What is a Moth Event?

Making one-night-only stops around the world each season, the Mainstage is the preeminent Moth experience. This curated evening features five beloved storytellers, a notable host, and a guest musician. Featured storytellers have included Padma Lakshmi, Malcolm Gladwell, Molly Ringwald, Salman Rushdie, Elizabeth Gilbert, Hasan Minhaj, Kathleen Turner, Darryl ​“DMC” McDaniels, John Turturro, Boots Riley, Mike Birbiglia, Rosanne Cash, Liz Phair, and Tig Notaro, as well as an astronaut, a pickpocket, a hot­dog eating champion, and thousands more.

A Moth StorySLAM is an open-mic storytelling competition that welcomes anyone with a five-minute story to share on the night’s theme. Ten lucky audience members, picked at random, vie for the chance to be voted the night’s StorySLAM winner. Come put your name in the hat, or sit back and enjoy.

Once The Moth names ten StorySLAM winners, those storytellers compete in the GrandSLAM championship. And with ten local favorites on the stage, you know this night is going to be good. This time, storytellers receive coaching from a team of Moth directors, are joined by a musical guest, and find themselves on stage at some of their city’s most impressive venues.

The Moth hosts specialty showcases around the year, often to feature participants of Moth workshop programs, highlight stories from exciting partnerships, or to welcome back listener-favorite stories live on stage.