LitPDX seeks to amplify marginalized voices, and welcomes all, their ideas, their events, and their words.

For details regarding specific events please contact the organizers or venues. If you are an organizer or venue and would like to reach out to us please feel free to contact us or submit an event using our submission form. We’d love to hear from you!

LitCrawl – A Live Storytelling Event and Surprise Unveiling

Kickstand Comedy 16 NW Broadway, Portland

Last year, we packed the room and had to turn people away. This year, we're coming back even stronger with a surprise unveiling...We've got 5 performers with a live house band, hosted by Jude Brewer -- at the start of the evening, we'll be making a major announcement. Our Performers: DeAngelo Gillispie Rick Hall Jennifer Robin Adam Strong Brianna Barrett Our House Band: The Colin Trio No cover charge. All ages.

Free

Collaborative Reading/Performance by She Who Has No Master(s) and Counterpoint/Catapult

The Cleaners at Ace Hotel 403 SW 10th Ave, Portland

Counterpoint Press celebrates the reissue of multidisciplinary writer Dao Strom’s The Gentle Order of Girls and Boys, a collection of novellas centering the experiences of Vietnamese women in the contemporary landscape, with a lineup of three women writers of the Vietnamese diaspora—Strom, Amy Lam, and Jenny Chu—performing readings accompanied by visuals and multimedia. Bios: Jenny M. Chu was born and raised in Portland, Oregon by way of immigrant parents from Saigon and Hong Kong. She's an older sister to a little brother. In life, she is the Community Engagement Manager at Write Around Portland. In life, she thinks and writes. In life, her creative work is intermittently public. In life, her creativity is omnipresent. She often seeks the horizon on a clockless day. Amy Lam is a…

Free

Cult of Orpheus / Rose City Art Song Project

Valentine's 232 SW Ankeny St, Portland

Readings by poets collaborating on the Rose City Arts Songs Project (Phase 3, Valentine's). It's a great variety, from the lyrical symbolist imagism of Coleman Stevenson to the surreal invocations of Jason Squamata. Cult of Orpheus presents the Rose City Art Song project, featuring works of Portland poets set to music. On the eve of Portland Book Festival and the night of LitCrawl! Join us at 7 pm for poetry readings by Mo McFeely, Jason Squamata, Coleman Stevenson and James Yeary. At 8 pm, Cult of Orpheus presents musical performances of eight poems, two from each poet. Our featured vocalists are tenor Eric Asakawa, soprano Jocelyn Claire Thomas, baritone Dan Gibbs, and mezzo-soprano Sadie Gregg. Music composed by Christopher Corbell, with music direction by Erica…

Free

An Evening with David Sedaris

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall 1037 SW Broadway, Portland

NPR humorist and bestselling author of Calypso, Naked, Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim and Let’s Explore Diabetes with Owls, David Sedaris has become one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers, known for his sardonic wit and incisive social critiques. The great skill with which he slices through cultural euphemisms and political correctness proves that Sedaris is a master of satire and one of the most observant writers addressing the human condition today. Calypso, his latest collection of essays, is a New York Times best-seller, and a Washington Post Best Book of the Year. The audiobook of Calypso was nominated for a 2019 Grammy in the Best Spoken Word Album category. David Sedaris is the author of Barrel Fever and Holidays on Ice, as well…

$32.50 – $57.50

The Rose City Art-Song Project

Valentine's 232 SW Ankeny St, Portland

Cult of Orpheus is Portland's only all-original art-song and opera troupe, founded by local lyrical-music composer Christopher Corbell. This year we've been focused on collaborations with local poets, and this performance will feature eight new musical compositions setting words by four Portland writers. Performers: Sadie Gregg, mezzo-soprano; Dan Gibbs, baritone; Eric Asakawa, tenor; Jocelyn Claire Thomas, soprano; Patrick McCulley, saxophone; Christopher Corbell, guitar; Laura Gershman, English horn; Erica Melton, music director; Kristi Gray Lovato, emcee.

Free

Poetry Karaoke: Celebrity Judge Edition

The Cleaners at Ace Hotel 403 SW 10th Ave, Portland

In the return of this Lit Crawl Portland favorite, audience members perform poems, and a spin of the wheel determines the musical style in which poems are read/performed. Corvallis-based band Mule on Fire will provide on-the-spot accompaniment for a range of poetic options. And again this year, celebrated authors from Portland and beyond will judge poetry karaoke performances. At the end of 45 minutes, a winner will be crowned Poetry Karaoke Champion for the year.

Free

Reply All: Portland Review Reading

CENTRL Office Downtown 1155 SW Morrison St, Portland

Original, borrowed, and found texts from Portland-based multidisciplinary artists and writers Anis Mojgani, Joni Renee Whitworth, and Jenny Vu. With live performances, and visual contributions that explore art, work, and collective attention -- and the communal possibilities for live literature. Hosted by Portland Review.

Free

Lit Crawl: Awkward After Party 4 (U)

The Cleaners at Ace Hotel 403 SW 10th Ave, Portland

Once again, Tin House brings the post-Lit-Crawl jams (4U), with dance sets from Morgan Parker, Saeed Jones, and DJ Camp Daddy. It's the Awkwardest yet.

Free