By Inertia Ayvor Moyo

Zimbabwe’s poetry community is once again in celebration mode as anticipation builds for the 5th edition of the Poetry Red Carpet Awards, an event set to bring together poets from across the region in a night dedicated to honouring creative expression and poetic excellence.

Scheduled for 27 February in Harare at Nicoz Diamond, Samora Machel Avenue, this year’s ceremony will run under the theme “Red Velvet,” a concept organisers say celebrates love in all its forms while highlighting the emotional depth and artistic power of poetry.

The awards continue to grow beyond Zimbabwe’s borders, with poets expected to travel from Mozambique, South Africa, and Botswana, reinforcing the platform’s expanding continental footprint. Over the years, the Poetry Red Carpet Awards have positioned themselves as one of the few spaces dedicated specifically to recognising spoken word and literary performance within the country’s creative industry.

Founder and visionary leader Cynthia Mapondo, popularly known as Blackbird, described the initiative as a celebration of poetic craftsmanship and cultural storytelling. Speaking during a media engagement, she emphasised the long-term vision behind the awards, stating, “The Vision is running, and it will keep running.”

Ticket sales for the ceremony are already underway, with standard tickets priced at US$10 and VIP access available for US$20, as organisers prepare for what is expected to be another glamorous gathering of poets, creatives, and arts supporters.

The release of the final list of nominees for the 2026 edition has further amplified excitement, with the event attracting growing attention from mainstream media platforms, including coverage highlighting its increasingly continental reach.

As the countdown continues, expectations remain high among poets and audiences alike, with many viewing the awards not only as a celebration but also as a symbol of the rising visibility of poetry within Zimbabwe’s modern creative landscape.