Performing Arts❯Open Mics

See the best local comics at Helium Comedy Club's Open Mic Night. On nights there is a show in the Main showroom, the Open Mic will be held in the Neon Room.

Think you have what it takes to make people laugh?

Open Mic Night is open for signup to new talent as well as seasoned comics. The signup list is posted outside the club from 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m., and the final line-up is posted at 7:30 p.m. in the lounge. The line-up is chosen by random lottery. Please note that you will not be able to sign up in person earlier than 6:00 p.m.

Cited by The Portland Mercury as "One of the funniest (and most educational) comedy shows in town": Comedy, queer history, and dangerously delightful shenanigans collide at Be Gay Do Crime.

July features a Know Your Rights presentation by community activist Frances Portillo, with scenarios acted out in sections by the featured BIPOC improv troupe Brown Sugar.

**This presentation is specifically geared towards allies wanting to know more about how to support their immigrant and BIPOC neighbors and community members.**

Also featuring the talents of local comedians and performers, including:

• Stand-up comedy from Lindy Tongol (Host of qu eer, BIPOC show House Party)
• Improv from Brown Sugar
• Stand-up from Julia Corral (host of Comedy in the Park, House Party, and Bruja-ja)

July's show will be hosted by Jane Dillinger and Jenna Britann.

Tickets are GAYAF — give as you’re able, friend. Ticket sales will go towards compensating the hosts and performers. All additional tips collected during the show will support a different local community non-profit organization each month.

(Please note, this show is about history and adult themes, and adult content is often included, including themes of violence, racial discrimination, homophobia, sexual violence, sexual content, drug use, mature language, etc. There are also "dishonorable guests" whose comedy or artistic material could include similar themes. Recommended for ages 14+ and parental discretion for those under age 18.)

X-Prov is a fully improvised, never-before-seen episode of the X-Files where you choose the case and your favorite FBI agents solve a brand new mystery. Is the truth really out there?

Remember the X-Files? What if you got to see one more episode, never before seen and never to be seen again?

In X-Prov, the audience decides which X-File agents Mulder and Scully will investigate. This completely improvised homage to America’s favorite conspiracy-laden ‘90s procedural will feature shadowy government organizations, small-town secrets, and at least one unexplainable creature.

Featuring Tessa Waring (as seen in Group Shower) as Scully, Mo Merrill (as seen waiting for the bus on Glisan) as Mulder, and a supporting cast of Kickstand favorites.

So ask yourself: Do you want to believe?

What is a StorySLAM? The Moth StorySLAM is an open-mic storytelling competition in which anyone can share a true, personal, 5‑minute story on the night’s theme. Sign up for a chance to tell a story or sit back and enjoy the show. Tonight’s Theme HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS: Prepare a five-minute story about embracing every aspect of the holiday season. From the chaos of family gatherings, an unexpected

Search and Destroy (S.A.D. for short) is a multimedia variety show happening on the last friday of every month featuring artists and local leaders sharing their craft and talking about what matters most to them. Through storytelling, live conversations, audience interaction, and heavy doses of honesty and humor, S.A.D. seeks to give hope and to be an entertaining and informative space for all to have fun, let loose, and be reminded that we as a people have the agency and ability to initiate change by working together as one.

S.A.D. was partly inspired by late-night television talk shows and variety hours and follows a similar format: an eye-catching opening number, a charming Emcee willing to play the fool, and a shared evening of dance, music, film, comedy, and conversations/interviews, all loosely tied to a theme of the night. The show ends with a dance party where the audience is invited to join the party on stage.
One of the main goals of each S.A.D. show is to dissolve the separation between artist and audience by directly engaging, conversing, and interacting with the audience, inviting them to participate in their seats as well as on the stage.
 Every show features dance movement, improvisation, visual imagery and soundscapes, conversations and spoken word, and various bits that play with the blurring of boundaries between the scripted and unscripted, all through an honest and humorous lens and the intention to entertain, educate, and inspire. Each episode of S.A.D. showcases different artists and acts than the previous one, guaranteeing that every iteration is unique and can only be experienced once.
S.A.D. is a show for everybody and every body, regardless of their identity, background, age, and anything else used to describe oneself.

*Revenue generated from each show is split evenly amongst the contributing artists

Poetry Open Mic and Slam in Portland, Oregon. It is the mission of Slamlandia to provide an open mic and poetry slam that is creative, fun, and welcoming to all literary communities in Portland. They strive towards a safer space for poets to share work, witness others, and participate in the community.

Slamlandia is a poetry open mic and slam that meets every month at Literary Arts, on the third Thursday. This mic provides a creative, fun, and welcoming space for all literary communities in Portland. We encourage poets new and old to come share their work. We strive towards a safe space for poets to read their own poetry, witness others, and participate in community.

Hosted by Julia Gaskill. November’s featured poet will be announced soon.

Here is an opportunity to share or listen to one page of work in progress from talented writers from everywhere. Come with a single page of work and sign up to read – or come to listen and prepare to be inspired.

Our host is the one and only, Emme Lund. The featured reader for November is H.G. Dierdorff.

Join us for a monthly Poetry Slam open mic! Bring something you've already created to share or participate in an interactive writing exercise to create something with the group each month.

Comedy: Dia de los Muertos Open Mic at Kilo D'Cofi.

Come join us every Sunday from 8pm-Midnight for karaoke. Whether you're a seasoned pro or it's your first time, the stage is yours!

Join the Change Through Play Improv studio for an evening of improvisation. The showcases feature students from every level of classes, improvisers from around Portland, and the Founder and staff improvising as well. The showcases are fun and different!. Come see students demonstrating what they’ve been learning. Learn the difference between what beginning improvisers explore versus intermediate and advanced improvisers.

These showcases are VERY supportive and nurturing, and they're designed to let the students publicly show what they've been working on in class, so bring the spirit of support with you.

Come see sets from the Foundations, Intermediate and Advanced Workshop teams. Also featuring a Harold from the special guests: Mouth Stuff.

The evening will close out with a set from 3hree with Eric and Aden Nepom and the Founder, David Koff.

Vancouver, get ready to laugh. Just for the Laughs Comedy Open Mic brings fresh talent, unexpected punchlines, and local comedy to Our 3rd Space every Monday at 8 PM. No cover, just laughs.

Presented by Laughs PDX.

Show up early to sign up! Bring your own instrument. House guitar and mic provided.

WonderLove is a burgeoning food cart pod with a growing number of carts, united by an impressive vision for eating, imbibing and entertaining. Come for the meal and stay for the tri-level bar and TV lounge.

Free. All ages.

Come sign up and check out new music in the community! La Playa Open Mic is hosted by Road Trip Records

1pm-4pm Free Admission 21+

Monthly on every first Tuesday

We want your BOLD stories!

Come to our monthly open mic to share your latest work in progress or previously published piece. We welcome short stories, personal essays, poetry, slam, and other spoken word art forms.

10% off for performers!

BOLD is a safe place. We strive to uplift stories by and about people from underrepresented and diverse communities. We do not tolerate hate speech of any kind.

See you there!

Rando is a singer/songwriter who plays acoustic folk music around Portland, OR. They moved here in 2021 after 10 years of busking through the south and midwest with their dog, Bandit. Community and love are at the center of their ethos, and their lyrics are a vulnerable exposition of their heart.

Join an open, welcoming night of live music. Musicians of all levels and styles are invited — this is a fun-loving, respectful space for anyone who wants to play, sing, or just listen. No cover charge. There is a full backline and a gorgeous stage with professional lights and sound, ready for solo acts, small groups, and unusual arrangements alike — if you can dream it up, The Barrel Room can probably make it work.

Sign-ups start at 5 p.m.; performances start at 5:30.

No cover charge — just good vibes, great music, and an amazing crowd to cheer you on. Grab your friends, sip on your favorite drinks, and enjoy a night of unforgettable performances.

Get ready to shine.

21+ with valid ID

Led by Joe Offer, new Zoom link posted every week, just before doors open: https://mudcat.org/thread.cfm?threadid=168014&messages=37.

Toolbox Gallery ishonored to welcome the highly regarded Milwaukie Poetry Series for its biannual invited poet readings followed by an open mic.

Cr1tical Mischief began their RPG-themed improv show in 2014 as Advanced Minions & Mazes performing at Guardian Games. This band of comic adventurers has been entertaining audiences in theaters and Cons in and around Portland for over a decade. With their band of characters and your suggestions, they’ve raised the dead and razed villages. Not always in that order. Come roll the big 20-sided die to shape the action and laugh hard at the Cr1tical Mischief that ensues!

Featuring: Brad Fortier, Erin Cunningham, Bill Cernansky, Merrily Antony, Eric Zipper, Craig McCarty, Meagan Gombart, Wayne Moodie.

Directed by Brad Fortier

• All ages welcome, though assume PG-13 content.
• $15 online / $20 at door.

Tap That Open Mic: Comedy Night is here. Hosted by Umi Om and TapTap, this is your sign to laugh louder, eat better, and vibe harder.

Comedians get 7–10 minutes to bring the heat. Whether you’re testing new jokes or just pulling up for a good time, this open-mic night is for you.

Good food. Big laughs. Real community. Pull up, tap the mic, and make it a night.

Enjoy a comedy show about Portlanders living in Portland. Kickstand's signature style of improv is performed by a rotating cast of incredibly talented players

Rotating Cast featuring:
Afrita Davis, Chris Williams, Craig McCarthy, Dana Murphy, Diana Kolsky, Eric Simons, Jon Bolden, Justin Himes, Kristen Schier, Mariah Muñoz, Michael Zimmer, Natalie Haddad, Roland Mechanik, Thea Crowley

Join us every Monday from 6:30–10 PM at The Hostel Cafe for our weekly Open Mic Night, a cozy, community-focused space where local and traveling musicians share original songs, covers, and acoustic sets. Enjoy live music, good vibes, and cafe drinks while discovering new talent and supporting our featured performers. If you're looking for open mic music events in Portland or a friendly spot to play, The Hostel Cafe is the place to be every Monday night. This is a free event, but we encourage you to tip our featured performers!

@the_lowlow_show presents: Sunday Songwriter Revival ❤️‍🔥 . Sunday, June 5th at 7 pm PST @thewaypost presents four fantastic artists! . We’re doing this round style which is one of my favs. All the artists will take turns sharing a song at a time & the story behind it 📖 ....

Join us Tuesday from 7:30-11PM. All ages until 9PM. Sign-ups begin at 7:00, music starts at 7:30PM. $5-10 suggested donation at the door.

This open mic was created to keep continuity for the Atlantis Underground community as the program takes a hiatus. We hope to honor the tradition that has been laid down, as well as bring a fresh perspective to the night.

Hosted by Mo Schulte and Kyle J. Glenn

**Atlantis Lounge is All Ages until 9:00 PM, at that time any minors will be asked to leave the space. Thanks for your understanding!

Join us at Northwest Library on Pettygrove for an evening of poetry. Every month co-hosts Sherri Levine and Dale Champlin will bring you two or three featured poets, followed by an ever-popular open mic. Readers include celebrated poets as well as poets from the Portland poetry community and the library vicinity. Held on the fourth Wednesday of the month all year round!

This monthly reading series is intended to prioritize the safety, creativity, and stories of Black people, Indigenous people, and People of Color.

Come listen to our featured readers, or sign up to share your work in our open mic. Readings will be followed by a short community discussion. Hosted by Kyle Yoshioka and Jessica Meza-Torres. The featured reader for November will be announced soon.

This event is open to everyone, but only people who identify as Black, Indigenous, and/or People of Color will be invited to read. If you have any questions, please contact Jessica Meza-Torres at [email protected] or Kyle Yoshioka at [email protected].

Nu-Glitter is a semimonthly Queer Comedy Open Mic. Comedians get 3-4 minutes (depending on demand). All are welcome, but hate speech or punching down is not allowed. Non-comedian audience encouraged.

Jump into Artichoke Music’s Songwriters Circle hosted by Kelly Brightwell and Woody Moran, held every 3rd Sunday of the month from 2 pm - 4 pm in the venue, free (donations support Artichoke). Bring your Instrument (piano available) and original songs, or even the occasional cover, to share with others. This is also a great opportunity to listen and gain insight from other songwriters as they play their original songs. This is not a jam. What happens when you pair a gravel-voiced groove master with a sensitive Americana-infused soul? When you mix the detailed observations of a world traveler with storytelling that brings emotional landscapes to life? You get the award-winning songwriting team of Brightwell & Moran.

J Names is one of the area’s longest running improv teams. A prominent comedy supergroup of local comedy veterans whose first names (most!) start with the letter “J”. This is high-quality improvisation you won’t want to miss. Featuring: Jay Flewelling, Jed Arkley, Justin Himes, Jenn Hunter, Jon Bolden, SJ Santa Cruz, Katie Behrens, Craig McCarthy.

All ages welcome, though assume PG13 content.
$15 online / $20 at door

Sign up at 6pm. Music from 7 - 9pm

Each month, embark on a journey where you showcase your talents. Whether you are a singer/songwriter, a poet, or a solo instrumentalist, here's your opportunity to shine on the stage. Feel free to start a jam as well. The stage is yours.

Get ready to take the stage, cheer on local creatives, and soak up an unforgettable evening of art, music, poetry, and community. The space into a vibrant hub of expression with a monthly Open Mic Night—and you’re invited. Whether you’re an experienced performer or just itching to share something new, the mic is yours. Singers, songwriters, poets, instrumentalists, comedians, storytellers, and more—everyone is welcome to sign up for a chance to shine. Sign-ups begin at 6:00 p.m., and the show kicks off around 6:30 p.m. with short (~10 min) performance slots.

Hosted by Joshua Bennett. All ages, all abilities welcome—bring friends, family, and neighbors.

Whether you’re strumming your guitar, reciting your latest poem, sharing a story, or simply enjoying the show from the crowd, this night is about connection, performance, and inspiration.

This is an open access session, so there’s no need to book in advance, you’re welcome to just turn up. At our weekly singaround, you can perform a song to the rest of the group, just as you would in a regular folk club, or you can just join and listen to some live music. Tunes and poems are welcome too. When it’s your turn to perform, everyone else is muted on Zoom so that everyone can hear you. Phoenix Folk Ltd exists to promote participation and performance in folk and acoustic music, song and dance across the North East of England. We aim to be a friendly face of folk music, to help keep alive the great traditions of folk music and to encourage talent and personal musical development. If you’d like us to record your performance so that you have a copy to keep, then we’re very happy to do so. We’re always willing to offer advice to help you to get the best sound quality when performing online, so do get in touch if you have any questions.

The first Friday of every month, the teens take over Youth Music Project!

Are you a musician between the ages of 13 and 18? Join us for Teen Open Mic nights! Hosted by our amazing band of interns, open mics are the place to hone your performance skills. Rock out with in-house sound engineering, state-of-the art lighting, and a full back line of instruments. Musicians of all levels are invited to participate!

Don’t have a song to share? Join our supportive audience! Teen Open Mic is always free to attend and all ages.

Doors at 6:15 p.m. | Performances at 6:30 p.m.

Sign-ups 6:30PM Mic w/ feature 7:00PM

$5 suggested donation/ AF (Give As You're Able, Friends!)
Paypal: @queerpdxpressions

Hosted by Given @givenqdaviswrites with a featured poet every month✨️

Karaoke every Wednesday at 14 Acres. No cover, no reservation, no judgment. Wine makes everyone a better singer.

Unscripted, family-friendly improv right here in Vancouver, Washington!

Tickets $10 + fees. Show two hours plus one 15-minute intermission.

Monday Mic Night is an open mic event. Bring whatever you’d like to share—music, poetry, a soliloquy, a painting, even a magic trick. All ages and talent levels are welcome. Non-performing audience members are welcome too.

This event is free, all ages, and open to the public.

Date: Monday, November 9
Time: 7-9pm (Signups start at 6:30pm)
Location: Sherwood Center for the Arts, Maera Boughey Theatre
22689 SW Pine Street, Sherwood OR 97140

More information at our website: Monday Mic Night | Sherwood Center for the Arts

Cult favorites Hopes ‘n’ Prayers returns to Kickstand Comedy with an explosive late-night comedy show that will blow you into a million pieces. Throw out your SSRIs and mainline the dopamine that is Party for the End of the World. Join another favorite indie team for a night of improv comedy, party games, chaotic characters, end-days camaraderie, and whatever the hell else they feel like.

***content warning: guns, violence, sex, language, giant boobs, abstinence, drug use, war (what is it good for), suicide, patricide, matricide, fratricide, misandry, shit and piss, vomit, semen, sexy anthropomorphic animals, depression, addiction, alcohol use, hot carl, two girls one cup, slime, squirt, blood, menstruation, tooth decay, incontinence, impotence, desecration of national monuments, vehicular manslaughter, paranoia, diseases of despair, astrology, anti vaxxing, over vaxxing, neurodivergence, recycling, that thing of when a person on a lime scooter flies off and is mortally wounded, skateboard, huffing, puffing, poppers, whoppers, antiauthoritarianism, flashing lights, being way up on high, petty theft, acab, rippin beers, big tech, artificial insomnia, ménage á trois, peace, love, unity, respect, drunk driving, arson, being in a cemetery after it closes, cannibalism, disney adults, going no contact, uncles and nephews being in a band, bus of life, late stage capitalism, columbine, male loneliness epidemic, 23&me, polyamory, the 2008 financial crisis, microplastics, plastic surgery, running from the law, breaking stuff, little to no respect for furniture, splash zone, osteoporosis, scoliosis, paranormal encounters, blood, sweat, tears, hemorrhoids, neck, back, pussy and crack issues, bill paxton, bizarre allergies, mass extinctions, war on christmas, using the computer, organ theft, broken hearts, huge boats, bodily harm, necrophilia, sexually transmitted infections, buying in bulk, heliocentrism, conspiracies, witches who buy things on amazon.com, pussy hats, hillary clinton jail time, 9/11, buying airline tickets for a discount on 9/11, factory farming, evolution, long content warnings, toxic positivity, party rocking, not being sorry for party rocking, unappealing textures, atheism, misotheism, loving god with no proof, homosexuality, and homophobia.***

Hopes ‘n’ Prayers is Diana Kolsky (The Chris Gethard Show), Lauren Sinner (Night Cheese), and Blade Weedman (Fuckos).

Open Mic Night at Waltz!

If you have a talent to showcase, we invite you to join us! Come down for a pint and share your gifts!

The First Friday of every month from 6-8pm