Open Mic Night at City, O' City with Chase Cavanaugh
📅 Jun 18, 2026, 6:30 PM
📍 City, O' City, Denver, CO
Every third Thursday, City, O' City opens its stage to singers, poets, comedians, and anyone else who wants a few minutes in front of a crowd. Chase Cavanaugh, a guitarist and vocalist with deep roots in the venue's community, hosts the night and keeps the energy welcoming for first-timers and regulars alike. City, O' City is a vegetarian restaurant and bar anchored in Denver's Capitol Hill neighborhood, the kind of place that has long made space for local artists alongside its food and coffee programs. Signup opens at 6 pm and the stage runs from 6:30 to 8:30.
Mercury Slam at Desert Social
📅 Jun 21, 2026, 8:00 PM
📍 Desert Social, 1312 S Broadway, Denver, CO
Denver Mercury Poetry has run one of the longest-standing weekly poetry slams in America, and the Sunday night slam now lives at Desert Social on South Broadway. Poets sign up starting at 7:30, the scored slam kicks off at 8, and an open mic follows for anyone who wants the mic without the stakes. The $50 cash prize goes to the night's slam winner, decided by the crowd and judges on performance, words, and presence.
Sunset Pride Cafe at Mockingbird Denver
📅 Jun 24, 2026, 7:30 PM
📍 Mockingbird Denver, 2737 Larimer St, Denver, CO
Brandon Theis (The Orchestrator) and Eureka Vapor bring a free Pride jazz night to Mockingbird Denver, the RiNo art lounge at 2737 Larimer St known for immersive decor and a distinctly community-forward atmosphere. The lineup spans drag performance with Carmen Getitt Krystals (2026 Colorado Snow Queen Newcomer), spoken word and rap from She Who Won't Be Named, the Jake Alvarez Trio on guitar and jazz, a funk and saxophone fusion set from The Orchestrator with Jontae' Gray, and DJ sets from Dylan Bowman (Essential Exposure) closing the night. Capacity is limited and the RSVP is free, continuing the Sunset Jazz Cafe series that has run select Wednesdays at Mockingbird through a partnership between The Orchestrator and Eureka Vapor since earlier this season.
BIPOC Open Mic Night at Curios Nature
📅 Jul 9, 2026, 7:00 PM
📍 Curios Nature & Co, 773 Santa Fe Drive, Denver, CO
Bodies of Culture brings its monthly BIPOC Open Mic to a new home: Curios Nature & Co, a BIPOC and queer-centered creative space opening in Denver's Santa Fe Arts District. Melissa Ivey, described in her own words as a "Musical Doula" and future ancestor performance artist, hosts the evening, which runs the second Thursday of each month. Sign-up opens at 6:30pm, with the stage running 7:00-9:00pm. Bodies of Culture has built this open mic over more than 18 months as a recurring community institution; the move to the Santa Fe Arts District marks a new chapter for the series.
Spoken Word / Poetry Events in Denver, Colorado: what to expect
You'll find spoken word / poetry events in Denver, Colorado hosted by the people who actually live and perform here. They're local artists and creators, not touring acts or tourist-trap packages. Every listing on this page is a real event you can show up to, run by someone rooted in the Denver scene.
Upcoming listings include "Open Mic Night at City, O' City with Chase Cavanaugh" and "Mercury Slam at Desert Social", and the lineup refreshes as creators post new dates, so it's worth checking back for what's on this week and next.
Browse the events above for dates and details, then book directly with the host. Finding spoken word / poetry events in Denver, Colorado should feel like getting a tip from a local, because that's exactly where these listings come from.