The Ballroom is a striking live-music, comedy and events venue hidden behind an unassuming grey doorway on Orange Street in the heart of Canterbury's cathedral city. Set in a listed 18th-century ballroom, the room pairs high ceilings and period opulence with eclectic, decadent styling and a genuinely excellent in-house sound system. With a capacity of around 140, it hosts a broad sweep of genres — indie, rock, pop, big-band jazz and more — from touring and local acts (The Crash Of Moons Club, Ogives Big Band and Chop Suey among them), as well as comedy nights, themed parties and private hires. A well-stocked cocktail bar and friendly staff round out one of Canterbury's most characterful grassroots stages.
Canterbury · Every Wednesday · No fee listed
The Ballroom Open Mic
Orange Street's wednesday open mic.
Next night: Wed 18 Nov. Kick-off 21:00. No fee listed.
Nearby open micsUpdated 13 November 2026
At a glance
Checked 15 Oct 202621:00
Kick-off
Wednesdays
sign-up on the nightWednesdays
| Night | Every Wednesday |
| Sign-up | Walk-in |
| Slot | Ask the host |
| Entry | No fee listed · all ages |
| Backline | PA provided |
01 — Inside the room
4 photosPhotos: Google
172
page views on GigXchange. Is it your night?
0 members voted to bring the venue onto GigXchange02 — The details
Before you goEverything you need to know
0
Member votes
votes to get this venue on GigXchange
| Capacity | – |
| Performer types | Musicians |
The check
| Status | Being verified |
Help keep this trueOne tap
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03 — The night
Every WednesdayHow the night runs
21:00
Kick-off
WednesdaysRunning order
21:00 Kick-off
23:30 Venue closes
04 — Find The Ballroom
Orange StreetGetting there
Orange Street, Canterbury CT1 2JA
The nearest station is Canterbury West (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away.
05 — What's on stage
1 provided · 6 TBC| PA system | Provided |
| Drum kit | TBC |
| Guitar amp | TBC |
| Bass amp | TBC |
| Keys / keyboard | TBC |
| Vocal mics | TBC |
| In-house engineer | TBC |
06 — About
Orange Street, CanterburyAbout the night
The Ballroom is a striking former ballroom on Orange Street in Canterbury — baroque-meets-bohemian decor — and home to a long-running open mic that's an eclectic mix of performing arts, open to one and all, so musicians, poets and comedians are all welcome. It's a sociable, characterful room with drink deals on the night, sitting alongside the venue's wider programme of live bands and DJs. Come down, get your name on the list and have a go. 15 Orange Street, Canterbury, CT1 2JA.
The Ballroom is a striking live-music, comedy and events venue hidden behind an unassuming grey doorway on Orange Street in the heart of Canterbury's cathedral city. Set in a listed 18th-century ballroom, the room pairs high ceilings and period opulence with eclectic, decadent styling and a genuinely excellent in-house sound system. With a capacity of around 140, it hosts a broad sweep of genres — indie, rock, pop, big-band jazz and more — from touring and local acts (The Crash Of Moons Club, Ogives Big Band and Chop Suey among them), as well as comedy nights, themed parties and private hires. A well-stocked cocktail bar and friendly staff round out one of Canterbury's most characterful grassroots stages.
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Orange Street · Every Wednesday
The Ballroom Open Mic
Orange Street's wednesday open mic. Starts at 21:00.
- Wednesday
- Open mic night
- May 2026
- Listed since
- 15 Oct
- Last checked
- No fee
- Entry
- —
- Sign-up time
- Community
- Listing status
Run a Canterbury open mic? List it free — reviewed before it goes live
Last updated: 13 November 2026
The Ballroom Open Mic — Quick Facts
The Ballroom Open Mic runs on Wednesdays at The Ballroom in Canterbury, starting at 21:00. Below: when it runs, sign-up and slots, the stage kit and how to get there.
Open mic status Last checked 15 Oct 2026
How sure we are
Partly verified
The night starts at 21:00. It's walk-in sign-up - arrive early to get a slot. A PA is listed; check what else is on stage before you bring a band.
Next nightWed 18 Nov · 21:00Starts in 5d 13h 20m
AgeAll ages
Sign-upWalk-in on the night
BacklinePA provided
Sound engineerAsk the venue
Directory statusBeing verified
Member votes0 to get the venue on GigXchange
How do you rate this open mic?One tap, no sign-up required.
Spotted something wrong with this listing?Closed, moved night, different start time? Let us know. We review corrections within 7 days.
NightWednesdayEvery WednesdayNext: Wed 18 Nov
Starts21:00start time
Sign-upWalk-insign-up
SlotsTBCslot lengthNot confirmed yet
What’s on in Canterbury this week — or see what’s on across the UK.
About This Open Mic
The Ballroom is a striking former ballroom on Orange Street in Canterbury — baroque-meets-bohemian decor — and home to a long-running open mic that's an eclectic mix of performing arts, open to one and all, so musicians, poets and comedians are all welcome. It's a sociable, characterful room with drink deals on the night, sitting alongside the venue's wider programme of live bands and DJs. Come down, get your name on the list and have a go. 15 Orange Street, Canterbury, CT1 2JA.
The kit on stage — equipment and backline at this venue, verified regularly.
PA systemProvided
Drum kitTBC
Guitar ampTBC
Bass ampTBC
Keys / keyboardTBC
Vocal micsTBC
In-house engineerTBC
The Night at a Glance
How The Ballroom’s Wednesday night runs.
Next nightWed 18 Nov · 21:00Starts in 5d 13h 20m
Kick-off21:00Every Wednesday
Venue closes23:30The listed closing time
How often
Every Wednesday
Coming up
Wed 18 Nov · Wed 25 Nov · Wed 2 Dec
Kit
The Ballroom provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
First time here?
Get there early for a slot, have your instrument tuned before your turn.
Find The Ballroom
Orange Street, Canterbury CT1 2JA
AreaOrange Street, Canterbury
PostcodeCT1 2JA
DirectionsOpen in Google Maps →
Getting there
The nearest station is Canterbury West (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. You'll find The Ballroom in Orange Street, Canterbury; CT1 2JA is the postcode for sat-nav and ride apps. Check the venue's website for parking and the nearest station.
Open mics nearby
The Foundry, The Lifeboat, Your Music School (YMS) and Rosslyn Court
Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport (Open Government Licence).
Planning Your Wednesday Night
Arrive early to get your name down. The Ballroom provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
The scene Live music in Canterburythe venues, the gigs and where it happensGet gigs How to get gigs in Canterburypay, venues that book, how to pitchBands Find a band in Canterburyacts to book or play alongsideGigs Upcoming gigs in Canterburyevery listing, sorted by dateArtists Browse artist profilesfind acts to play or collaborate withOpen mics UK Open Mic Finderfree stage time, night by night
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. Part of the Canterbury live music scene.
Common Questions
9 things people want to know before Canterbury's The Ballroom open mic.
Walk-in sign-up only. Arrive early — slots fill on the night. See other Canterbury open mic nights for alternatives.
The Ballroom provides a PA system — check the rest with the venue.
Slot length varies — check with the host.
No entry fee is listed for The Ballroom's open mic - most open mics are free to play and to watch, but check with the venue before you go. Browse Canterbury open mics.
Ask the host before bringing a full band — solo and duo acts are the usual open-mic format.
The Ballroom is in Orange Street, Canterbury CT1 2JA. Get directions, or see the other Margate open mics.
Mostly fellow musicians, friends and Canterbury regulars across the Canterbury open mic scene. Canterbury open mic crowds tend to listen attentively.
The nearest station is Canterbury West (rail station), about 10 minutes' walk away. For sat-nav and taxis, the postcode is CT1 2JA. (Station data: NaPTAN, Department for Transport, Open Government Licence.)
Sign-up is walk-in on the night, so you do not need to book ahead. GigXchange doesn't publish venue phone numbers or emails. Browse other Canterbury open mics.
Venues Near The Ballroom
No other gigs are listed at The Ballroom in the GigXchange directory yet — these are the rooms around it, their size, kit and live nights.
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See what’s on in Canterbury over the next four weeks →
The Ballroom open mic in brief. The Ballroom open mic runs every Wednesday from 21:00 (no fee listed). The Ballroom’s venue page has its kit and capacity if you want to come back with a full band. The open mics near Canterbury are listed by day, for another night this week.
Booking or playing in Canterbury? 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.
09 — More Canterbury open mics
All ›Want paid gigs instead of open mics? See Canterbury gigs or check the going rate.
10 — Venues near The Ballroom
All ›More rooms near The Ballroom: Drill Shed, Folkestone Railway Social Club, Folklore, Hall By The Sea, Dreamland Margate, Leas Cliff Hall, Maiden's Head, Margate Lido Complex, Quarterhouse, Queens Road Baptist Centre - Concerts and Workshops, Rosslyn Court and Royal Norfolk Hotel.
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