St. Paul to host National Poetry Slam

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Poetry performance artists from across North America will be throwing down rhymes in St. Paul this week.

The 21st annual National Poetry Slam opens Tuesday and runs through Saturday at venues across downtown St. Paul.

Poetry Slam is a combination of spoken word and performance art. Last year's National Poetry Slam winners -- the St. Paul "Soap Boxing" slam team -- is hosting this year's national competition.

Seventy-six teams will compete in preliminary rounds. The top 20 teams compete in semifinals Friday night. On Saturday night, the top four teams will face off in a finals competition at Roy Wilkins Auditorium.

Tickets can be purchased at the door. Event passes can be purchased online.