It’s a new year, and a great time to set some new goals! What do you want to achieve? Where do you want to be with your music-making this time next year?

Whether you’re a beginner or you’ve been playing for years, performing in front of others is a great way to increase your confidence – not to mention show off what you’ve accomplished!

Here in America’s Finest City, there are tons of events to improve your musical chops, from low-key karaoke bars to crowded open mics in San Diego. And it’s not just for singers. Many open mic nights cater to all types of instruments, from drums to guitar to keyboard. It’s also easy to find all-ages events, if you’re looking for some family-friendly fun.

Nervous? Don’t worry – everyone is the first time they perform on stage! But the more you perform, the easier it will get. You might feel comfortable checking out a few events to get a feel for the environment before getting up on stage, and that’s totally fine.

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To get you started, here are a some of our favorite San Diego open mic nights and karaoke venues:

1) Cosmos Coffee Cafe – La Mesa

8278 La Mesa Blvd, La Mesa, CA 91942

Open mic, Tuesdays at 7pm

All ages

2) Lestat’s West – Normal Heights

3343 Adams Ave, San Diego, CA 92116

Open mic, Mondays at 6:30pm

All ages

3) Blarney Stone Pub – Clairemont

5617 Balboa Ave, San Diego, CA 92111

Open mic, Sundays at 9pm

4) Rebecca’s Coffee House – South Park

3015 Juniper St, San Diego, CA 92104

Open mic, Tuesdays 7 pm – 9:30 pm (except the third Tuesday of the month)

All ages

5) Queen Bee’s Art & Cultural Center – North Park

3925 Ohio Street, San Diego, CA 92104

Open mic (poetry, comedy, and musicians), Tuesdays 8pm

All ages

6) South Park Abbey – South Park

1946 Fern Street, San Diego, California 92102

Open mic, Wednesdays 9pm

All ages

7) E Street Cafe – Encinitas

128 W E St, Encinitas, CA 92024

Open mic, Tuesdays 6pm

All ages

8) Lamplighter – Mission Hills

817 W Washington St, San Diego, CA 92103

Karaoke, every night 9pm

9) Champ’s Lounge – Clairemont

3050 Clairemont Drive, Clairemont CA 92117

Karaoke, Fridays 9pm

10) Chorus Karaoke and Cafe – Kearny Mesa

4428 Convoy St, San Diego, CA 92111

Private karaoke rooms

For up-to-date information, be sure to contact the venue.

See Also: Need help selecting a song to sing? Check out our top picks for karaoke songs.

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