October Blue Hour Featuring Mary Helen Callier and Andy Sia

The Chicago Poetry Center presents BLUE HOUR, a free monthly in-person reading series and generative writing workshop. Our October featured readers are Mary Helen Callier and Andy Sia.

Each event takes place at Haymarket House (800 W. Buena) and includes a brief open mic followed by two featured poets. Pre-registration is free and recommended. The open mic includes five readers drawn lottery-style from a hat that goes out at 7 p.m. The reading starts promptly at 7:30. Each open mic poet reads one poem or for three minutes, whichever comes first.

ABOUT THE FEATURES:

Mary Helen Callier:

Mary Helen Callier is the author of When the Horses (2025), winner of the 2023 Alice James Editor’s Choice. Her poems have appeared or are forthcoming in DIAGRAM, Gulf Coast, Sixth Finch, The Atlantic, and elsewhere. She received her MFA in Poetry from Washington University in St. Louis and her doctorate in Creative Writing and Literature from the University of Denver.

Andy Sia:

Andy Sia is the author of Sleuth (Bench Editions, 2026). His poems have appeared or are forthcoming in Annulet, Cleveland Review of Books, Poetry Northwest, Tyger Quarterly, Bennington Review, West Branch, and elsewhere. Originally from Brunei, he currently resides in Cincinnati, where he is a doctoral candidate in Creative Writing and teaches at the University of Cincinnati.

ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION: The mission of the Chicago Poetry Center is to connect people and poetry, equitably engage poets with communities, and foster creative literacy in the city and beyond. Learn more about our programs at www.poetrycenter.org.

ABOUT THE SPACE - Accessibility, Health, & Safety:

- All restrooms at Haymarket House are gender-neutral, including single-user and stalled restrooms.

- Each event includes ASL interpretation. Haymarket House is ADA compliant and fully wheelchair-accessible; email curator@poetrycenter.org to ensure ramp access and with any other accessibility needs.

- Masks are strongly encouraged for all indoor events, and the space is equipped with a professional air filtration system.

PARKING: Limited free and paid street parking is available near Haymarket House. The parking lot at Disney Magnet School is relatively close and is a paid lot; there are also locations nearby available through SpotHero.

Looking for the Workshop? Register here.

Looking for the Livestream? Register here.