The easiest way to find out about current readings and upcoming readings is to go to our Facebook page.
This list aims to be exhaustive. It is not. We want everyone in the state to come out and hear our excellent poets. If you know of a regular reading series not listed here, please notify us. I mean, by gosh, we have nothing listed yet for Lafayette, Lake Charles, Natchitoches, Alexandria or Shreveport. Please help us out. We want a big tent.
Regular Reading Series
New Orleans
The Poetry Buffet is undoubtedly the finest reading venue in New Orleans. The Buffet happens the first Saturday of the month at 2pm at the Latter Branch of the New Orleans Public Library. Three or four poets are featured. If you are an avid reader of poetry, keep this in your calendar. If you’re interested in reading for this series, please contact our new Poet Laureate, Gina Ferrara: [email protected]
There is also the Everette Maddox Reading Series at the Maple Leaf on Sundays at 4pm. (Check via Facebook because late starting Saints games can put a wrinkle in this plan.) You can reach out to Nancy Harris on Facebook to book a slot. The oldest consistently running reading venue in the south is held almost every Sunday at the Maple Leaf Bar at 4 pm. The Maple Leaf Bar and this reading series are funky, funky New Orleans at its best.
Unlikely Stories produces multi-genre in-person readings and Zoom readings. You can view some of their past readings on YouTube. The curator requests that you check out Unlikely Stories before querying, to get an idea of what they do. If you’re interested in reading for this series, please contact Jonathan Penton: [email protected]
Chris Smith, Manager of Adult Programming for the Jefferson Parish Library, at (504) 889-8143 or [email protected] is looking for people who can lead small seminars at Jefferson Parish Library. He is also open to hosting readings in the Jefferson Parish Libraries.
The Lucky Bean Poetry Reading Series is run monthly at Blue Cypress Books at 8123 Oak St. Blue Cypress Books hosts in-person events as well as hosts a virtual event series that streams live on their Facebook and YouTube every other Thursday. Please visit their event calendar to see the variety of events they host. If you’re interested in reading for this series, please contact Rayna Nielsen: [email protected]
The Saturn Bar on St Claude St. hosts a monthly reading called the Splice Series but plans to discontinue their series in May of 2026.
2 Readers, I mic is a monthly series held at # Muses Bar on Frenchman St.
Esoterotica – biweekly, Wednesdays, Allways Lounge, 2240 St Claude
Poets on Poets – weekly, Wednesdays, Cafe Istanbul, 2372 St Claude
The Gold Room at UNO – monthly, Fridays, locations vary but often at Zeitgeist, 6621 St Claude
Pass It On NOLA Open Mic Night – monthly or so, often at the CAC, 900 Camp St
Liminal (LMNL Arts) runs both an annual series and periodic seasonal readings at the Domino B or Bar Redoux. Please send inquiries to [email protected]. Liminal also has in-person and online workshops. They are very active on social media, facebook.com/lmnl.lit. You may have to query repeatedly. I have not found it easy to get them to respond.
Baton Rouge
The Poetry Society of Louisiana has begun a quarterly series of readings (The William Hathaway Reading Series) which generally feature two Louisiana poets followed by an open mike. The series is held at the Hayride Scandal Bar on College Drive. Announcements appear here and on our Facebook page. If you want to read for pSoL please drop us an email at this website.
One of the premier reading programs in Baton Rouge is the Sundays@4 series hosted by the Baton Rouge Art Gallery on Dalrymple Street. This series features artists philographers, dance troops and musicians as well as many poets.
The Main Lobby reading series is an open mike, Spoken Word, event held on the rooftop of the Main Street Lounge (668 Main St.) on the third Wednesday of the month during school semesters. The Main Lobby rooftop has great views of downtown. The reading format is open, spontaneous and supportive. Call the Main Street Lounge for exact start times as it can vary. Then just show up.
At Highlands Coffee, on Chimes Street just off the North East corner of the LSU campus, the LSU Graduate Writers Program holds readings that feature two or three faculty authors or graduate writers. An open mike session follows. This series takes place during both the fall and spring semesters.
On the third Wednesday of every month a poet selected by the Poetry Society of Louisiana reads for five minutes to open up the Alvin Baptiste Jazz Society’s monthly concerts. These concerts blast the walls off of the BR Arts Council’s Black Box Theater in the Suarage Center on St. Ferdinand Street in downtown Baton Rouge. These concerts should not be missed.