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!

Submission Deadline: smoke + mold Issue 2

The Internet 001 SE Cyberspace Lane, Portland, OR, United States

smoke + mold is an online journal of, broadly defined, nature focused prose by trans writers in reaction to ongoing crises of climate and culture. Work should be limited to 3000 words or less. Excerpts of longer work welcome, but should be able to stand on their own. Prose poems are welcome, but the journal really wants prose of fiction, nonfiction, and critical work. All writers receive $50 upon acceptance. See the website for greater detail of the kind of work their looking for. smoke + mold is also accepting issue proposals for 1-2 themed special issues revolving around a particular theme, issue, question, etc. to be selected, edited, and introduced by a guest editor. See the same link above for further info.

Free

Daria’s Confessional Cabaret

White Eagle 836 N Russell St, Portland, OR, United States

7 Deadly Sins welcomes you to the premier of their newest show, Daria’s Confessional Cabaret. This live confessional gameshow will be hosted by Portland’s own Queen of Darkness and radio icon Daria Eliuk. Watch three seasoned raconteurs confess their twisted, depraved, and often hilarious sins. It will be up to you and Daria to decide who will be granted absolution, and who must atone live on stage. Plus, you'll be able to win valuable prizes competing against your fellow audience members in our new Virtue: Oh So! game. Daria’s Confessional Cabaret kicks off on Friday, October 4th at McMenamins White Eagle Saloon. So get ready, because Judgement Day is coming -- and it will be full of shock, horror, laughs, and prizes.

Free

Drag Queen Story Hour

Powell's City of Books 1005 W Burnside Street, Portland, OR, United States

Children of all ages and adults are invited to Drag Queen Story Hour, a family celebration promoting inclusivity and creativity, and featuring special guest Clare Apparently, who will be reading Pink Is for Boys by Robb Pearlman, Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima, and Mary Wears What She Wants by Keith Negley. Created by Michelle Tea, Drag Queen Story Hour now happens regularly all over the world. This event is proudly cosponsored by Q Center, the largest LGBTQ2SIA+ community center in the Pacific Northwest. Come join us!

Free

Grief Rites Readers Series ~ October 7

The Stacks Coffeehouse 1831 N. Killingsworth St, Portland, OR, United States

A monthly storytelling showcase about grief, loss and love. Gather in community with others who share grief in all forms and manifestations. Come ready to cry, laugh, listen and hold space for yourself and others. *Trigger warning, because Grief. Content not edited for language or topic. Mature audience. Venue is accessible. ***This month's event will include an open mic, in addition to our curated readers. If you have words to share about your grief, we welcome you. Open mic’ers will have 4 minutes.*** Open mic signups begin at 6:30pm. Readings start at 7pm. If you have any questions about the open mic please message here on FB, or email us at info@griefritesfoundation.org Curated Storytellers... Nicole Ausmus Jess Byers Amy Findling Wendy Noonan Krista Price Carolyn…

Free

Kirtan and Reading from Newly Released Book, Dharma, the Way to Awakening and Social Change

New Renaissance Books 1338 NW 23rd Avenue, Portland, OR, United States

Please join us for an insightful book talk/reading and discussion on Dharma followed by devotional music and chanting. What is the Dharma? How does understanding your own dharma help you to feel more at peace and aligned with your purpose? How does the following of dharma support social change and help create a more peaceful world? These are just a few of the questions that will be answered at Maetreyii Ma's book launch for her newest book, Dharma the Way to Awakening and Social Change. Join Maetreyii Ma for an insightful, thought-provoking discussion followed by devotional music and kirtan.

$20

HOCUS Reading: Hauntings

Rose City Coffee Co. - Brooklyn Park 3370 SE Milwaukie Ave, Portland, OR, United States

We are a community of writers dedicated to the liturgies of literature, the creeds of creation, the sacraments of the synonym. We prostrate ourselves at the temple of Times New Roman. HOCUS is an episodic, eclectic, and occasionally unhinged series of readings and gatherings. Our themed readings emphasize prose of all lengths (from prose poems to novel excerpts) with an emphasis on still-emerging writers. Our events also focus on building community and connections between writers. The theme of the October 9th Reading is . The submission period is now open at www.hocus.ink. Deadline is September 15th 2019.

Free

For Colored Folks

Ruby Receptionists 805 SW Broadway, Portland, OR, United States

WHAT IT IS: A book club geared to cultivating joy and empowerment for people of color. The book lists will include non-fiction written by POCs and some fiction as well. Donations are not required to attend, but if you'd like to donate to contribute to snacks and beverages that we bring feel free to Cash app me at $BriaunaMcKizzie or venmo me at brigirl ABOUT THE SPACE: The meetings will be held at my job, Ruby Receptionists, which is located on the 9th floor of the Fox Tower. Free parking on the street after 7:00 PM. It's also located like 5-7 minutes from the max. Carpooling would be great, too. I live on the west side and would be happy to have other West siders…

Free

Not good enough! – Leland Cheuk, Yuvi Zalkow, Michelle Fredette

Rose City Book Pub 1329 NE Fremont, Portland, OR, United States

Join Plonk for readings on aiming high and not quite making it. We're pleased to host , who's promoting his book, , , reading a short piece on being not good enough to even write about not being good enough, and on taking Roller Derby 101, and you know, not being a natural. Come on out for the readings and to learn about Create More, Fear Less, the organization that supports school kids who suffer from anxiety.

Free

The Devil You Know

Chapel Theatre 4107 SE Harrison St, Milwaukie, OR, United States

Hey, champ! Thanks for checking out Telltale. This is a monthly curated storytelling event for people that like to get vulnerable and take no shit. We are into genuine connection, laughter, heartbreak, poignant moments, and community building. We are now in our third season, and we are very excited for all the shows coming up this year. At Telltale, you can expect 8-10 performers sharing something with you, in the way that feels right to them--so there will be a mix of comedy, stories, music, essays, and more. Your evening will likely include honesty, swear words, enthusiasm, resistance, alcohol if that floats your boat, excellent pizza, dark humor, and some rad raffle prizes. You might make a new friend. You know how hard it is…

$8

The Tesla City Stories – Halloween Special 2019!

The Old Church Concert Hall 1422 SW 11th Ave, Portland, OR, United States

A monthly night of vintage radio comedy and drama — live onstage in Portland, Oregon! Straight outta 1944! Laughs! Chills! Romance! Danger! Booze! Eats! Cash bar! Live Foley! 1940’s live music! Prizes! Audience participation! This month’s halloween special takes place in the beautiful confines of the historic Old Church Concert Hall deep in the arts district of downtown PDX. Enjoy the thrilling adventures of two episodes of the vintage horror classic, The 13th Floor! Since 2014, we at The Tesla City Stories have been presenting an evening of live “radio” theater derived from the recently uncovered archives of the ultra-obscure Tesla Broadcasting Company (1943-1945). It’s “pop archaeology” as performance art, or, more simply, a fun night of vintage entertainment! The shows of the TBC run…

$9 – $26