October 2026 packs a lot into thirty-one days for poets — first-book prizes, single-poem contests, translation awards, and a few big travel opportunities all close this month.
Below is a curated roundup of poetry contests October 2026 and related calls we verified on official contest or publisher pages. Always double-check guidelines (fees, eligibility, and formatting) before you send.
Poetry Contests & Prizes Closing in October 2026
- APR/Honickman First Book Prize – Deadline: October 1, 2026. $25 entry fee. $3,000 + book publication (Copper Canyon distribution); judged by Terrance Hayes. Open to poets who have not published a book-length collection with a registered ISBN (U.S. writers). Manuscript 48+ pages.
→ Submit here: https://americanpoetryreview.submittable.com/submit/2170/apr-honickman-first-book-prize - Tom Howard/Margaret Reid Poetry Contest – Deadline: October 1, 2026 (11:59pm Hawaii Time). $25 per submission (up to 3 poems). Two $3,500 top prizes (any style / traditional or rhyming) plus ten $500 honorable mentions; published or unpublished welcome; max 250 lines per poem.
→ Submit here: https://winningwriters.submittable.com/submit/58274/tom-howard-margaret-reid-poetry-contest - Edwin Markham Prize for Poetry (Reed Magazine) – Deadline: October 1, 2026. $20 (digital journal) or $25 (print journal). $1,000 for the winning poem; up to five poems per entry; judged by Anthony Cody.
→ Submit here: https://reedmagazine.submittable.com/submit/354359/edwin-markham-prize-for-poetry-2027-1-000-prize-judged-by-anthony-cody - Jeffrey E. Smith Editors’ Prize (The Missouri Review) – Deadline: October 1, 2026. $25 standard entry ($30 all-access). $5,000 + publication in each genre, including poetry (6–12 pages of poems). Multi-genre contest; all entries considered for publication.
→ Submit here: https://missourireview.com/submissions/contests/jeffrey-e-smith-editors-prize/ - Amy Lowell Poetry Travelling Scholarship – Deadline: October 15, 2026 (applications must be received by mail). No entry fee. Approximately $78,000 for the 2027–2028 scholarship year. Open to U.S.-born poets (or born abroad to a U.S. citizen parent) willing to spend one year outside North America.
→ Apply here: https://www.amylowell.org/applicationInstruct.html - Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival Poetry Contest – Deadline: October 15, 2026. $15 entry fee. $1,000 + VIP Festival pass, reading, and publication in French Quarter Journal. Emerging poets only (no published poetry book); submit 2–4 unpublished poems, up to 400 lines total.
→ Submit here: https://tennesseewilliamsfestival.submittable.com/submit - Alice James Award – Deadline: October 16, 2026. $30 entry fee. $2,000 + publication (and possible Editor’s Choice). Full-length manuscripts (48–100 pages); U.S. residents; emerging and established poets welcome.
→ Submit here: https://alicejames.submittable.com/submit - Expedition Press Poetry Broadside Contest – Deadline: October 31, 2026 (opens October 1). $15 for one poem (25 lines or fewer). Prize: letterpress broadside + $100 + 20 copies. Blind review; previously published OK with permission.
→ Details / submit: https://expedition.press/pages/broadside-contest - Benjamin Saltman Poetry Award (Red Hen Press) – Deadline: October 31, 2026. $25 entry fee. $3,000 + publication. Unpublished full-length collection, 48–96 pages; open to all poets (with standard press exclusions).
→ Submit here: https://redhenpress.submittable.com/submit/23043/benjamin-saltman-poetry-award - Lexi Rudnitsky First Book Prize in Poetry (Persea Books) – Deadline: October 31, 2026. $30 entry fee (fee waivers available). $1,000 advance + publication + optional residency at Civitella Ranieri (Italy). Women and nonbinary poets who have not yet published a full-length book; U.S. citizens or permanent U.S. residents; 48+ pages.
→ Submit here: https://perseabooks.submittable.com/submit/45681/lexi-rudnitsky-first-book-prize-in-poetry - Dzanc Books Poetry Prize – Deadline: October 31, 2026. $25 entry fee. $1,500 advance + publication. Full-length poetry collections (generally 60+ pages); open June 1–October 31.
→ Details / submit: https://www.dzancbooks.org/contests - Wisconsin Prize for Poetry in Translation (University of Wisconsin Press) – Deadline: October 31, 2026. $28 reading fee. $1,500 + publication. Book-length collection translated into English (original + translation, 75–150 pages); permission required.
→ Submit here: https://wicw.submittable.com/submit - National Poetry Competition (The Poetry Society) – Deadline: October 31, 2026 (midnight GMT). £9 first poem, £6 each additional (members get a free second poem in first submission). Prizes: £5,000 / £3,000 / £2,000 (+ £500 commendations). Unpublished poem up to 40 lines; open worldwide, age 18+.
→ Submit here: https://npc.poetrysociety.org.uk/ - Edward Thomas Poetry Competition 2027 – Deadline: October 31, 2026. £5 per poem (max three). First prize £250; two £100 prizes; judged by Daljit Nagra. Unpublished poems up to 40 lines; email entry.
→ Details: https://edward-thomas-fellowship.org.uk/the-edward-thomas-poetry-competition-2027/ - Anthology Poetry Competition – Deadline: October 31, 2026. €18 standard fee (July 1–Oct 31). First prize €1,000 + publication; second €250; third €150. Original unpublished poem in English, max 40 lines; open worldwide.
→ Submit here: https://anthology-magazine.com/awards/poetry-competition/ - Bedford Writing Competition — Poetry – Deadline: October 31, 2026. £8.50 per poem (£17 for three on one form; student rates available). First prize £2,000; second £400; third £300. Open worldwide, age 17+; runs May 1–October 31.
→ Submit here: https://bedfordwritingcompetition.co.uk/
Quick Submission Tips for October 2026
- October 1 piles up several major deadlines — queue those packets early so you’re not racing the clock in Hawaii Time or midnight GMT.
- First-book contests (APR/Honickman, Alice James, Lexi Rudnitsky, Saltman, Dzanc) want different eligibility windows; skim exclusions before you pay a fee.
- Keep a simple tracker (title, venue, fee, deadline, confirmation number) so withdrawals stay clean if something places elsewhere.
- When a guideline says “received by,” mail early — Amy Lowell is mail-only and does not accept email or fax applications.