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Amy Lam
Amy Lam is a writer and editor based in Portland. Read More
Kickstand Comedy Brings Laughs to Portland’s Laurelhurst Park
Kickstand Comedy’s free outdoor standup series is a summer must-see in Portland.
Amy Lam
Amy Lam is a writer and editor based in Portland. Read More
Picture it: You’re sitting on a picnic blanket with delectable local take-out and libations, bathed in the summer evening light, laughing along with hundreds of other stand-up comedy fans on a sprawling, shaded lawn. It’s not a fantasy; it’s Comedy in the Park, a quintessential Portland experience.
It’s a really unique way to just have collective joy.
Dylan Reiff
Since 2021, Kickstand Comedy’s wildly popular free outdoor event has brought thousands of people to Southeast Portland’s Laurelhurst Park for perfect Friday nights between the picturesque duck pond and dog park. The show began when people were emerging out of lockdown during the pandemic, and everyone craved a way to gather outside. “I think we all needed to laugh together,” said Dylan Reiff, co-founder and artistic director of Kickstand Comedy. “You can bring the family. You can let your kids and dogs run around. It’s a really unique way to just have collective joy.”
Comedy in the Park began as a twice-a-month event, showcasing dozens of comedians from Portland and out of town, and has now grown to be a (nearly) weekly staple. Plan your trip to include at least one of the summer shows, which run from June – September.
A Portland Comedy Institution
From its humble beginnings in the basement of a Northeast bike shop to showcasing stand-up comedians in an iconic Portland park (sponsored, in part, by Portland Parks and Recreation), Kickstand Comedy has become central to the Portland comedy scene. Founded in 2014 by Dylan and Garrett Palm, Kickstand Comedy is now a not-for-profit organization dedicated to cultivating an inclusive comedy scene for local comedians and audiences.
“When I got here, it was Bri Pruett, Ian Karmel, Ron Funches, Curtis Cook and Amy Miller [in the comedy scene]. Then those folks go off [to work in other cities], and a new generation comes up. It’s the same with Kickstand,” said Dylan. “We’ve always had the ebb and flow of people coming through. My hope is everyone getting a lot out of, like development, incubation and growth, because our hope really is just that everyone who becomes a part of the Kickstand community continues to grow and go on to bigger things. Not that we’re small potatoes, but it’s joyful to see everyone succeed.”
An Unconventional Outdoor Venue
Bri Pruett, a former co-host of a weekly show with Kickstand, returned to Portland to visit family and was invited to perform at Comedy in the Park in 2022. She had been on one of the longest sabbaticals in her decade-long career and was anxious to hit the stage — or lawn, in this case — again. “As soon as I got a joke in, I felt my feet under me,” said Bri. “The bowl of the lawn of the park provides the perfect conditions for the audience laughs to come back to the comedians. The familiar feeling of so many people laughing in unison washing over you. There’s nothing like it.”
For comedians like Bri, who honed their comedy chops in the Rose City, Comedy in the Park is an ideal welcome back. Beneath a canopy of Douglas fir, giant sequoia and London plane trees, the laughter of hundreds of people washing over you is a special feeling for comedians and the audience alike. “We have a lot of great former Portland comedians who get to invite all their friends and family to come see them do stand-up with a thousand people.”
From the moment co-hosts Julia Corral and Jaren George take the mics, audiences know they’re in for a one-of-a-kind show. “How could you not have fun when you’re in the park performing to all those people?” asked Julia. Julia and Jaren, brought in to host in 2022 after Seth Allen and Tory Ward’s successful stint hosting the show in its first year, keep up a playful energy between sets.
“It’s really inspirational for a lot of comics to be in that kind of space,” said Jaren. “And we have a lot of comics who really think outside the box.” Instead of being derailed by heckling dogs or the echoes of traffic surrounding the park, some comedians have taken advantage of the unique venue. Julia and Jaren make it a point to interact with the audience, checking in on people’s picnics or hopping on someone’s bike for a spin in between sets, making it feel like a community event that everyone is part of. “People are just happy to be outside, be on the grass, in the dirt and laugh,” said Julia. “It’s very primal, and I love that.”
Planning Your Visit to Comedy in the Park
Take a scenic route if you can hop on a bicycle or a scooter to get to the park. The closest entrances to the show have wide curb cuts (Southeast Oak Street and Southeast 37th Avenue to the south and Southeast Ankeny and Laurelhurst Streets to the north). If you’re driving, parking might be scarce, so give yourself time to arrive earlier to get a good spot nearby or park farther out and enjoy the stroll to the show. Bring blankets and low lawn chairs, and maybe a couple of extra blankets or hoodies in case it gets chilly as the sun sets. There aren’t any bad seats for the show since the sound system works great, but outside of show times, this is the park’s off-leash dog area, so keep your eyes peeled for unwanted doggy “souvenirs” you might step on.
Nearby Good Eats
Make the most of nearby good eats by turning your visit to Comedy in the Park into a tasty night out.
Kickstand Finds a New Home
Comedy in the Park has quickly become a Portland summer staple — and will continue to be for the foreseeable future — possibly culminating into “a weekend fest in the park. Pipe dream; but, hey, we try to dream big,” said Dylan. And once autumn closes out the show, comedy lovers can still find fun shows from Kickstand in their new venue.
Since its founding in 2014, Kickstand Comedy has bounced around the city in search of the perfect physical venue to call home — a space for comedy classes and a hub for local stand-up, improv, sketch comedy, solo shows and what Dylan described as “weird and absurd, clown” shows. After years of temporary spaces and even hosting classes and shows on Zoom during the lockdown, Kickstand finally has a permanent home venue at 1006 Southeast Hawthorne, which opens in late 2023. “Having a center of gravity for a comedy theater is so important,” said Dylan. With a solid home base, Kickstand Comedy will continue to bring in the laughs for years to come.
More Summertime Fun
Enjoy Portland during the warm summer months at these exciting events.
Summer Concert Round-Up
Portland brings the heat with a packed outdoor concert schedule that makes the most of summer’s long days and warm nights.
Portland Adult Soapbox Derby
The PDX Adult Soapbox Derby at Mt. Tabor Park pits grown-up kids against each other every August in pursuit of speed and laughs.
Summer Free for All
Portland Parks & Recreation offers over 400 free events including free movie screenings, concerts and rock climbing.
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