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WATCH: Portland Latin American Film Festival
Catch one, some, or all seven feature movies and documentaries from Argentina, Colombia, Cuba, Chile, Mexico, Panama and the U.S. at this year’s Latin American Film Festival. The cinematic journey begins with a screening of Over There/Allá, Cartas al Corazón (Love Is a Destiny), which follows a man as he returns to his remote and nearly empty hometown. Mexican director Montserrat Larqué will attend and participate in a Q&A session following the film. Head over to Jupiter Next Hotel for an after-party and music by DJ Papi Fimbres. Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-493-1128, pdxlaff.org. Various times and days, Sept. 27-Nov. 30. Prices vary.
WATCH: Blues for an Alabama Sky
Journey back to the 1930s when the hope that infused the cultural explosion known as the Harlem Renaissance began to fade as the Great Depression took hold. Playwright Pearl Cleage focused on this particular moment in history in Bules for an Alabama Sky, PassinArt’s 2023-24 season opener. The story centers on a handful of characters all living in the same Harlem neighborhood, including Guy, a costume designer, his friend Angel, a recently fired Cotton Club singer, a jazz-obsessed medical doctor who parties just as hard as he works, and a recent Alabama transplant. All have at least one thing in common: a struggle with the complexities of love, friendship and dying dreams. Brunish Theatre, 4th floor, 1111 SW Broadway, 503-248-4335, portland5.com. 7:30 pm previews Wednesday-Thursday, Sept. 27-28. 7:30 pm Thursday-Saturday, 3 pm Sunday, Sept. 29-Oct. 22. $27-$40.
GO: Dogtoberfest
Does your best friend on four legs care about the centuries-old commemoration of the marriage of the crown prince of Bavaria? Of course not. You probably don’t, either, but that doesn’t stop you from celebrating Oktoberfest. Hopworks Brewery has decided to let dogs in on the fun with the introduction of this event. At Dogtoberfest, there will be things for people to drink (the brand’s classic Oktoberfest beer, Fresh Hop Overland IPA, and radlers) and plenty for doggos to slurp up as well (N/A dog beer). You can also do some good before you get to drinking: Donations of new or gently used pet supplies will be accepted by the Portland Animal Welfare Team, which assists pet owners experiencing houselessnesss or extreme poverty. Hopworks Brewery, 2944 SE Powell Blvd., 503-232-4677, hopworksbeer.com. 4-7 pm Thursday, Sept. 28.
DRINK: Portland Fresh Hops Festival
We’ve reached peak fresh hop season—that special time of year where you get to taste beers made with aromatic green cones that were harvested often just 24 hours before they wound up in your pint glass. This Oregon Brewers Guild event, now in its 19th year, will also double as a platform to release the trade group’s latest beer in its State of Excitement Collaboration Series: Twenty-four member breweries helped make the 2023 edition, which was produced at Von Ebert. Oaks Amusement Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park Way, oregoncraftbeer.org/pdx-fresh-hops-festival. 4-8 pm Friday, noon-8 pm Saturday, Sept. 29-30. $25.
WATCH: Stephen King’s Misery
Experience Theatre Project opens its seventh season with a Stephen King classic that shook the worlds of literature and cinema. The Beaverton company will make this tale of obsession and isolation even more terrifying by immersing audiences in the production. In this version of Misery, you’ll be within the walls of Annie Wilkes’ cabin—your seat just inches from her sledgehammer. Beaverton Masonic Lodge, 4690 SW Watson Ave., 503-568-1765, experiencetheatreproject.org. 7:30 pm Friday, 2 and 7:30 pm Saturday, 2 pm Sunday, Sept. 29-Oct. 28. $45-$175.
DRINK: 19th Annual Widmer Brothers Oktofest
One of Portland’s longest-running Oktoberfests is on the move this year. Widmer Brothers Brewing, which traditionally holds its salute to Bavaria outside its North Russell Street facility, is holding the party at the Rose Quarter, which means there should be even more room for dancing and drinking. That also places the festival right along the MAX line, so you can safely enjoy one or several Widmer Okto beers—the event’s signature beverage. Rose Quarter, 1 N Center Court St., #150, 503-281-3333, widmerbrothers.com/events/oktofest-2023. 11 am-8 pm Saturday, Sept. 30. $26 for a mug and three beer tokens in advance, $30 day of event. $8 for each additional beer token.
LAUGH: All Jane Comedy Festival
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the All Jane Comedy Festival, which will also, unfortunately, be its last. Organizers haven’t said why the event—which was created to address the gender imbalance in the comedy industry—is coming to an end, but they have announced the headliners. Up first, on Sept. 30, is Canadian Comedy Award winner DeAnne Smith, who’s appeared on everything from NBC’s Last Comic Standing to The Late Late Show. Then, on Oct. 6, the hosts of The Bechdel Cast podcast will take the stage, where they will provide a fierce, feminist analysis of the 1989 borderline-stalker rom-com Say Anything. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 503-477-9477, curiouscomedy.org. 7:30 pm Saturday, Sept. 30. $15 livestream, $20 in person. 7 pm Friday, Oct. 6. $15 livestream, $25 in person.
WATCH: PDX Recovery Film Festival
This annual event will showcase nearly a dozen shorts from the U.S. and the U.K. that promote addiction and mental health awareness. The PDX Recovery Film Festival, which launched in 2021 and drew hundreds of attendees both in person and online, supports Bridges to Change, a Portland organization that provides much-needed housing, recovery support, and behavioral health services to those in need. Arrive early (1 pm) for the Oscar-style red carpet kickoff. Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark St., 971-808-5094, bridgestochange.com. 3 pm Sunday, Oct. 1. $15.