Babar Café is a grassroots live music venue tucked away in central Hereford that has built its name championing upcoming original acts. There's a real spread on the bill here, from live bands and comedy to improvised, experimental musical journeys, with a particular soft spot for the music and culture of the Caribbean. A monthly open mic night keeps the door open for new performers, and a walled garden plus characterful indoor spaces give the place its warm, inclusive feel.
Hereford · Every Wednesday · No fee listed
Hereford's Wednesday-night free open mic at Babar Café.
Next night: Wed 18 Nov. Kick-off 20:00. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
Wednesdays
| Night | Every Wednesday |
| Sign-up | Ask the host |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | No fee listed · 18+ |
| Backline | PA provided |
| Capacity | c. 50 standing |
| Performer types | Musicians |
| Status | Being verified |
No sign-up. We review corrections within 7 days.
31 Union Street, Hereford HR1 2BD
The nearest station is Hereford (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away.
| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | Bring your own |
| Guitar amp | Bring your own |
| Bass amp | Bring your own |
| Keys / keyboard | Bring your own |
| 2 vocal mics | Provided |
| In-house engineer | None |
Babar Café on Union Street ran a well-loved weekly Wednesday open mic for years, but the venue has closed: the unit was taken over by Thirst Trap (a pop and house bar/nightclub open Thursday to Sunday) in September 2024, which does not run an open mic. Open Mic Finder also lists Babar's open mic as presumed no longer running. We'd recommend looking elsewhere in Hereford for a recurring acoustic night.
Babar Café is a grassroots live music venue tucked away in central Hereford that has built its name championing upcoming original acts. There's a real spread on the bill here, from live bands and comedy to improvised, experimental musical journeys, with a particular soft spot for the music and culture of the Caribbean. A monthly open mic night keeps the door open for new performers, and a walled garden plus characterful indoor spaces give the place its warm, inclusive feel.
One tap. It tells the next act what to expect.
| 01 | Correct the day, time and sign-up |
| 02 | Edit your profile and photos |
| 03 | Receive artist enquiries |
| 04 | Update backline and capacity |
Babar Café and Bar Open Mic
Hereford's Wednesday-night free open mic at Babar Café. Starts at 20:00.
- Wednesday
- Open mic night
- May 2026
- Listed since
- 25 Sept
- Last checked
- No fee
- Entry
- —
- Sign-up time
- Community
- Listing status
About this directory
Why we built the UK open mic directory, what’s in it, and what the data shows about the circuit.
More Hereford open mics
Last updated: 13 November 2026
Babar Café and Bar Open Mic — Quick Facts
Babar Café and Bar Open Mic runs on Wednesdays at Babar Café and Bar in Hereford, starting at 20:00. Hereford's Wednesday-night free open mic at Babar Café. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.

The night starts at 20:00 and runs to about 23:00. There is a PA listed - ask what else is on stage before you load in.
What’s on in Hereford this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
Babar Café on Union Street ran a well-loved weekly Wednesday open mic for years, but the venue has closed: the unit was taken over by Thirst Trap (a pop and house bar/nightclub open Thursday to Sunday) in September 2024, which does not run an open mic. Open Mic Finder also lists Babar's open mic as presumed no longer running. We'd recommend looking elsewhere in Hereford for a recurring acoustic night.
Equipment and backline at this venue — what's on stage, verified regularly.
The Night at a Glance
How Babar Café and Bar’s Wednesday night runs.
Every Wednesday
Wed 18 Nov · Wed 25 Nov · Wed 2 Dec
Babar Café and Bar provides a PA system and 2 vocal mics; bring your own drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.
Arrive early to get your name on the list, tune up before you go on.
Find Babar Café and Bar
Commercial Road, 31 Union Street, Hereford HR1 2BD
The nearest station is Hereford (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. You'll find Babar Café and Bar in 31 Union Street, Hereford; HR1 2BD is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
The Yew Tree Inn, The Cambrian Inn, The Secret Garden and The Goose & Cuckoo
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Wednesday Night
Get there early to sign up for a slot. The open mic runs until about 23:00. Babar Café and Bar provides a PA system and 2 vocal mics; bring your own drum kit, guitar amp, bass amp and keys; no in-house sound engineer.
What should you charge for paid gigs? Most open mic musicians are ready sooner than they think — try the Rate Calculator for live UK rates by role, city and venue size. A night in the Hereford live music scene.
Common Questions
9 things people ask before turning up at Hereford's Babar Café and Bar open mic.
Venues Near Babar Café and Bar
No other gigs are listed at Babar Café and Bar in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
Keep up with Hereford
One email a week with live music near you. Free, and it keeps grassroots rooms full.
Help keep grassroots venues open in Hereford
—A UK venue stops hosting live music every 5 days — and turning up is what keeps a room open. Get a free weekly email of gigs in Hereford. Unsubscribe any time. Privacy.
See what’s on in Hereford over the next four weeks →
Babar Café and Bar open mic in brief. The Babar Café and Bar open mic runs every Wednesday from 20:00 (no fee listed). Babar Café and Bar’s venue page lists its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. For a different night this week, the open mics near Hereford are listed by day.
Booking or playing in Hereford? The GX Index publishes what UK gigs actually pay, by city, band size and venue type, and the GX Index reports set out the methodology and the sample behind every figure. Both are free to read and free to cite.
Keep exploring: the UK gig directory for what's coming up, the venue directory for rooms that book live music, the open mic finder for recurring stage time, and what's on across the UK this week. The blog covers pricing, contracts and getting booked, and about GigXchange explains who runs it and why. Something not right on this page? Tell us — or start on the home page.
Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Hereford gigs or check the going rate.
More rooms near Babar Café and Bar: Ludlow Assembly Rooms, Ludlow Brewery, Red Lion, Shobdon Airfield EGBS, The Booth Hall, The Eagle Inn, The Foundry Music Venue, The Globe, The Kerry Hereford, The Rose and Crown and The Secret Garden.
Free to join. No subscription. 5% only if you want the deposit protected.
Run an open mic in Hereford?
Add yours to the directory free. 2-minute submission, reviewed before it goes live.


























