will no longer be able to attend the festival. If this lineup update impacts your attendance plans in any way, feel free to reach out to admin@deepvellum.org, and we can look into finding a solution.

get Your Festival Pass

Saturday+ Pass

Saturday Night Headliner Show
Hanif Abdurraqib + Jamila Woods

Buy: $30

Access to the Saturday Night Headliner Show with Hanif Abdurraqib, Jamila Woods, Lawrence Burney, and DAMOYEE at Sons of Hermann Hall.

This pass also comes with access to all writer panels, readings, and music performances at venues throughout Deep Ellum during the day on Saturday July 11 and Sunday July 12.*

This pass does not include access to the Friday Night Kickoff event at Ruins on July 10.

Day Pass

Daytime Festival Events

RSVP: Free with registration

Access to writer panels, readings, and music performances at venues throughout Deep Ellum during the day on Saturday July 11 and Sunday July 12.*

This pass does not include access to the Friday Night Kickoff event at Ruins, nor the Saturday Night Headliner Show with Hanif Abdurraqib and Jamila Woods at Sons of Hermann Hall.

Weekend Festival Pass || SOLD OUT

Access to all events throughout the weekend.

Buy: $40

Access all festival events throughout the weekend, including the Friday Night Kickoff event at Ruins, the Saturday Night Headliner Show at Sons of Hermann Hall, and all Daytime Festival Events.*

Friday+ Pass || SOLD OUT

Friday Night Kickoff
Voices on Latin American Translation

Buy: $15

Access to the Friday Night Kickoff event at Ruins, sponsored by the Southwest Review, featuring a panel on Latin American literature in translation with Carmen Boullosa, Rodrigo Hasbún, and Robin Myers, followed by music performances by Ceci Ceci and Cayuga All-Stars.

This pass also comes with access to all writer panels, readings, and music performances at venues throughout Deep Ellum during the day on Saturday July 11 and Sunday July 12.*

This pass does not include access to the Saturday Night Headliner Show with Hanif Abdurraqib and Jamila Woods at Sons of Hermann Hall on July 11.

*Some venues might reach capacity during peak times. If a venue reaches capacity, patrons will be let in on a one in/one out basis.

lineup

HEADLINERS

Hanif Abdurraqib · Jamila Woods

MUSIC

Damoyee · D-CLAIM · Cayuga All Stars · Ceci Ceci · Denise Lee · Frances Moth · Kirk Thurmond · Mayhill · Mollie Danel · Sam Cormier · Team Effort

LITERATURE

Uchenna Awoke · Yu-Mei Balasingamchow · Quan Barry · Carmen Boullosa · Lawrence Burney · Frank Campagna · Sean Thor Conroe · Afsheen Farhadi · Rodrigo Hasbún · Jason Hensel · Jessica Luther · Oksana Lutsyshyna · David Marquis · Robin Myers · Mike Nagel · Anders Nilsen · Maria Reva · Harold Rogers · Ito Romo · Ethan Rutherford · Kyle Seibel · Brad Ford Smith · Mary Helen Specht · Alex Temblador · Sophia Terazawa · Chioma Ubogagu · Adam Voith · LaToya Watkins · Sasha West

DALLAS POETS

Aaron Brown · Alissa Park · April Sojourner Truth Walker · Charles Wuest · Greg Brownderville · Hannah Mosing · JD Debris · Joaquín Zihuatanejo · Katie Condon · LyriK Hunter · LA Johnson · Lauren Brazeal Garza · Lisa Huffaker · Matt Baker · Mike Soto · Myca Williamson · Naisha Randhar · Pierre Minar · R Flowers Rivera · Reverie Koniecki

Artist bios

SCHEDULE

FRIDAY JULY 10

6:00 PM

Festival Kick-Off Night at Ruins, sponsored by the Southwest Review.

Voices on Latin American literature in translation
Carmen Boullosa
Rodrigo Hasbún
Robin Myers

Music Performances
Cayuga All-Stars
Ceci Ceci

SATURDAY JULY 11

Day
15+ panels, performances, activations

6:00 PM
Headliner show at Sons of Hermann Hall
Featuring Hanif Abdurraqib and Jamila Woods
Joined by Lawrence Burney and DAMOYEE

SUNDAY JULY 12

11:00 AM
Poetry reading with D-CLAIM
Oksana Lutsyshyna
Robin Myers
Sophia Terazawa

Explore events here.

GETTING AROUND

Explore the neighborhood and learn more about parking and public transportation options HERE.

get involved

Volunteer

Interested in Volunteering at the Deep Vellum Music & Literature Festival? Fill out this volunteer form.

Table

Interested in your business or organization having a presence at the Deep Vellum Music & Literature Festival? Fill out this tabling form.

faqs

You can check-in to the festival and receive your wristband at Deep Vellum Books at 3000 Commerce St., Dallas, TX during the following periods:
- 12:00 - 6:00 PM on Friday, July 10
- 10:00 AM - 6:00 PM on Saturday July 11
- 10:00 - 11:00 AM on Sunday July 12
You can also check-in to the festival at the following locations and times:
- Ruins (2653 Commerce St, Dallas, TX 75226), Friday, July 10, 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
- Sons of Hermann Hall (3414 Elm St, Dallas, TX 75226), Saturday, July 11, 6:00 - 8:00 PM
Have your Prekindle QR code ready on your phone or printed out, and show this to event staff upon check-in.
The following festival events are free and open to the public:
SATURDAY
- Poets of Dallas – 10:45 AM to 4:30 PM @ Poets Books
- Deep Ellum Art Co. Music Stage – 12:00 to 5:00 PM @ Deep Ellum Art Co.
  With Sam Cormier, Mollie Danel & Kirk Thurmond, Mayhill, Frances Moth, Team Effort
- Festival Vendor Fair – 11:30 to 6:00 PM @ Deep Ellum Art Co.
- K.Co Press Reading Lounge @ Kettle Art – 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM @ Kettle Art Gallery
- EARLY RISERS – 10:30 AM @ Undermain Theatre, a Little Engines morning reading
  With Adam Voith, Kyle Seibel, Harold Rogers, Sean Thor Conroe, and Mike Nagel
- Nations Reshaped – 11:00 AM @ Deep Vellum, presented by the Texas Book Festival
  With Maria Reva, Moderated by Dalia Azim
- Classics Revisited – 12:00 PM @ Deep Ellum Community Center
  With Ethan Rutherford, Anders Nilsen, Moderated by Jill Meyers
- 1storypod – 1:00 PM @ Undermain Theatre
  With Sean Thor Conroe, Harold Rogers
- Crafting Humanity – 1:00 PM @ Deep Vellum
  With Alex Temblador, LaToya Watkins, Moderated by Sanderia Smith
- False Prophet Book Launch – 2:00 PM @ Deep Ellum Community Center
  With Afsheen Farhadi, Moderated by Matthew W. Baker
- David Marquis performs The River – 2:00 PM @ AllGood Cafe
  With Denise Lee
- End of Earth – 3:00 PM @ Nature of Things Gallery
  With Mary Helen Specht, Sasha West, Moderated by Abigail Lesage
- On Wandering – 3:00 PM @ Undermain Theatre, presented with the Dallas Literary Society
  With Yu-Mei Balasingamchow, Uchenna Awoke, Moderated by Jaina Sanga
- Storytelling and Women’s Sports – 4:00 PM @ Life in Deep Ellum/Mokah Coffee
  With Quan Barry, Dr. Jessica Luther, Chioma Ubogagu, Moderated by Hannah Smith
- Filth Eaters and Chicano Horror – 4:30 PM @ Deep Vellum
  With Ito Romo, Moderated by Omar Zendejas
- A Community of Artists | Kettle Art Gallery – 12:00 PM @ Kettle Art Gallery
  With Jason Hensel, Frank Campagna
- Drawing The Past | An Artist’s Vision of Dallas Calamity and Mayhem – 2:00 PM @ Kettle Art Gallery
  With Brad Ford Smith
SUNDAY
Sunday Morning Poetry with D-CLAIM – 11:00 AM @ Deep Vellum
With Oksana Lutsyshyna, Robin Myers, Sophia Terazawa
The following events require a paid pass. Examples of paid passes are the Friday+ Pass, the Saturday+ Pass, and the Weekend Festival Pass.
FRIDAY
- Kick-off night at Ruins – 6:00 PM, sponsored by the Southwest Review
  With Carmen Boullosa, Rodrigo Hasbún, Robin Myers, Samantha Schnee, Moderated by Greg Brownderville
SATURDAY
- Hanif Abdurraqib and Jamila Woods at Sons of Hermann Hall – 6:00 PM
  Joined by Lawrence Burney and DAMOYEE
We request that you RSVP to register for the festival Day Pass to access free events. Event staff can also help you register for the free pass upon check-in at the festival if you did not pre-register.
You can purchase your festival pass HERE and above on Deep Vellum’s main festival page.
Street parking and lots are available throughout the neighborhood. Free street parking is available daily from 12:00 AM to 6:00 PM. From 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM, meters require payment.
Get more information on parking at the festival HERE.
Locate a member of Event Staff, who will be wearing black lanyards.
Yes, you can find a map of the festival HERE.
You can learn more about the panels and performances on our Festival Events page.
You can learn more about the writers, poets, translators, and musicians on our Festival Lineup page.
Yes! There will be a vendor fair on Saturday, July 11 at Deep Ellum Art Co. You can explore booths for booksellers, vintage sellers, local businesses, and community organizations.
You can catch free music performances from Sam Cormier, Mollie Danel & Kirk Thurmond, Mayhill, Frances Moth and Team Effort at Deep Ellum Art Co. on Saturday, July 11 from 12:00 - 5:00 PM.
There will be a free music & literature performance by David Marquis and Denise Lee at AllGood Cafe at 2:00 PM on Saturday, July 11.
There will be a poetry reading with Oksana Lutsyshyna, Robin Myers, Sophia Terazawa accompanied by a jazz performance by D-CLAIM at Deep Vellum Books at 11:00 AM on Sunday, July 12.
There will not be a festival-sponsored food court at the festival. Instead, we encourage you to explore and dine at the many amazing restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, and bars here in Deep Ellum’s historic cultural district.
If you are interested in receiving a press pass, please reach out to madison@deepvellum.org with information on your affiliated media outlet.
Festival merch will be available for sale at Deep Vellum Bookstore throughout the festival, as well as Deep Vellum’s table at the Festival Vendor Fair inside Deep Ellum Art Co. on Saturday, July 11.