Poetry Events in Chicago

Check out happening poetry events all around Chicago, IL

Chicago Symphony Orchestra - DiDonato Performs Neruda Songs

 Fri, 08 May at 12:30 am Chicago Symphony Center

The Poetry Brothel Chicago: LIFE IS A CABARET

 Fri, 12 Jun at 08:00 pm Chicago Theater Works USD 50

MONDAY MAY 4: LATE NITE MIC WITH VIK PANDYA

 Mon, 04 May at 07:00 pm The Comedy Bar - Chicago Main Stage Free

MONDAY JUNE 15: LATE NITE MIC WITH VIK PANDYA

 Mon, 15 Jun at 07:00 pm The Comedy Bar - Chicago Main Stage Free

MONDAY APRIL 27: LATE NITE MIC WITH VIK PANDYA

 Mon, 27 Apr at 07:00 pm The Comedy Bar - Chicago Main Stage Free

MONDAY MAY 25: LATE NITE MIC WITH VIK PANDYA

 Mon, 25 May at 07:00 pm The Comedy Bar - Chicago Main Stage Free

MONDAY JUNE 8: LATE NITE MIC WITH VIK PANDYA

 Mon, 08 Jun at 07:00 pm The Comedy Bar - Chicago Main Stage Free

Festival of Independent Artists

 Fri, 08 May at 05:00 pm 2408 N Kedzie Blvd USD 17 to 33

Radiohead Concert in the Dark w Live Strings WAITLIST SHOW – DATE PENDING

 Sat, 06 Jun at 07:00 pm Secret Location in Chicago USD 0 to 322

Golden Hour Featuring Superfrye

 Fri, 01 May at 05:00 pm 201 S. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL, United States, Illinois 60607

Hybrid Poetry Event with Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

 Wed, 29 Apr at 07:00 pm Women & Children First Free

Modern Portraits: An Evening of AAPI Short Films and Poetry

 Fri, 01 May at 05:30 pm HAIBAYÔ Free

5 Year Anniversary of the Elevated Open Mic

 Fri, 01 May at 07:00 pm Thrift LLC USD 0 to 13

Pilsen Ukulele Party (PUP) FREE!

 Sat, 09 May at 12:00 pm Pilsen Arts & Community House Free

BrooksDay 2026

 Sun, 07 Jun at 12:00 pm Harold Washington Library Center, Chicago Public Library Free

Sunday In The Park With George

 Thu, 13 Aug at 07:00 pm Chopin Theatre USD 25 to 109

Transcendent Frequencies

 Fri, 08 May at 07:00 pm Nabala Cafe Free

Staff & Friends Reading

 Thu, 14 May at 06:00 pm Poetry Foundation Free

Big Cheese Poetry Slam April 2026

 Tue, 28 Apr at 06:30 pm Zhou B Art Center USD 10 to 20

Tuesday Funk #170 - May 5, 2026

 Tue, 05 May at 07:00 pm 5148 N Clark St, Chicago, IL, United States, Illinois 60640

Big Cheese Poetry Slam May 2026

 Tue, 26 May at 06:30 pm Zhou B Art Center USD 10 to 20

May Book Club, Blind Date With a Book & Poetry Workshop: How to Read a Book

 Fri, 29 May at 07:30 pm Burning Bush Brewery USD 18 to 24

Chicago, IL - Karaoke Night! @ Punch Bowl Social

 Fri, 02 Jan Punch Bowl Social Chicago Free

Ross Gay & Angel Bat Dawid on Poetry

 Thu, 14 May at 05:00 pm Smart Museum of Art Free

Sildanza Fiesta Fund

 Sat, 30 May at 07:30 pm 1545 N Western Ave USD 29 to 66

Big Cheese Poetry Slam June 2026

 Tue, 30 Jun at 06:30 pm Zhou B Art Center USD 10 to 20

Chicago Indian Literature Festival

 Sat, 30 May at 09:00 am The Congress Plaza Hotel & Convention Center USD 10 to 50

Days of Wonder: it is time to be very tender with our grief (June 22)

 Mon, 22 Jun at 06:30 pm Elastic Arts USD 17

Chicago New Books

 Thu, 07 May at 06:00 pm Poetry Foundation Free

Chicago Book Launch: A Celebration of Orange

 Fri, 15 May at 07:00 pm Puerto Rican Arts Alliance Free

Chicago Literary Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony: Ed Roberson

 Thu, 18 Jun at 06:00 pm Poetry Foundation Free

Sistas Circle Expo feat : 2ndPOETSExpo, BeautyRedefined Runway Show & more!

 Sat, 30 May at 10:00 am South Shore International College Preparatory High School Free

Days of Wonder: it is time to be very tender with our grief (June 21)

 Sun, 21 Jun at 06:30 pm Elastic Arts USD 17

Northwestern SPS MFA & MA Faculty Reading

Fri, 15 May at 06:30 pm The Book Cellar

Maya Nguyen: I Hear You Can Make A Helicopter Sound With A Flower

 Fri, 15 May at 06:00 pm Goethe-Institut Chicago Free

Big Cheese Poetry Slam July 2026

 Tue, 28 Jul at 06:30 pm Zhou B Art Center USD 10 to 20

Powerful Voices Open Mic Show - Live Music, Comedy, Poetry+ More!

 Thu, 14 May at 07:00 pm Chicago Free

Skald

 Sat, 11 Jul at 08:00 pm Reggies Rock Club

Beatles Concert in the Dark w Award Winning Violinist WAITLIST EVENT

 Sun, 03 May at 08:00 pm Secret Location in Chicago Free

Shorties - A Reading Series - May 2026

 Wed, 06 May at 07:00 pm The Bad Apple Free

Latin and International Open Mic

 Sat, 02 May at 08:00 pm Eli Tea Bar Free

Unheard Voices of Care Lecture Series: Ghosts and Monsters

 Thu, 21 May International Museum of Surgical Science Free

Selections from City News Anthology

 Sat, 02 May at 06:00 pm necessary & sufficient coffee - Printers Row, South Dearborn Street, Chicago, IL, USA Free

2nd Annual Elevated Poetry Slam

 Thu, 30 Apr at 07:00 pm Raza's Pizza Free

TOP POP! Open Mic!

 Sat, 30 May at 07:30 pm The.BlkRoom USD 7 to 50

Low Water Bridge, Iris Marlowe, Shannon Baker

 Sun, 19 Jul at 08:00 pm Reggies Music Joint

A Cavafy Poetry Evening in Honor of the Consul General of Greece in Chicago

 Mon, 04 May at 06:00 pm National Hellenic Museum Free

Chicago Poetry Center's Blue Hour Generative Workshop

 Wed, 20 May at 06:00 pm Haymarket House Free

Lost & Found Storytelling: Short Stories Open Mic

 Thu, 14 May at 07:00 pm Nabala Cafe Free

May Blue Hour Featuring Patrycja Humienik and Soham Patel

 Wed, 20 May at 07:30 pm Haymarket House Free

Pour Into Her! A Tea Party Experience

 Sat, 30 May at 03:00 pm Bronze47 USD 71 to 109

First, Breathe Healing Arts Series

 Thu, 16 Apr Washington Park Arts Incubator Free

Goetia, Ritual Fog, Defense Wound

 Thu, 02 Jul at 08:00 pm Reggies Music Joint

McPhee/Vandermark/Corsano, Halvorson/Courvoisier, 7 Poets Tr

 Sun, 06 Sep at 07:00 pm 2319 W Belmont Ave Chicago IL 60618

The Thursday Show: Chicago's Funniest Comedians with New Jokes!

 Sat, 30 Nov at 09:30 pm The Lincoln Lodge USD 13

Show & Tell for Grown-Ups: Audience Top Pick Presenters!

 Sun, 07 Jul at 06:00 pm The Lincoln Lodge USD 0 to 21

S2 Lawndale - hope lives here! w/ Nile Lansana

 Wed, 22 Apr at 03:00 pm Lawndale Mental Health Center Free

Movement Philosophy ::::: Spring Session

 Mon, 27 Apr at 07:00 pm bim bom studios USD 0 to 87

Vampires Welcome Open Mic

 Fri, 27 Mar The Crib Comedy Playspace Free

Monthly Group Ukulele Lessons in Pilsen. FREE Ukulele Giveaway!

 Sun, 12 Oct at 12:00 pm 1637 W 18th St Free

Windy City Shorts: An Open Mic Night for Chicago Short Movies!

 Wed, 31 Jan at 07:00 pm The Lincoln Lodge USD 15

Giggle Hour

 Tue, 01 Aug at 07:00 pm The Lincoln Lodge USD 13

Poetic Reconstruction

 Sun, 14 Sep at 06:00 pm Urban Luxe Cafe Free

Spoken Word Poetry

 Fri, 04 Apr at 06:30 pm Urban Luxe Cafe Free

Powerful Voices Open Mic Show - Live Music, Comedy, Poetry+ More!

 Thu, 30 Oct at 07:00 pm Chicago Free

The hidden cry

 Sun, 04 May at 07:00 pm 5844 S Rockwell St