Did you know Pickathon has its very own late-night comedy club? For nearly a decade, the Lucky Barn has transformed into a hub of hilarity on Friday and Saturday nights, with nationally touring comedians in one of the most intimate venues on the farm.
Curated and hosted by the incomparable Amy Miller—seen on Comedy Central, After Midnight on CBS, Viceland, NBC, and more—Laughs in the Lucky Barn is a Pickathon tradition and fan favorite. These stand-up showcases feature some of the funniest people you’ve seen on Netflix, HBO, Amazon, Hulu, and the top comedy stages of Portland and Seattle. Past years have brought names like Kyle Kinane, Ian Karmel, and stars from Willamette Week’s Funniest Comedians in Portland list to the Lucky Barn stage.
Amy Miller returns to host this year’s showcase and couldn’t be more excited:
“It’s hands down my favorite festival as both a performer and a fan. The folks that cram into the Lucky Barn every year for those 90 minutes always show up with a fun spirit, ready to laugh, and open to being made fun of. We always have so much fun.”
The 2025 lineup is stacked with comedic firepower and features some first-timers who are sure to leave festival-goers in stitches. This year’s performers include:
- Simon Gibson (Amazon Prime, Cannonball) – Headliner
- Ricci Armani (My Straight Friends)
- Katie Nguyen (SiriusXM, Helium Comedy Club)
- Ikes (Portland’s own rising star)
Catch the Pickathon Comedy Showcase on Friday, August 1st and Saturday, August 2nd from 7:30–9:00 PM in the Lucky Barn. Seating is limited and always fills up fast, so arrive early and prepare to laugh!
Comedy Spotlight
Simon Gibson
Described as Chris Farley meets Sam Kinison, Simon Gibson has captivated audiences all over the country with his one-of-a-kind comedic style. The co-host of NBC and USA Network’s Cannonball, LA-based comedian Simon Gibson exploded onto the comedy scene after a standout performance at the Just for Laughs New Faces showcase in Montreal. He can currently be seen as one of the leads of the Amazon series Inside Jokes, chronicling his journey from open mic comic to the mecca of comedy at JFL Montreal. He recently appeared in the Netflix Is a Joke Festival, Netflix’s Brews Brothers, SYFY’s The Movie Show, and NBC’s Last Call with Carson Daly. Simon’s debut comedy album The Wizard’s Boy is available to stream on all platforms. Originally from Portland, Oregon, Simon brings a dynamic combination of high-energy physicality and in-your-face laughs to both stage and screen.
Ricci Armani
Ricci Armani is a stand up comedian, writer and the creator and co-host of the monthly sold out show “My Straight Friends.” My Straight Friends is based out of The Comedy Store in LA and Emerald City in Seattle. Celebrated as an “undisputable champion of comedy” by The Stranger, and known for his “fun, sassy, honest, good, universal” style, Ricci was recently featured in Forbes’ article “Top AAPI Comedians To Watch”. He has been featured in comedy festivals nationally including New York Comedy Festival, Portland’s RIP City Fest, Seattle’s Upper Left and New Mexico’s Cloudtop Comedy Festival.
Katie Nguyen
Katie Nguyen is a writer and comedian living in Portland, Oregon. Her writing has been featured in The New Yorker, you can hear her stand-up on SiriusXM radio, and she is a regular at Helium Comedy Club. Katie teaches comedy classes at Helium and Portland Center Stage. She has twice been chosen as one of the Portland Mercury’s Geniuses of Comedy, and was recently named the winner of Willamette Week’s Funniest Five. Katie is a writer and the host of the new PBS Kids series, Mega Wow. In 2020, she also co-wrote and starred in a semi-autobiographical short film, Crouching Comic.
Ikes
Hey I’m Ikes, let’s have a great laugh together. Love and peace oh and food oh and water and beer and stuff. Ohh a cider too. I can’t wait to be on your show.
