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!

The History of African Storytelling

Central Library - U.S. Bank Room 801 SW 10th Avenue, Portland, OR, United States

Explore the history of traditional African storytelling and explore the moral lessons behind the stories. Come together with other African American children, families. and elders to share the history of your families. This event will include an open mic for families to share their stories, history, songs and poetry and a kids craft table. Participants are encouraged to bring a photo of their family and those who identify as part of the African diaspora are encouraged to wear African attire.

Free

More Devotedly Volume II: Climate Crisis

Shout House 210 SE Madison St #11, Portland, OR, United States

Volume II: Climate Crisis, the second installment of More Devotedly, realizes we know the facts about climate change—what’s needed now is an emotional transformation that incites action. Combining live music, poetry, dance, and audio storytelling to tell three stories around climate change, composer, and podcaster Douglas Detrick invites guest artists Joe Kye, Stephanie McCollough, and Lara Messersmith-Glavin to open our hearts to the enormity of our present challenges. Presented as part of the Fertile Ground Festival. More information at MoreDeVOTEdly.com [Note that there are multiple performances set during this event's time: Sat - Feb 1 - 5:30 pm Sat - Feb 1 - 9:30 pm Sun - Feb 2 - 1:00 pm Sun - Feb 2 - 5:30 pm Buy Tickets Here]

$20

Back Fence PDX: RUSSIAN ROULETTE

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

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 1, 2020 DOORS 7:00PM | SHOW 8:00PM |  18+ THE OLD CHURCH | 1422 SW 11th Ave FEATURING: CHRIS WILLIAMS December RUSSIAN ROULETTE Winner, Creator of Front Porch Sessions and The Turnout Storytelling Series at The Alberta Street Pub, Does a Spot-On Marlon Brando Impression (Heavier Marlon Brando), Has Never Drank Coffee Ever, Not Once, In His Life SHANNON BALCOM GRAVES 4-Time RUSSIAN ROULETTE Winner, HR Manager, Won a Prettiest Baby Contest as a Baby KIRSTEN KUPPENBENDER Past RUSSIAN ROULETTE Winner, Stand Up Comedian, Former Marathon Runner, Founder of Lez Stand Up, Extreme Jigsaw Puzzler ALEX DANG Writer, Storyteller at Head Start, Knows too Much About the Show Friends, Former Speech/Debate Champion SHAIN BRENDEN Named One of Portland Mercury's Undisputable Geniuses of Comedy, Hosts the Weekly Comedy show  DOUGH Wednesdays at Mississippi Pizza Pub, Named…

$11 – $28

Once In A Blue Moon . . .

Clinton Street Theater 2522 SE Clinton St, Portland, OR, United States

Oddities, Rarities and Other Anomalies Once in a blue moon, an event may happen that sends us careening off into unexpected directions. Occurrences that flip the plans we’ve made upside down. Join storytellers Barbara Fankhauser, Mike Goss, Anne-Louise Sterry and John Wylder for an evening of stories of unexpected turns, oddities, peculiarities and rare, the out-of-time moments. How do they change gears? How do they re-frame? How do they survive? Come enjoy our once-in-a-blue-moon stories. Who knows, perhaps just listening to them might send you off in directions most unexpected, as well. Saturday,Feb. 1  in the Clinton Street Theater at 7:30 pm. Doors open at 7:00 pm. Tickets at the door: $20;Buy on-line and save. General Public: $15 / Guild Members and their Guests: $12…

$12 – $20

The Moth: StorySLAM: Love Hurts

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

LOVE HURTS: Prepare a five-minute tale about a love that made you go OUCH. The agony of deferred love! The misery of good love, gone bad! The anguish of one-way love! Bring stories of your heart, kicked to the curb by the people or places or things you love...or used to love. Love that "Hurts So Good" also welcome. This venue is 17+ *Tickets for this event are available one week before the show, at 12pm PT / 3pm ET. *Seating is not guaranteed and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. Please be sure to arrive at least 10 minutes before the show. Admission is not guaranteed for late arrivals. All sales final. Media Sponsors: OPB and Literary Arts

$15

Powell’s First Word Reading Series – featuring Grief Rites

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

As of January, Powells has launched a new initiative called the FIrst Word Reading Series. The purpose is to "highlight emerging voices from every corner of the Portland literary community. Each month, a different writer, publisher, or literary organization will curate a one-of-a-kind night of readings and performances." We'll follow our typical format. Each reader will have time at the mic to share their grief inspired story. We're so excited for you to experience the dynamic of this group....everything from personal essay to poetry to slam to music. As always, Trigger Warning, because GRIEF. Please remember that Grief Rites does not vett our readers, so the first time you hear their particular piece of work will be our first time, as well. Trigger warnings and…

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, backed up by her angelic host comedian Christian Burke. 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. So get ready, because Judgement Day is coming -- and it will be full of shock, horror, laughs, and prizes. GET TICKETS

$10

Mystery Box Social Dinner Club

The Mystery Box Show Dining Room - Residential Home 9927 N Decatur St, Portland, OR, United States

Let's erase the stigma of sex being a forbidden topic of conversation! Normalization has always been a goal at The Mystery Box show. This elegant dinner party takes it one step further by allowing and ENCOURAGING sex talk at the dinner table! The evening will begin with cocktails and appetizers, followed by 2 courses and dessert, interspersed with a special screening and deep dive into some of the Mystery Box Show's most compelling sex-centric stories. All paired with wine and amazing conversation! We will be joined by the storytellers themselves- a real treat to be able to talk directly to their experiences. And who knows? Maybe the evening will inspire anecdotes and stories of your own! This evening will make an excellent date night, a…

$60

It’s Not Me, It’s You: Stories from the Dark Side of Dating

Alberta Rose Theatre 3000 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR, United States

We’ve all had them: dates that go terribly, hilariously awry. After hearing these personal stories, you’ll leave either feeling grateful for your current relationship or with the realization that being single isn’t so bad after all. NOW EXPANDED TO 2 NIGHTS WITH 2 DIFFERENT LINEUPS! TIX SELL OUT FAST, SO DON’T DELAY! TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 11TH Host Alina Aliyar, executive producer and host (7 Deadly Sins), chocolatier (Motherland Chocolates) and parent Jake Silberman (Willamette Week Portland Funniest Person 2018) Reema Zaman (actress, screenwriter and author of the memoir “I Am Yours”) Tod Kelly (writer, journalist and creator of the 7 Deadly Sins storytelling series) Leon Anderson (improv comedian and member of Portland’s own Broke Gravy) Erika Worth (producer of Roar and author of “Broken Bits and…

$25 – $30

It’s Not Me, It’s You: Stories from the Dark Side of Dating

Alberta Rose Theatre 3000 NE Alberta St, Portland, OR, United States

We’ve all had them: dates that go terribly, hilariously awry. After hearing these personal stories, you’ll leave either feeling grateful for your current relationship or with the realization that being single isn’t so bad after all. NOW EXPANDED TO 2 NIGHTS WITH 2 DIFFERENT LINEUPS! TIX SELL OUT FAST, SO DON’T DELAY! WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12TH Host Alina Aliyar, executive producer and host (7 Deadly Sins), chocolatier (Motherland Chocolates) and parent Adam Pasi (Helium Portland Funniest Person 2019) Ben Harkins (Willamette Week Portland Funniest Person 2019) Lance Edward (Willamette Week Portland Funniest Five 2019) Samira Sahebi (Moth GrandSLAM champion, real estate agent) Jaren George (standup comic, host of Optimism comedy showcase) Martin Lendahls (standup comic, filmmaker) Denise Olsen (storyteller, artist, mother) $25 Advance $30 At the…

$25 – $30