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Haiku Hike Now On Display in Downtown Tucson

© JJ SNYDER PHOTOGRAPHY for Downtown Tucson Partnership.

DOWNTOWN TUCSON, AZ, March 20, 2023 – The Haiku Hike literary competition and self-guided urban poetry hike has become one of Tucson’s signature “rites of spring,” signaling new beginnings and growth. This year’s theme is Planting Seeds and can be taken literally or metaphorically.

Presented by The Downtown Tucson Partnership (DTP) and the University of Arizona Poetry Center, the 4th annual Haiku Hike literary competition showcases twenty winning haiku poems printed on acrylic signage in planters located on Congress Street and Stone Avenue. Tucson's poet Laureate, TC Tolbert, selected this year's winning haiku. These signs will provide visual and cultural interest during the spring season, through June 1.

“The Haiku Hike is approximately 1,000 steps and provides a perfect opportunity for the public to get reacquainted with all that Downtown Tucson has to offer,” states Kathleen Eriksen, President & CEO of the DTP. “We’re pleased to present the Haiku Hike in time for National Poetry Month, in the month of April.”

The annual competition continues to grow each year. This year, a record number of haiku were submitted from all over the world.

“The response to the Haiku Hike literary competition is astounding with 1,556 total haiku; 1,114 came from Tucson and the remaining hail from 28 different states and 23 countries! On behalf of the University of Arizona Poetry Center and the College of Humanities, we’re excited to continue to support this event as a Tucson tradition,” said Tyler Meier, Executive Director with the Poetry Center.

More information about this event including the winning haiku, sign locations and a printable map can be found at downtowntucson.org/haikuhike.


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More information about the Downtown Tucson Partnership can be found online at DowntownTucson.org.

DTP Media Contact: Jenny Knight, Marketing Specialist,

520.268.9032, jenny@downtowntucson.org