Jump to: Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Multi-Day
COMEDY
Like
List
If you dug John Mulaney’s comedy talk show experiment Everybody’s in LA back in May, you’ll probably laugh along with Everything’s Fine Tonight Live!, a late-night giggle fest that “walks the line between sincerity and parody” with special guests, a desk, and a host. What more do ya need? The Seattle-born show started in 2018 and has grown to include a Twitch stream and monthly offerings. This edition’s guests will include Dan Daniels of The Happy Birthday Podcast and self-proclaimed “bon vivant” David Wester of D&D Comedy. LC
(Kickstand Comedy, Ladd’s Addition, $5-$10)
Remind
Like
List
Kickstand Comedy’s hugely popular Comedy in the Park series has returned, hitting Laurelhurst Park on most Fridays through September 6. Grab your pals with a sense of humor and drop your blankets early—the free stand-up show has been known to draw crowds of 4,000 or more. The plus side of the bonkers crowd is the unmatched dog-watching; I’m a fan of Laurelhurst duck-watching, too. This Friday, a lineup of much-loved funnybones will head to the stage after local laughers Rachelle Cochran and Julia Corral get the crowd going. LC
(Laurelhurst Park, Laurelhurst, free)
PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE
Like
List
Live out your MTV Spring Break fantasies with Snap! Y2K’s Summer Beach Party, a bash inspired by the early aughts party broadcasts. Dance to a mix of ’90s and early 2000s throwbacks from N*SYNC, Jessica Simpson, No Doubt, and more acts that graced the MTV Spring Break stage—just don’t forget your hair gel, hibiscus print bikini, and shell necklace. AV
(Holocene, Buckman, $10)
COMMUNITY
Like
List
It’s a fact: corgis look like loaves of bread with little paws. I have a friend who likes to describe their coloring as how “toasted” they are. There’s really no better breed of dog to take on a picnic to the beach, and this event will draw hundreds of them. A $10 ticket goes straight to the Oregon Humane Society and gets you a commemorative t-shirt and access to a silent auction, raffle, and day full of doggos. Whether they’re speeding away in the corgi races, flaunting their stuff in a costume contest, or simply wiggling their butts in the sand, it’s a guaranteed cuteness overload. SL
(Seaside, $10)
Like
List
I’m fairly certain you need little to no convincing that this event, which entails snuggling with precious kittens and enjoying beer, cocktails, and food from Loyal Legion Beer Hall, has all the makings of an ideal afternoon. You’ll get to place your name on a digital waitlist and eat and drink to your heart’s content until it’s your turn to cuddle with adorable baby creatures for a suggested $5 donation for five minutes—what could be better? Well, maybe the fact that the kitties will all be adoptable, so you can fill out an application if one captures your heart, and 10% of the day’s beer sales will benefit Northwest Animal Companions. Volunteers will also be present to chat about the nonprofit animal rescue and its foster program. Note that feline-cuddling reservations are available on a first-come, first-served basis, so get there early. JB
(Loyal Legion Beaverton, Beaverton, $5-$10)
FESTIVALS
Like
List
Attachment might be the root of all human suffering, but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a festival at the park. This gathering of over 15 Buddhist temples and communities celebrate Portland’s diverse Buddhist community with mindfulness exercises, dance performances, children’s activities, and information-sharing. Dharma Rain Zen Center, Henjyoji Shingon Buddhist Temple, Maitripa College, No Rank Zendo, Oregon Buddhist Temple, Plum Village, Portland Insight Meditation, and many other organizations will be on site to share their practices and knowledge. LC
(Colonel Summers Park, Buckman, free)
Like
List
With the hype around The Last of Us, it’s feeling more and more like zombies could be real…so why not Bigfoot? Or Nessie? Or UFOs? Get ready to deep dive all your paranormal theories with fellow cryptozoologists at the Oregon Bigfoot Festival and Beyond. The Paranormal Caught on Stage show features presentations from Ronny LeBlanc of Discovery Channel’s Expedition Bigfoot and Paranormal Caught on Camera alongside David Schrader from The Holzer Files, Ghosts of Devil’s Perch, and The Paranormal Podcast. Don’t miss the Monster Vendor Market and food carts with specially themed treats. SL
(Oaks Amusement Park, Sellwood, $5-$30)
FILM
Like
List
MetroEast Community Media bills their new docuseries Food Foray as “Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown but at local grocery stores with a host named Jess”—sold. Each episode focuses around a different regional cuisine, including the Republic of Georgia, Oaxaca, and Myanmar, and will follow a local immigrant guest shopping for food, cooking, and sharing a meal with friends, family, and the host. Catch the first public screening at this event presented by the Portland EcoFilm Festival, which will include tastes of the dishes featured in the show as well as conversations with the filmmakers and participants. JB
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, $10)
Remind
Like
List
We live in Oregon, dammit, and if there’s one thing Oregonians love more than watching movies, it’s being in nature. ¿Por qué no los dos?! Hollywood Theatre has teamed up with the Oregon State Parks Department to do just that, offering up a series of screenings in scenic state parks throughout the summer. The series will kick off with Return to Oz at Rooster Rock State Park, perfect for those who enjoy being frightened of both mosquitoes and guys with jack-o-lanterns for heads at the same time. Throw on some DEET and have a blast. LC
(Rooster Rock State Park, Corbett, free)
Like
List
For a movie I loved when I was seven years old, Linklater’s School of Rock has held up surprisingly well. Wildman Jack Black holds the starring role, but it’s the supporting cast that is truly bananas. First of all, White Lotus creator (and bi icon) Mike White plays the lovable elementary school teacher who’s being lied to by his ex-bandmate (played by Black). Then, none other than Joan Cusack appears as an uptight principal with a soft spot for Stevie Nicks and drinking beer. The film also marks the start of child star Miranda Cosgrove’s acting career, which led to roles on Drake and Josh and iCarly. If you’ve somehow never seen this movie, you must watch it. If you haven’t seen it in 20+ years, you must watch it again. Tomorrow Theater will host a special screening of the film accompanied by live music from real-life music school alumni. AV (Tomorrow Theater, Richmond, $5)
FOOD & DRINK
Like
List
A group of scrappy vegan vendors will sell their wares at this queer POC-organized event. This month’s festivities feature over 30 booths, face painting, antics from Haha the Clown, ink from Liv of Awake N Woke Tattoo, and more. While you’re there, grab a gooey “cinnasnail” from Hail Snail and a crisp beverage from Arbor Beer Lodge. The nonprofit Green Acres Farm Sanctuary will also be present to talk about their work caring for rescued animals. JB
(Arbor Beer Lodge & Brewery, Arbor Lodge, free)
Like
List
Attention Pickles fans! A new beer bat chug record has been set, and just in time for the sixth annual Picklefest Beerfest this weekend. It’s a doubleheader game against the Gresham Greywolves—your ticket gets you in to see both games, but let’s be real, this event is about much more than baseball. Dozens of breweries will be on hand sampling beers, and local bands will provide the soundtrack to what’s forecasted to be a perfect summer day. Walker Stadium also recently started selling THC seltzers, just in case beer isn’t your preferred kind of buzz. SL
(Walker Stadium, Lents, $14-$30)
SHOPPING
Like
List
Discerning literary types, this one’s for you—the Portland Independent Book Fair will return to support resourceful small presses like Microcosm Publishing, University of Hell Press, and Fonograf Editions. You’ll find everything from DIY bike zines to poetry chapbooks at the free event, plus stickers, prints, and ice cream by Brain Freeze Treats. Drop by to support the mighty lineup of zinesters and artists, too. LC
(Honey Latte Cafe, Buckman, free)
Like
List
You might not hit up the market very often (unless you’ve got out-of-towners in tow), but luckily for us, the time-honored weekend institution Portland Saturday Market survived the pandemic. The market continues to create space for dozens of local vendors hawking handmade wares, a robust food court with international fare, and, of course, elephant ears. Consider stopping by for its 50th-anniversary celebration, where you’ll find live music, artist showcases, and fresh falafel. LC
(Portland Saturday Market, Old Town-Chinatown, free)
SPORTS & RECREATION
Like
List
If you dare take a dip in the Willamette, Portland is debuting a brand new swimming hole in time for the hottest days of the year. Make a splash at the opening of the Cathedral Park Dock, where there will be music by Snack and Red Leathers, a free basic swim skills clinic for kids from the Black Swimming Initiative, free kayak rentals from Mosquito Fleet, a performance by Rose City Raindrops synchronized swim team, and a snazzy fire boat water display. JW
(Cathedral Park, St. Johns, free)
FESTIVALS
Remind
Like
List
Hosted by local minor league baseball team the Hillsboro Hops, this all-day festival celebrates the vibrant local Latino community with cultural performances, international cuisine, a colorful art village, and a 200-person futsal tournament. I can’t wait to watch some fancy footwork and hear a chorus of people shouting “GOOOOOAAAAAL.” Be sure to get there early, the kick-off parade features elementary students, dancers, and musicians—it’s a can’t-miss. SL
(Ron Tonkin Field, Hillsboro, free)
FILM
Remind
Like
List
If you aren’t riveted by the prospect of this film, well, we’re two very different people. David and Nathan Zellner’s Sasquatch Sunset follows a family of Bigfoots (Bigfeet?) over the course of one year, as they wander, grunt, and munch mushrooms in North America’s foggy forests. Riley Keough and Jesse Eisenberg star, and they look like this. We owe it to them to go see this film as payment for the zillion hours they spent having prosthetics applied. LC
(Tomorrow Theater, Richmond, $15)
FOOD & DRINK
Remind
Like
List
The açaí cafe Carioca Bowls, which Portland Mercury arts and culture editor Suzette Smith has praised in the past, is celebrating its ninth birthday with an all-out extravaganza that features free yoga, music from Life After Jeff and Johnny Franco & Friends, and tons of specials and freebies, including $8 açai bowls, two house-made Brazilian cheese breads for $3, and complimentary Happy Mountain Kombucha with the first 300 bowl purchases. Plus, there’ll be raffles and giveaways for gift cards, bomba bowls, merch, açai seed jewelry, cookies, and the grand prize—a year’s worth of free Carioca Bowls. JB
(Carioca Bowls, King, free)
LIVE MUSIC
Remind
Like
List
Describing their sound as “[gliding] through genres like a canoe on a quiet lake,” local duo Laska turns their lived experiences into tranquil indie rock that’s heightened with pitch-perfect harmonies and folk flourishes. Expect to hear songs from their 2022 album, Endless Patcher, alongside indie folk artist Townsend’s Solitaire and experimental folk project Red Meadow. AV
(Lollipop Shoppe, Buckman, $10-$12)
PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE
Remind
Like
List
In celebration of Pride Month, the vibey, neon-illuminated bar Pink Rabbit will cater to “queer girls and theys” each Sunday in June. Enjoy drink specials, all-day happy hour, crafts, music, and gay movies. Personally, I hope that But I’m a Cheerleader, Chappell Roan, and lots of bedazzling are all part of the (queer) agenda. JB
(Pink Rabbit, Pearl District)
PRIDE
Remind
Like
List
The seventh annual edition of Pride Beaverton is channeling cosmic energy with the theme “We are all made of stars.” The festivities kick off at 11 am with a parade through downtown Beaverton, but the fun will continue all day. Sir Cupcake’s Queer Circus, drag musician Saint Syndrome, and ’80s girl wave tribute band Blonde Neon are slated to bring their superstar energy to the stage. Plus, a vendor fair will showcase pride gear and other goods from local artisans. JW
(Beaverton City Park, Beaverton, free)
COMMUNITY
Remind
Like
List
It’s lavender season! Live out your lavender haze fantasy at one of the largest u-pick fields in the state. You can frolic among the fragrant plants, pick some flowers to take home, and shop for kitchen products, essential oils, and tasty refreshments at their vintage-core farm store. They’ve even created a lavender-a-maze, which is probably the nicest being lost has ever smelled. SL
(Wayward Winds Lavender Farm, Newberg, free, Saturday–Sunday)
EXHIBIT
Remind
Like
List
Expanding upon the print hybrid-literary anthology A Mouth Holds Many Things created by Portland-based literary-social art project De-Canon, this group exhibition centers “visual-textual” works by women and nonbinary BIPOC writers. A Mouth Holds Many Things includes pieces by Samiya Bashir, Carolina Ebeid, Vi Khi Nao, Diana Khoi Nguyen, Paisley Rekdal, Sasha Stiles, Anna Martine Whitehead, and many others. Head to Stelo to fill your artistic cup: You’ll spy interesting hybrid visions in video poems, textile books, and poetry/painting collaborations. LC
(Stelo, Pearl District, free, Friday–Sunday)
FILM
Remind
Like
List
I know what you’re thinking. You just recovered from Poor Things, Yorgos Lanthimos’ dystopian, unorthodox answer to Rochelle, Rochelle. But as I noted while writing about his last film, “Real Lanthimos heads know that he doesn’t direct anything without making audiences ponder why they’re on the planet at all. He is weird, as directors should be, and you’re either in or you’re out.” He’s already back and more bizarre than ever, people! Kinds of Kindness is billed as a “triptych fable,” following three stories of intrigue that suspiciously star the same cast that populated Poor Things (Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe, and Margaret Qualley). Do you think they were just like, “Fuck it, let’s hang out some more?” Because that’s what it seems like, and they’ve brought everyone’s favorites (Jesse Plemons, Hong Chau, and Hunter Schafer) along for the ride. LC
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, $10-$12, Friday–Sunday)
SHOPPING
Remind
Like
List
Last year, Portland Flea doubled the weekend fun, introducing Saturday markets at the Ecotrust building in addition to its Sunday residency at SE Second and Clay. The flea’s 13th season will run on the last weekend of every month through November with 150 vendors offering vintage clothing, unique creations, and more. The season’s theme is “The Celebration of Self Expression,” which focuses on individuality and fashion—June will bring “Picnic Perfect” offerings, and September calls for “Back-To-School Chic.” You can expect a rotating cast of food and drink vendors, but Freeland Spirits, Yoonique Tea, Nossa Familia Coffee, and Hot Lips Pizza will be there every weekend. SL
(Various locations, free, Saturday–Sunday)
SPORTS & RECREATION
Remind
Like
List
This summer-long festival of bikey fun is an annual highlight for pedal-powered Portlanders. From June through August, riders of all ages are invited to join hundreds of events independently organized by community members like you. Although the famous World Naked Bike Ride is on hiatus this year, there are still plenty of opportunities to connect with like-minded bikers at events like a climate adaptation ride, an e-bike pride ride, and a Lord of the Rings ride. JW
(Various locations, free, Friday–Sunday)
VISUAL ART
Remind
Like
List
Prolific letterpress artist Alyson Provax is always up to something artistic, so her latest solo exhibition comes as no surprise. To know what we say we know presents new letterpress works by Provax, referencing spoken language and diaries to reflect on “the limitations of language to express our individual perceptions and the way that this affects connection between us.” Provax adopts a repetitive “drawing” style to help the viewer notice their own experience of reading, but don’t expect a novel: Her work more closely resembles concrete poetry. LC
(Well Well, Kenton, free, Saturday–Sunday; closing)
Like
List
When photographer Ivan McClellan attended the country’s longest-running Black rodeo back in 2015, he described it as “like going to Oz — there was all this color and energy.” The experience led McClellan on a trek across the US to discover all things Black rodeo culture, from Texan stables to LA ranches. In his Eight Seconds long-form photography project, McClellan documents “the lives of Black men and women who live a Western lifestyle across the United States.” LC
(Blue Sky Gallery, Pearl District, free, Friday–Saturday; closing)
Remind
Like
List
In Jessie Weitzel Le Grand’s last solo exhibition at Chefas Projects, the sculptor’s quirky creations imagined an alternate dimension or afterlife called Ny By. Le Grand is nothing if not imaginative, and Two Suns Over the Neon Reef proves it: Another selection of “peculiar creations by the citizens of Ny By” conjures artifacts from the strange realm where geodes, blossoms, and sandwiches reign supreme. No language, no laws, and no existential crises emerge in Ny By. (BRB, applying for citizenship now.) LC
(Chefas Projects, Central Eastside, free, Friday–Saturday)
Like
List
I’ll be honest: At first, I wasn’t certain what Justin L’Amie’s watercolor and gouache compositions had to do with city life. They’re fun to observe, though. Stems of star-shaped flowers squiggle and form faces, while grasshoppers, spiders, and colorful moths land on the paper for a moment of rest. “Living in the city, a churning, hectic place…Pigeons sharing chicken bones. Laughter from the stairwell. Sobbing from under a tarp. The indifference of a machine. Find a support system. Rent raised again,” the show’s promotional materials read. Living in the City seems to nod toward the other-than-human life occupying urban spaces, hinting at the need for moments of respite, sanctuary spaces, and quiet noticing. LC
(PDX CONTEMPORARY ART, Slabtown, free, Friday–Saturday; closing)
Like
List
Mikael Owunna’s debut solo exhibition in the Pacific Northwest explores diasporic African stories from Dogon, Igbo, and African American traditions. Pulled from Owunna’s photo series Infinite Essence, Imagine Fresh Darkness creates cosmic figural imagery by “drawing with light,” aka using custom camera equipment to capture fluorescent painted bodies under UV lights. The results are astral and energetic, working to “poeticize African cosmological narratives” and “reveal the luminous and transcendent potential of the Black body.” LC
(Blue Sky Gallery, Pearl District, free, Friday–Saturday; closing)
Remind
Like
List
Research-driven artist Maria Lux, an associate art professor at Whitman College, creates “installation-based works” that center species loss, conservation, and “the ways animals are used to generate human knowledge and understanding.” Interesting, no? In Noah’s Out-of-Order Ark-ade and Reliquary, Lux constructs an arcade-turned-shrine, where lost and revived animals are revered. It’s sort of a roadside curiosity, and sort of a holy site—expect Catholic visual excess with tinges of the darkly humorous and absurd. LC
(Carnation Contemporary, Kenton, free, Saturday–Sunday; closing)
Like
List
William Matheson may be Portland-based, but his paintings have been shown all over the world, from Mongolia to the Czech Republic. His sixth solo exhibition at Nationale might also be his most metaphysical—the artist thinks carefully about the concept of “the glow,” from its connection to wildfires and ecological peril to something more elusive. Painted on jute, Matheson’s compositions are innately textural, sinewy, and hazy, streaked with summery hues and hints of smoke and fumes. LC
(Nationale, Buckman, free, Friday–Saturday; closing)
EverOut Staff
Source link