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!

Verselandia! 2019

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall 1037 SW Broadway, Portland, OR, United States

This city-wide event features students from Parkrose, Roosevelt, Metropolitan Learning Center, Benson, Lincoln, Gresham, Franklin, Madison, Wilson, Jefferson, Grant, and Cleveland high schools competing for poetic glory. Verselandia! is the Grand Slam for the winners from individual school slams hosted by public high school library media specialists. Following the same rules as national poetry slams, students must perform original work without props, costumes, or music in front of a panel of judges and a live audience. Using a scale of one to ten, Verselandia judges will rate both the performance and the writing of each student. Five students with the top scores will walk away with great prizes, but only one will be a champion. Please note that high school students may use adult language…

$10 – $70

Poetry Slam and Open Mic feat. Bella

Tiny's Coffee - NE MLK Jr 2031 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR, United States

Join us for another amazing poetry slam and open mic!!! There is a 5 dollar suggested donation for this event but no one is turned away. We will have a feature from Bella! More about Bella: Bella is Southern California grown, and found herself in Portland after a few things went wrong, or completely right if you ask her now! Her poetry centers around her experiences being a woman of color, abusive relationships, her eating disorder, and the hope in between it all. She likes breakfast for lunch or dinner because she is a rebel. She has also always wanted to feature at Portland Poetry Slam so woooooo!! We will be at our venue, Tiny's Coffee Northeast! This means our show is all-ages! Everyone is…

Free – $5

Slamlandia May Guilder Slam

Guilder Cafe 2393 NE Fremont St., Portland, OR, United States

Join us for our MAY Poetry Open Mic and Slam at Guilder on May 2nd! Doors and sign-ups are at 6:00 PM Get there on time to get a spot in the open mic or slam! Show begins at 6:30 PM. Guilder 2393 NE Fremont St Portland, OR 97213 This show is all ages. Please see our Accessibility and Safer Space info below. There is a $1-5 suggested donation. We will not be having a featured poet at this time. ★ •*´¨`*• O P E N • M I C •*´¨`*• ★ The open mic will start the show out. The open mic is a great way to share your wonderful poetry! You can share 1-2 poems lasting a maximum of 3 minutes. ★ •*´¨`*•…

Free – $5

Slamlandia – May

Literary Arts 925 SW Washington Street, Portland, OR, United States

Slamlandia is a poetry open mic and slam that meets on the second Thursday of each month. 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 safer space for poets to read their own poetry, witness others, and participate in the community.

Free

Slamlandia House Show – ft. Bassam

Pointy House 2930 SE Clay St, Portland, OR, United States

It's time for another Slamlandia house show - this time featuring the amazing Bassam! This show will be held at Pointy House (2930 SE Clay Street) on Saturday, May 11th. Door opens & signups at 5:30pm, show starts at 6:00pm. Some snacks and drinks will be provided (on a donation basis) - feel free to bring your own as well! ***There will be a $5 required entry fee at the door*** This show is set to take place inside, as Portland weather is unpredictable in May. That said, if on the day the weather happens to be flawless, show is subject to move to the house's backyard. This house show will have an open mic that you can sign up to read in, as well…

$5

Slam Team Battle feat. bassam

Tiny's Coffee - NE MLK Jr 2031 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR, United States

Join us as the two Portland Slam teams battle it out! Portland Poetry Slam and Slamlandia will compete against each other for the title of Rose City Champion! There is a 5 dollar suggested donation for this event but no one is turned away. We will have a feature from bassam! More about bassam: bassam (they/them or xe/xim) is a spoken word poet, proud auntie, and settler currently residing on the unceded traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh First Nations (colonially “Vancouver, Canada”). they are currently serving as National Director for Spoken Word Canada, and are a member of the League of Canadian Poets. bassam earned title of national slam champion at the Canadian Festival of Spoken Word (CFSW) in 2016 with the…

Free

Verselandia! East Side Slam

Mt. Hood Community College Theatre 26000 SE Stark Street, Gresham, OR, United States

Literary Arts’ Youth Programs presents the first annual Verselandia! East Side Slam. Cheer on high school students in your community as they perform original poetry in front of a panel of judges. Students from participating East Multnomah County high schools will be competing at this event. Following the same rules as national poetry slams, students must perform original work without props, costumes, or music in front of a panel of judges and a live audience. Using a scale of one to ten, the judges will rate both the performance and the writing of each student. Please note that high school students may use adult language and explore adult themes. This event is free and open to the public. Please share with your community and join…

Free

Objection! Poetry Slam 2019

Lagunitas Community Room 237 NE Broadway St #300, Portland, OR, United States

The YLS Service to the Public Committee, in association with Literary Arts, invites you to the Second Annual Objection! Poetry Slam. The theme is "Free Speech, Free Press, Free Society" and the event is open to participants ages 13-22 who would like to perform a poem expressing their views. The local and talented Alex Dang will be emceeing the slam and hosting a creative writing workshop at the beginning of the event. And there will be free food, beverages, and cash prizes! Attendance is free, no RSVP required. We hope you join us for a night of creative thought and performance. Details and rules at https://mbabar.org/calendar/2019-05-24/objection-poetry-slam-2019.html

Free

Poetry Slam and Open Mic feat. Sage Lilac

Tiny's Coffee - NE MLK Jr 2031 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR, United States

Join us for another amazing poetry slam and open mic!!! There is a 5 dollar suggested donation for this event but no one is turned away. We will have a feature from Sage Lilac! More about Sage: Sage Lilac is a trans poet and heavy metal vocalist based out of Portland, OR. She got her start in poetry just after high school by winning both the SpeakNOW Poetry Slam in 2012 and then the Rising Star Creative Writing Competition in 2013. Since then, she has lead many after school programs and in-school residencies through the Nature of Words literary center, shared the stage with renowned performance poet Buddy Wakefield, has had her poems arranged for performance by opera singers, been a PDX Grand Slam finalist…

Free – $5

Poetry Slam and Open Mic feat. Raggedy Andey

Tiny's Coffee - NE MLK Jr 2031 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Portland, OR, United States

Join us for another amazing poetry slam and open mic!!! There is a 5 dollar suggested donation for this event but no one is turned away. We will have a feature from Raggedy Andey! More about Raggedy Andey: Raggedy Andey is a poet and spoken-word artist born and raised in Santa Cruz, California. Her poetry ranges from feminist slam poetry to dark metaphorical prose to intense self-reflection which has always been the role of writing in her life. She is the Santa Cruz Legendary Collective’s Co-Slam Master and Grand Slam Champion of 2015 through 2018. Competing in the National Poetry Slam (2015) and Southwest Shoot Out (2018), in which she won the independent competition, as well as taking first place with the Legendary Team overall.…

Free – $5