Step Up to the Wicker Mic

Wander past Wicker Park on Friday and you just might catch a rising star.

Friday is the final night of performances at Wicker Mic, the three-year-old annual summertime open mic event. Hosted in partnership with the Wicker Park Advisory Council, Wicker Park Garden Club, Church in the City and the Chicago Park District, Wicker Mic is designed for anyone with a talent — comedian, poet, musician, etc. – to step up and let it rip.

"A lot of the performers live in the neighborhood or nearby. We wanted to provide that platform for people who are new or just starting out and trying to get experience and trying to get exposure," said Wicker Mic co-creator Nate Tubbs.

And you never know who might drop by. Tubbs, a 27-year-old Logan Square resident, said performers have included a child cellist, a young girl who did a variety bit and stole the show, and Marc Smith, the iconic founder of local poetry slams at the Green Mill.

"It's the stuff like that, the stuff you can't expect, that really stands out," he said.

Interested? Sign-up begins at 5:30 p.m. at the park, 1425 N. Damen Ave. Performances take place from 6-9 p.m. Performers will get five minutes each.

Tubbs said volunteers are encouraged to lend a hand setting up and tearing down the equipment. For more information on the event, see the Wicker Mic Facebook page.

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