Start Fresh 2025-26
We're kicking off our second festival by bookending the first and last weekends of the year!
Weekend 1
We're ending 2025 with some great shows!
Weekend 2
Weekend 2
We're starting 2026 with some great shows!
Artist Market Weekend 1
The Get Down
Sat 12/27 and Sun 12/28 10 - 4 PM
Sat and Sun 1 PM Bad Holiday Gift Flip
12/27 2 PM Friendship Bracelets $5
12/27 3 PM Doodle Time $5
12/28 2 PM Paint & Laugh $20 to paint, $10 to laugh
$5 entry fee for the market
FREE entry if you bring a gift for the holiday gift flip OR register for a workshop or event.
Artist Market Weekend 1, Day 2
Sunday December 28th at 2 PM
Paint & Laugh
Hosted by Jocelyne Boyer @justjoshinwithJos
$20 to paint [capped at 10], $10 to laugh
Jocelyne is a local comedian and painter that brings the joy of painting to the comedy scene along with a group of comedians to make a comedic masterpiece. Total Bob Ross vibes... but with better jokes (but just as many happy little trees). This event is very popular and usually sells out, we have limited painting spots but it's still fun just to watch (and laugh)! We will provide canvases, paint, smocks, and bags to take your art home (if you'd like) but bring grubby clothes you don't mind getting paint on JUST IN CASE.
Fri Dec 26th @ 7 PM A Random Ryan Danley Show ™️
Curious Comedy Annex
[ticket price TBD]
Ryan has a few great shows going on in Portland, which one will we showcase at Curious? It's a surprise but he has a few to choose from such as SMASH, Clown Alley with cohost Gabby, and other hit shows!
Fri Dec 26th @ 10 PM Roast City
[venue TBD, probably Funhouse Lounge]
$10 online, $20 door
Cam Strong presents Roast City, featuring five rounds of comedians going head to head
Sat Dec 27th @ 7 PM ANTICHRISTmas Holiday Special
Curious Comedy Annex
Michael Garcia presents a show like MST3K where a panel of comics riff on bad holiday movies.
I will update this when the details are finalized with show runners and the venue :) check back for updates!
Sun Dec 28th @ 6 PM POET TOWN
[venue TBD, probably The Get Down]
A reading from local poets
FREE! (donations encouraged)
Sun Dec 28th @ 7:30 PM The Gauntlet
Sun Dec 28th @ 7:30 PM The Gauntlet
Sun Dec 28th @ 7:30 PM The Gauntlet
Curious Comedy Annex
Curious Comedy Annex presents: The Gauntlet
$15 online, $20 door
15 improvisers, one champion! if Whose Line Is It Anyway and American Ninja Warrior had a hilarious love child—hold on to your seats, it's going to be a wild ride!
Artist Market Weekend 2
The Get Down
Sat Jan 3rd and Sun Jan 4th 10 - 4 PM
Sat and Sun 1 PM Bad Holiday Gift Flip
1/3 2 PM Mini Pottery
1/3 3 PM Mosaics
1/4 2 PM Collage
$5 entry fee for the market
FREE entry if you bring a gift for the holiday gift flip OR register for a workshop or event.
Artist Market Weekend 2, Day 2
Jordan is a local comedian and collage artist and cocreator of LowArtForms, a show where comedians analyze and auction often insane thrift store art. It's a guaranteed good time, unless you're made of paper... then beware the scissors! We will provide a variety of supplies.
*Free to join if you bring your own collage materials with you!
Fri Jan 2nd @ 7 PM Friendship Show with Forest
The Heights
$10
Forest Ember presents: Friendship Show, where comics go head-to-head to resolve in their beef and become friends [again] with the help of the audience.
Hosted by Forest Ember
Joe John Sanchez, Aimee Sinclair, Zane Thomas, Maeve Connor, Jason Burton, and more!
Fri Jan 2nd @ 9 PM Sexy Talk with Tony Meyer
The Heights
$10
Tony Meyer presents: Sexy Talk, a sex positive show where comics can really let loose. We'll have an "after-hours" market or "mark-it" with vendors selling fun, sexy, locally made products.
Hosted by Tony Meyer
Luke Miller, Joe John Sanchez, Aleah Liebenau, Mack Lee
MATURE AUDIENCES, 21+
Sat Jan 3rd 4 - 6 PM YOLO [mixed open] mic
The Heights
Hosted by Josh Henri and Lori Van Deman
We wanted to create a mixed open mic that would encourage people to try comedy, poetry, or music for the first time on stage in front of a supportive audience. Lovingly nicknamed the "YOLO mic" by cohost Josh Henri. We had a great time last year and are eagerly awaiting the return of the mic this year.
Followed by Telltale's Rough Start at 7 PM.
FREE!
Sat Jan 3rd 4 - 6 PM mini-play-a-thon
Echo Theater Company
$10, $15 VIP
A variety of locally written and produced mini-plays that are under half an hour, headlined by Jon Bennett's newest one-man play. (This is a separate ticketed event)
This is the first year trying out this format, but we're excited to bring the Portland theater and writing communities together to put on a fun show!
Sat Jan 3rd @ 6 PM If You Should Leave Before Me
Clinton Street Theater
$15
A locally-made feature film!
PDX Premiere!
If You Should Leave Before Me features Mark and Joshua, a married couple, face a devastating loss that strains their relationship. To escape grief, they focus on their unconventional jobs as guides for the recently deceased, leading them to the afterlife.
MATURE AUDIENCES
Join the writers and directors for the gala presentation of If You Should Leave Before Me at the Start Fresh Festival. The special screening will be followed by an intimate Q&A with the filmmakers, giving audiences a behind-the-scenes look at the making of this acclaimed feature. All ticket holders are warmly invited to continue the celebration at a private afterparty at Dots Cafe, an opportunity to meet the team, connect with fellow film lovers, and toast to this award-winning film.
Sat Jan 3rd @ 6:30 PM Jon Bennett: This Will Only Ever Happen Once
Echo Theater Company
$20, $25 VIP
Headlining the mini-play-a-thon is a NEW one hour* one-man play written and performed by Jon Bennett.
This is the Oregon premiere for this play!
This performance has only ever happened twice... So far!
Jon connects the dots, or spots, rather, between live performance and protecting exotic wildlife in his newest play. Guaranteed to be a roarin' good time! Funny, insightful, and endearing.
SUGGESTED AUDIENCE 18+
Sat Jan 3rd @ 7 PM Rough Start
The Heights
Telltale presents Rough Start, a show where storytellers discuss how they tried to start their year off right, or wrong, in the spirit of resolutions.
Hosted by Jasmine Nothing
Taylor Barrett, Ally J Ward, Zoë Schwartz, Ryan Danley, Zane Thomas, Jason Burton
FREE! (donations encouraged)
Sat Jan 3rd 8 - 10 PM Local Author Reading
Rose City Book Pub
We will have a selection of local authors reading their work from a variety of genres.
FREE! (donations encouraged)
Sun Jan 4th 11 - 3 PM Social Hour and Screening
Echo Theater Company
$10*
Join us for coffee, tea, VooDoo doughnuts while you talk shop with film industry professionals, afterwards, we'll sit down and watch and a selection of short films made by local filmmakers
*FREE for the filmmakers
Sun Jan 4th @ 3:30 PM 3×30 [mins] Films
Clinton Street Theater
$10*
A block of longer shorts, three 30 minute films, Q&A to follow with local filmmakers.
The Ogre by Justin Boswick [34:50]
Carpe Diem by Armen Zilic [26:31]
Invasion of the Free Box Monsters by Peter Grey [30:00]
Q&A with filmmakers
A mini lecture for filmmakers to follow hosted by Jerry Bell Jr. Actor/producer/director/local independent film community leader.
*FREE for the filmmakers