COMMUNITY
THIRD SPACES AROUND TOWN
Snap judgement: For these poets, the stage is a third space
Looking for some suggestions to find your third space in Maricopa? Here’s a list to get you started. Duke’s Roadhouse 19395 N. John Wayne Parkway This roadhouse offers BBQ, cold drinks, and a hearty dose of country thunder energy.
Mandy’s Wine Bar 41600 W. Smith-Enke Road
BY KAREN BARTUNEK
A wine bar and restaurant that offers a relaxed yet elegant dining experience, seasonal menus, and a curated wine selection designed for shared glasses and long conversations.
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different scenes together and to compete in very different styles and unique voices,” Duhownik said of the competition. He said the appeal is seeing poets from different communities share their work and experience other perspectives. “Slam poetry has created one of the coolest communities that I’ve ever been a part of … It makes what you’re saying feel alive,” Duhownik said. “I could look you in the eyes while you’re in the audience and you can look me back in the eyes and we can share a moment together.” Naylor and his wife, Cylie, started a regular Phoenix slam poetry event with the idea that poetry brought about connection in a way that only words can capture. “Language is connection without pressure,” he said. “The light-hearted joke we share in the community is you can know the worst thing that happened to someone from a poem, but not what they do for work or what their last name might be.” That openness is partly what makes slam poetry a third space. People can share something deeply personal without needing to explain their entire lives or meet expectations beyond the moment. For Duhownik, belonging in their third space isn’t limited to accomplished poets. A third space is somewhere people can simply show up, whether they’re honing their craft, performing for the first time or sitting in the audience. Everyone belongs. And that sense of belonging extends beyond slam poetry. Wilson said that’s ultimately the mission of groups like Maricopa Arts Council, to connect people and build community through the arts. “Sharing gifts allows other people the permission to connect with you without fear of judgment or rejection,” Wilson said. “People are the ones that make this a third space.”
HIRD SPACES ARE PLACES outside work and home where people can gather, build relationships and feel a sense of
belonging. While most people tend to think of these as physical spaces, some emerge as events. That’s the case for the slam poetry culture, which is a small but tightknit community in Maricopa. In its annual All AZ Slam Poetry Competition, Maricopa’s slam poetry community showcased the unique, accepting and niche community that puts vulnerability and connection first. Slam poetry might bright to mind a darkly lit room with a single poet pouring their heart out on stage as a rapt audience snaps in appreciation. That isn’t too far from reality. But the experience goes beyond the performance. According to slam poet Josh Naylor, it’s a sense of community and shared connection. It’s a third space. The poems explore the human experience, creating connections among vastly different people who other never meet. “For me, it’s just so powerful. I run the full gamut of their emotions,” said Maricopa Arts Council co-director Kaui Wilson. “From love to sex to politics, it can be anything.” The group hosted its regional poetry competition, bringing together poets from across the state to compete in three rounds. During the slam, competing poets were ranked by randomly chosen judges, slowly whittling down the contestants to six poets and the final three. “I really become involved with the melody of their words,” Wilson said of the competition. Phoenix-based Joe Duhownik, who goes by “Jaded” during slam competitions, competed in the 2025 competition. “It was a really cool way to get people from
Pacana Park 19000 N. Porter Road
The city’s first official park opened in 2006 and, since then, the city added an additional 10 acres, parking, an outdoor fitness court, cornhole boards and murals. Copper Sky Regional Park 44345 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The 98-acre park combined city- sponsored fitness and recreation programs, expansive fields and courts, a skatepark and space for large community events. The newly added Fieldhouse at Copper Sky will host indoor sports during the hot summer season.
Maricopa Historical Society and Museum
MARICOPA’S FAVORITE THIRD SPACES
44240 Maricopa-Casa Grande Highway The museum offers a comprehensive overview of the history and formation of the city of Maricopa adjacent to a train with a compelling $1 dollar acquisition story. Maricopa Library and Cultural Center 18160 N. Maya Angelou Drive The Maricopa Library and Cultural Center offers a host of events and activities, as well as the comfort and quiet expected from a sanctuary for literature.
The light-hearted joke we share in the community is you can know the worst thing that happened to someone from a poem, but not what they do for work or what their last name might be.” JOSH NAYLOR
From the cozy Central Perk coffee shop in “Friends” to the dimly-lit bar where everybody knows your name in “Cheers,” we recently asked Maricopa residents about their favorite third spaces. Here’s their favorite gathering spots.
InMaricopa.com | November 2026
November 2026 | InMaricopa.com
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