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GO: Portland Winter Light Festival
Last year, this annual event was literally a beacon of hope during a very dark time. We were still slogging through a COVID winter, when vaccines were still largely unavailable, and it had been a long time since we’d seen any large-scale celebrations go forward. The Portland Winter Light Festival will repeat the successful model of 2021, which saw a pivot toward touch-free illuminated installations, and attendees should adhere to pandemic safety guidelines. If you want to add a little more brilliance to the event, you can decorate your bike and join organizers for an easy 5-mile ride through the central city this Friday. Portland Winter Light Festival, pdxwlf.com. Friday-Saturday, Feb. 4-12. Free.
GO: Vulgaris
The Latin word for “common” is the title of this first-ever art exhibition at the Queen’s Head, but the pieces are anything but that. Asa Metrik’s 40 compositions explore the sexuality and divinity of the self, and are made from portraits submitted by a nonbinary model. There will be an artist talk, introduction of the Center—a queer charity benefiting from the sales of certain pieces—a Q&A and discounted cocktails during happy hour. The Queen’s Head, 19 SW 2nd Ave., 503-206-6293, linktr.ee/AsaMetrikArt. 5-7 pm Thursday, Feb. 3. Free.
SEE: Clinton Street Theater Groundhog Day Community Event
In the midst of the pandemic, Groundhog Day has taken on new meaning. The classic ‘90s comedy starring Bill Murray as a misanthropic weatherman trapped in his own personal time warp is no longer just a film—it’s an unintended metaphor for the claustrophobia and monotony of quarantine with a gloriously happy ending. That’s why now is the perfect time to appreciate the genius of Murray and director Harold Ramis—and to see the film for free. Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton St., 503-897-0744, cstpdx.com. 7 pm Wednesday, Feb. 2. Free.
SEE: The Town of Many Names
Whether Hand2Mouth is chronicling the transcendence and the trauma of life in an Oregon commune or taking audiences on a quirky scavenger hunt, the company’s bold, experimental plays always invigorate and challenge Portland’s theater community. The company’s tradition of invention continues with The Town of Many Names, a livestreaming Western created by six students of the Hand2Mouth Youth Devising Residency last summer. Purchase streaming access at hand2mouththeatre.org/the-town-of-many-names. 7:30 pm Friday, Feb. 4. $5-$15, sliding scale.
GO: Soul and Funk Vinyl Party
What do T.I., 50 Cent and Public Enemy have in common? They have all collaborated with drummer Madame Golong. This week, she and Thunder Snatch will be at Cruzroom’s First Sunday Soul event, which requests that attendees don dancing shoes and “groovy” attire. Cruzroom, 2314 NE Alberta St., 503-724-1581, cruzroom.com. 5-10 pm Sunday, Feb. 6. $5 online, $7 at the door. 21+ after 7 pm.