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GO: Fall in Love With Flamenco
Spice up this year’s Valentine’s Day with some flamenco passion live at Portland Center Stage. Dancers and musicians from the studio Espacio Flamenco will transport their audience to the heart of Spain with an authentic flamenco show with all the rhythm, emotion and beauty of an art form that’s been captivating people for centuries. Portland Center Stage at The Armory, 128 NW 11th Ave., 503-445-3700, pcs.org. 7:30 pm Wednesday, Feb. 14. $30–$35.
WATCH: Ham-entine’s Day Celebration
For something a little different this Valentine’s week, celebrate Ham-entine’s Day with a screening of the 1992 Spanish-language film Jamón Jamón. This is a pork-themed romance starring a young Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz in her first film role on a wild star-crossed tale filled with silly, sexy and ham-filled moments. Before the film, enjoy the uplifting music of Larry Yes, an artist whose work “focuses on positivity, humor and fostering social bonds through creativity.” Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division St., 503-221-1156, tomorrowtheater.org. 7 pm Thursday, Feb. 15. $15.
DRINK: ilani BrewFest
With Valentine’s Day for actual lovers, Presidents Day proudly boasts itself as the day for beer lovers. This year, the beer lovers will gather at the ilani BrewFest featuring a wide range of local and national makers as well as live cooking demonstrations from a highly touted group of 13 celebrity chefs. Many of the events and brunches are already sold out, but tickets are still available for the Saturday, Feb. 17, grand tasting session at 6 pm. So, in the words of President Franklin Pierce on his way out of office in 1857, “There’s nothing left to do but get drunk.” ilani Casino Resort, 1 Cowlitz Way, Ridgefield, Wash., 877-464-5264, ilaniresort.com/ilani-brewfest.html. Thursday–Sunday, Feb. 15–18. $20-$99.
LAUGH: NW Black Comedy Festival
Celebration and laughter go hand in hand, so why not celebrate Black History Month that way? Well, get ready, because more than sixty Black comics are coming to town from all over the world to do just that. The eighth annual festival is “bigger, Blacker and funnier,” organizers say, with 10 showcases and two live podcasts filling the four days with more laughs than a…we’ll just leave the jokes to them. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., 503-477-9477, nwblackcomedyfest.com. Thursday–Sunday, Feb. 15–18. $15–$45.
GO: Pacific Northwest Sportsmen’s Show
The biggest event of its kind in the West is your chance to explore more than 700 exhibits featuring the latest in fishing, hunting and outdoor recreation. Join special guests Randy Newberg and Fred Eichler for Leupold Movie Night, an epic evening of hunting films and more than $50,000 in raffle prizes. Kids 12 and younger can fish for free in a set-up pond, taking home up to two trout apiece. This year’s show includes its first-ever women’s event on Friday, offering special speakers and goody bags. Portland Expo Center, 2060 N Marine Drive, 503-736-5200, thesportshows.com. 11 am–8 pm Wednesday–Friday, 10 am–8 pm Saturday, 10 am–6 pm Sunday, Feb. 14–18. $10–$32. Kids are free.
GO: Ho’ike
A night of fun and culture awaits at the 16th annual Ho’ike show, where attendees can take in the beauty and diversity of Polynesian dances (featuring the Hawaiian islands and Tahiti) accompanied by live music by a halau band. Partygoers can also taste the flavors of lu’au, served in a family-friendly setting, and participate in a silent auction that supports the community. Ten bucks buys a raffle ticket to win a grand prize of tickets to Disneyland. Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 SW Capitol Highway, 503-823-2787, kiako.org. 1 and 5 pm. Saturday, Feb. 17. $30–$40.
GO: Lunar New Year Dragon Dance Parade and Celebration
Join the Portland Chinatown Museum in celebrating its eighth annual Lunar New Year Dragon Dance Parade and Celebration. This event is organized in collaboration with the Oregon Historical Society and a slate of other community partners. Lion dancers, drummers, and a 150-foot dragon lead the parade from the Portland Chinatown Museum, through the China Gate and downtown Portland on Southwest 3rd Avenue, and up to the Oregon Historical Society for a festive finale. Portland Chinatown Museum, 127 NW 3rd Ave., 503-224-0008, portlandchinatownmuseum.org. 10 am–1 pm Saturday, Feb. 17. Free.
DRINK: Oregon Craft Spirit Festival
Oregonians love their spirits and celebrating the distillery industry that creates them. This event showcases the best of Oregon’s whiskey, gin, vodka, rum, aquavit and more, with over 30 distillers and 120 different spirits to sample. Attendees can also enjoy food by six chefs, learn how to make cocktails like a pro, and discover the best mixers. The festival, called “Oregon Distilled,” takes place on Portland’s Distillery Row and includes a take-home commemorative glass. Plan to take a Lyft home or line up a kind designated driver beforehand. The Redd, 831 SE Salmon St., 503-843-7333, oregondistilled.com. 5–9 pm, Saturday, Feb. 17. $50-$80.