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Wednesday, May 30
Throw an ax at your favorite comic.
Oregonians like to combine beer with everything, but axes are the newest obsession this summer. Come see how axes collide with comedy in Oregon City. Feckin Irish Brewing Co., 415 S McLoughlin Blvd., oregoncraftbeer.org. 6 pm. Free.
Thursday, May 31
See the future of PDX pop, now.
Portland pop singer Frankie Simone celebrates the release of her debut EP, Love//Warrior, a set of club bangers full of LGBTQ pride. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., holocene.org. 9 pm. $12. 21+.
Friday, June 1
Let a dart throw in January determine what you'll drink in June.
Cheers to Belgian Beers is a throwdown in which more than 50 Oregon brewers try their hand at brewing a Belgian with a single strain of yeast and a goal for color and IBUs that was determined with a dart throw back in January. North Warehouse, 723 N Tillamook St., newschoolbeer.com. 1-9 pm. Through June 2. $20-$28. 21+.
Saturday, June 2
Get lit downtown.
Check out floodlit floats, glow-in-the-dark umbrellas, and unique hand-built rides as Portland celebrates a centurylong tradition of putting lights on things and going for a march at the annual Starlight Parade. Downtown Portland, rosefestival.org. 8:30 pm. Free. All ages.
Sunday, June 3
Prepare to be floraled.
Every year, Portland's living room is transformed from a pile of bricks into a floral masterpiece designed by landscape pro Walker Macy that can damn near be seen from outer space. Pioneer Courthouse Square, 701 SW 6th Ave.,
thesquarepdx.org. June 1-12.
Monday, June 4
See who's keeping Seattle weird.
Seattle's Collide-O-Scope is a biweekly curation of wacky videos drawn from educational films, found footage and obscure B-movies. The group is coming to Portland for its Pride Edition. Expect a night of oddball entertainment that will make you say, "WTF, Seattle?" Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd. hollywoodtheatre.org. 7:30 pm. $9.
Tuesday, June 5
People-watch at the Hawthorne Farmers Market.
Each farmers market has a unique neighborhood touch, and thanks to the locals, the one in Hawthorne is undeniably weird. 1844 SE César E. Chávez Blvd., sunnysidefarmersmarkets.com. 4-7:30 pm Tuesdays, through Sept. 11.
Wednesday, June 6
Swipe right on sailors.
Because what happens during Fleet Week stays in Fleet Week. Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 98 SW Naito Parkway, rosefestival.org. June 6-10. Free.
Thursday, June 7
Attend a wedding so fake you'll think you're in LA.
If you're about to get married, you probably don't have time to attend someone else's wedding, but you should RSVP to the Big Fake Wedding if you want to survey the best vendors in action as they put on a faux-wedding to showcase what they have to offer the nearly betrothed. Union/Pine, 525 SE Pine St.,
thebigfakewedding.com. 7 pm. $25.
Friday, June 8
Substitute your juice cleanse with fruit beer.
Caribbean Vacation from Breakside Brewery and Sunshine Slammer from Allegory Brewery are just a couple of the summery fruit beers you can expect at the Fruit Beer Festival. Burnside Brewing Co., 701 E Burnside St., fruitbeerfest.com. 4-9 pm. Continues 11 am-9 pm Saturday and 11 am–6 pm Sunday, June-9-10. $20-$25. 21+.
Saturday, June 9
Stop and smell the roses.
Every year for centuries, it seems, we've filled the streets of Portland for the Grand Floral Parade, where marching bands and horses lead floral-laced floats 4 miles across the river and make the whole city smell like a Lush Bath Bomb for a day. Starts at Veterans Memorial Coliseum, 300 N Winning Way, rosefestival.org. 10 am-2 pm. $15-$30. All ages.
Sunday, June 10
Call someone a peasant.
If you've always wondered what it was like to live in the Middle Ages, then the Renaissance Faire is your opportunity to see if you'd be a part of the royal court or a mere plebe. Clackamas County Fairgrounds, 694 NE 4th Ave., Canby, oregonfaire.com. 10 am Saturdays and Sundays June 9-17. $10-$68.
Monday, June 11
Start drinking for 10 days straight.
As if there weren't enough opportunities to celebrate our excess of craft breweries, PDX Beer Week has combined a number of beer-related events into 10 days. We highly recommend the Haunted Pub Tour—because we've already made plans for the rest of your week. Kells Irish Restaurant and Pub, 112 SW 2nd Ave., pdxbeerweek.com. 7 pm.
Tuesday, June 12
Jet! Boats!
Jetboooooats! Willamette Jetboat Excursions, 1945 SE Water Ave., willamettejet.com. 11:25 am and 4:15 pm daily. $41 adults, $27 children.
Wednesday, June 13
Get down with music's funkiest pansexual cyborg.
Janelle Monae has always presented herself as an R&B android, but her new album, Dirty Computer, is a fleshier affair, in terms of both the more personal subject matter and, well, did you see the video with the vagina pants? McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey St., Troutdale, mcmenamins.com/edgefield.
Thursday, June 14
Buy your summer lover some flowers.
If you can't bear to part with Walker Macy's floral masterpiece at Pioneer Courthouse Square, head over to the Festival of Flowers Sale to grab a memento for yourself or someone else. Pioneer Courthouse Square, 751 SW 6th Ave., thesquarepdx.org. June 13-15.
Friday, June 15
Get some new camp stories.
After a weekend of camping, listening to live music, and drinking beer from Oregon's top breweries in an 80-acre botanical garden, you'll probably leave with more than a few stories that start with "One time, at Brew Camp…" The Oregon Garden, 879 W Main St., Silverton, brewcampfest.com. $125-$300. All ages.
Saturday, June 16
See sounds.
The inaugural Northwest Deaf Arts Festival pairs deaf artists from across the country, including rapper Sean Forbes, with state-of-the-art sound visualization and open captioning technologies. Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi Ave., mississippistudios.com. 1:30 pm. $80 advance, $100 day of show. 21+.
Sunday, June 17
Taste the rainbow.
Come dressed in glitter and rainbows, or come barely dressed at all, for this year's Pride Parade. Stand on the sidelines and wait to be one of the lucky ones to get candy thrown in your face—and if you do, we ask that you please share. Tom McCall Waterfront Park, Southwest Pine Street and Naito Parkway, pridenw.org, 11:30 am-6 pm. $7. All ages.
Monday, June 18
Buy local.
If you're not eating, wearing and decorating with Portland-produced goods, then what are you doing? Check out Portland Farmers Market and see how recycled chopsticks can replace your outsourced fruit bowl. Pioneer Courthouse Square, 751 SW 6th Ave., portlandfarmersmarket.org. 10 am Mondays through Aug. 27.
Tuesday, June 19
Stop dreaming of MLB and appreciate the baseball team we do have.
The Portland Pickles are the closest thing we have to a major league team, and probably will have for a while. But the games are cheap, fun and all-American as hell. Walker Stadium, Southeast 92nd Avenue and Holgate Boulevard, portlandpicklesbaseball.com. 7:05 pm. $7-$13.
Wednesday, June 20
Burn "last year you" in effigy.
A Mobile Metaphoric Effigy Eradication Ride is what happens when you combine Pedalpalooza with the summer solstice in Portland. Peninsula Park Rose Garden, North Albina Avenue and Ainsworth Street, shift2bikes.org. 7 pm. Free.
Thursday, June 21
Channel the energies of fire, water and ancestral spirit.
If playing pagan bingo and evoking a goddess named Brigid sound fun to you, then you should probably head to SunFest for the summer solstice. Ffynnon, 56965 Pebble Creek Road, Vernonia, owow.org. Through June 24. $5-$100.
Friday, June 22
Add some culture to your day drinking.
Screw getting on a plane to try beers from all over the world when you can go to the Pearl District for an exotic beer drinking experience. Portland International Beerfest includes enough internationals beers and ciders worth multiple Instagram posts, and we won't tell if you adjust the location settings to their homelands. North Park Blocks, Park Avenue between Southwest Pine and Northwest Glisan streets, portland-beerfest.com, 4-10 pm. Continues noon-10 pm Saturday and noon-7 pm Sunday, June 23-24. $25-$40. 21+.
Saturday, June 23
Show off what your mama gave ya.
What better way to gain awareness of the vulnerabilities bikers face on motor vehicle-dominated streets and condemn society's dependence on fossil fuels than to get naked and ride? OK, maybe someone has come up with better ways, but this is certainly the most fun. Location TBA, pdxwnbr.org, 8 pm. Free. All ages.
Sunday, June 24
Reduce, recycle, reuse milk cartons.
The tradition of the Milk Carton Boat Race, which can be traced back to 1973, encourages residents to reuse their milk cartons creatively in a family-friendly event. Homemade watercraft will compete in nine categories for milk-guzzling glory. Westmoreland Park Casting Pond, Southeast McLoughlin and Bybee boulevards, rosefestival.org, 11 am. Free. All ages.
Monday, June 25
Laugh for a good cause.
The revolution will be…funny? Local standup comic Andie Main seems to think so. She's using her comedic powers to raise money for progressive causes at each of her monthly Revolution Comedy shows. Curious Comedy Theater, 5225 NE Martin Luther King Blvd., andiemaincomedy.com. $5. All ages.
Tuesday, June 26
See a movie with a buddy and pay for only one of you.
The cheap tickets, primo beer selection and Flying Pie pizza already make Montavilla's Academy Theater one of the best places in town to catch a second-run flick, and it gets even better on Tuesdays when admission is 2 for 1. Academy Theater, 7818 SE Stark St., academytheaterpdx.com. All ages.
Wednesday, June 27
Smash buttons till your fingers go numb.
For just $5, you can unlock free play on all the video games and pinball tables at Ground Kontrol, and finally make it into the hall of fame on Star Wars Battle Pod. Ground Kontrol, 115 NW 5th Ave., groundkontrol.com. 5 pm-2 am. $5. 21+.
Thursday, June 28
Feel like you're in Sex and the City.
Nothing screams Carrie Bradshaw like drinking cosmopolitans in a rooftop bar with a view of the city in the summer, and few such bars are better than Revolution Hall's roof deck. Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark St., revolutionhall.com.
Friday, June 29
Drink your apple a day.
Gather with other cider-minded individuals at Cider Week's largest event and taste more than 150 ciders brewed locally and around the world while you compare notes—of pear, apple, and berry at the Cider Summit. Fields Neighborhood Park, 1099 NW Overton St., cidersummitnw.com. 3-8 pm. Also noon-5 pm Saturday, June 30. $25-$40. 21+.
Saturday, June 30
Skip Walt Disney World.
The World Beat Festival celebrates its 21st year by creating a mini Epcot village in Salem with music, dance, food and traditions from more than 70 nations and cultures. Riverfront Park, 200 Water St. NE, Salem, salemmulticultural.org. Through July 1. $5.
Sunday, July 1
Take a risk, be rewarded.
Every year, Risk/Reward Festival premieres weird and wild performance art, but its 11th year promises a particularly good time. This year will include voguing, an interactive performance and sound installation. Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison St., risk-reward.org. 5 pm. Also 7:30 pm Friday and Saturday, June 29-30. Pay what you will, $20 suggested.
Monday, July 2
Play drunk bingo.
Host Brian Perez's dryly witty asides are the highlight of Mississippi Pizza's weekly Bourbon and Bingo Night. The prizes are mostly novelty junk, but as a wise man once said, it's not whether you win or lose, but how drunk you get. Mississippi Pizza, 3552 N Mississippi Ave., mississippipizza.com. 8 pm. Free.
Tuesday, July 3
Be a real American for once in your life.
What better way to celebrate the day before the fourth of July than watch cowboys wrangle horses at the St. Paul Rodeo? St. Paul Rodeo Arena, 20025 4th St. NE., St. Paul, Ore., stpaulrodeo.com. Through July 7. $20.
Wednesday, July 4
Watch fireworks at Oaks Park.
Independence Day means setting off firecrackers in America, but as we've learned from recent events, best leave it to the professionals. Plus, there's a brand-new roller coaster to ride! Oaks Amusement Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park Way, oakspark.com. Gates open at 10 am. $4-$6.
Thursday, July 5
Catch the blues.
Attention, all sad girls and boys—the Waterfront Blues Festival offers more than just four stages of blues, soul, funk, and rhythm & blues music to sob at. There's also food, vendors and riverboat cruises, too! George Thorogood, Beth Hart and the Mavericks headline. Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 98 SW Naito Parkway, waterfrontbluesfest.com. July 4-7. $15-$1,250. All ages.
Friday, July 6
Put a bead on it.
Glass, lampwork, wood, seed, pearl, crystal, gemstone, gold and silver, antique, one of a kind—who knew there were so many beads? Catch em' all at the Bead Fair! Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., gemfaire.com. Through July 8. $7.
Saturday, July 7
"Explore the past that never was—invent the future yet to be."
That's the Steampunk Extravaganza's motto anyway. To find out what that looks like, you'll have to attend. University Place Hotel, 310 SW Lincoln St., pdxgearcon.com. Through July 8. $35. 14+.
Sunday, July 8
Laugh with men named Martin.
What do Steve Martin and Martin Short have in common besides their first names? Well, they're probably the last two comedians your parents can name. McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 Halsey St., Troutdale, edgefieldconcerts.com. $89. All ages.
Monday, July 9
Play that funky music.
Shake off your prolonged winter funk with some actual funk courtesy of local groovers Farnell Newton and the Othership Connection. Sellwood Riverfront Park, Southeast Spokane Street and Oaks Parkway, portlandoregon.gov. 6:30 pm. Free. All ages.
Tuesday, July 10
Get started on your summer reading list.
Some of the most prominent contemporary writers of fiction, nonfiction and poetry will read selections from their work during the Tin House Summer Readings. Think of it as your audible app come to life. Reed College. 3203 SE Woodstock Blvd., tinhouse.com. July 8-14. Free.
Wednesday, July 11
Get wet.
Take a Wednesday off to enjoy yourself in Sellwood's Outdoor Pool, which is surrounded by buildings that make it look like a village from a German fairytale. Oh, and it's free to swim on Wednesdays! 7951 SE 7th St., portlandoregon.gov/parks/61026. Open swim 1-3 pm, 7:30-8:50 pm.
Thursday, July 12
Satisfy your appetite for deception.
Strange as it seems, hundreds of people camp out in Canby every year to watch 20-plus tribute bands live out their rock-star fantasies at Harefest. It's crazy, but…also kind of awesome? Pat's Acres Racing Complex, 6255 S Arndt Road NE, Canby, harefest.com. Through July 14. $60-$175. All ages.
Friday, July 13
Party like it's 1969.
Escape the hustle and bustle of city life and see what the hippies have been up to since the Rajneeshees left the state at the Oregon Country Fair, our yearly celebration of all things crunchy. Oregon Country Fair. 24207 OR-126, Veneta, Ore., oregoncountryfair.org. Through July 15. $25+. All ages.
Saturday, July 14
Test the waters of the Willamette.
If you've always wondered whether the river is safe for swimming, then the Big Float is your chance to put that question to rest. Grab something that inflates and get ready to float with more than 3,000 other curious people. Tom McCall Bowl, Waterfront Park, Southwest Columbia Street and Naito Parkway, thebigfloat.com. $5. All ages.
Sunday, July 15
Head off to the races.
The Rose Cup is returning for its 38th year of showing off fancy cars that, like, drive fast or something. Portland International Raceway, 1940 N Victory Blvd., rosecup.com. $10+. All ages.
Monday, July 16
Visit the Portland area's budget Disneyland.
You really should go to Enchanted Forest at least once. Built almost entirely by its founder, landscape artist Roger Tofte, back in the '70s, it's got a log-flume ride, a haunted house and a storybook village featuring some of the most unintentionally horrifying set pieces you'll ever come across. Fun for the whole family! Enchanted Forest, 8462 Enchanted Way, enchantedforest.com. Open 10 am-5 pm. $11.50 children and seniors, $12.95 adults.
Tuesday, July 17
Party with the alt-weekly you love to hate.
To celebrate our annual Best of Portland issue, Willamette Week throws a block party outside our office, with tons of local food vendors, drinks and other festivities. Don't say we never did anything for you. Willamette Week, 2220 NW Quimby St., wweek.com. 5 pm. Free with RSVP.
Wednesday, July 18
Eat ice cream at the opera.
Whether you're in it for the opera or the ice cream, both are good excuses to hang out at a party thrown by Umpqua Bank. Director Park, 815 SW Park Ave., portlandopera.org. Free.
Thursday, July 19
LOL with LGBTQ comics.
For the second year in a row, Portland Queer Comedy Festival has put together a lineup of the funniest national and local queer and allied comedians. There will be live podcast tapings, improv and tons of standup showcases. Crush Bar, 1400 SE Morrison St., portlandqueercomedyfestival.com. Through July 22.
Friday, July 20
Find out what all that local jazz is about.
At the base of the St. Johns Bridge lies Cathedral Park, where one weekend out of the summer it's transformed into a jazz festival comparable to a night out on Bourbon Street. Cathedral Park, jazzoregon.com. Through July 22. Free.
Saturday, July 21
Dance to music made by your neighbors.
Every year, PDX Pop Now books a wonderfully weird mix of some of the city's most interesting bands in almost every genre. Since there's no MusicfestNW or Project Pabst this year, expect the energy level to be even higher energy than usual. AudioCinema, 226 SE Madison St., pdxpopnow.com. Through July 22. Free. All ages.
Sunday, July 22
Listen to an ungodly amount of string music.
If 80 hours of string music in the woods—courtesy of Yonder Mountain String Band, Leftover Salmon and Portland's own Fruition—sounds enjoyable to you, bring a tent along to the four-day Northwest String Summit. Horning's Hideout, 21277 NW Brunswick Canyon Road, North Plains, stringsummit.com. July 19-22. $79.99+. All ages.
Monday, July 23
Meet the robot that will eventually replace you.
Just because it's summer doesn't mean you can be lazy, not when there are robots ready to take over the planet—and your job. OMSI has gathered the most frightening robots on the market for you to meet. Try not to look intimidated—they can smell your fear. OMSI, 1945 SE Water Ave., omsi.edu. 9:30 am. Through Sept 3. $13.50-$19.75.
Tuesday, July 24
Sing, if it makes you happy.
Sheryl Crow is coming to Oregon to sing all your karaoke favorites live. You can still sing along, though—ain't no one gonna judge. McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey St., edgefieldconcerts.com. $110. All ages.
Wednesday, July 25
See the opera version of Cinderella.
Portland Opera will stage Rossini's sublime La Cenerentola, which has just as much sparkly fairy tale magic as the Disney version and a little more comedy. Newmark Theatre, 1111 SW Broadway, portlandopera.org. 7:30 pm. July 13-28. Tickets start at $35.
Thursday, July 26
Make the pilgrimage to Beervana.
Summer is for beer drinkers in Portland, but with all the beer festivals happening around town you don't want to miss the biggest and oldest, particularly since the Oregon Brewers Festival is the one that supports your local independent craft brewers. After all, they are the best. Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 300 SW Naito Parkway, oregonbrewfest.com. Noon-9 pm. Through July 29. Admission is free, souvenir mug $7, tasting tokens $1 each. 21+.
Friday, July 27
Vibe out to a reggae festival next to a volcano.
The names Hempress Sativa to Paapa Wastik might not ring a bell. All you need to know is they are among the best names in roots reggae, and they are coming, along with tons of others from all over the world, to play the Northwest World Reggae Festival near Mount Hood. Pfau Pfamily Pfarma, 58000 E Marmot Road, Sandy, Ore., nwwrf.com. Through July 29. $30-$140.
Saturday, July 28
See if life is better with a tail.
In a town filled with weirdos, there are plenty of people willing to dress up like Ariel at the annual Mermaid Parade & Party. Japanese American Historical Plaza, NW Naito Parkway & NW Couch St., portlandiamermaidparade.com. 12pm. Free. All ages.
Sunday, July 29
Support independent publishing.
Find out how a group of artists all into the same thing find their independence at this year' Portland Zine Symposium, where the theme is "autonomy." Wattles Boys and Girls Club, 9330 SE Harold St., portlandzinesymposium.org. 11 am-6 pm. July 28-29. Free.
Monday, July 30
See Gus Van Sant's latest ode to Old Portland.
After months of reading glowing reviews from its limited release and festival screenings, you can finally see Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot, Gus Van Sant's biopic about irreverent Portland cartoonist John Callahan, for yourself. Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st Ave., cinema21.com. Opens July 20. Showtimes vary. $8-$10.
Tuesday, July 31
Take a selfie with a sloth.
Or paint with macaws, or feed a baby goat named after Ruth Bader Ginsburg on one of the Oregon Zoo's new behind-the-scenes tours. Oregon Zoo, 4001 Southwest Canyon Road., oregonzoo.org. 9:30 am-6 pm. Prices vary.
Wednesday, Aug. 1
Take your Tinder date to a movie in the park.
Hidden Figures may not be the most romantic movie, but your date will be impressed by your big heart if you start crying during the screening. Woodlawn Park, Northeast 11th Avenue and Oneonta Street, portlandoregon.gov. Movie starts at dusk. Free.
Thursday, Aug. 2
Dance like no one in the galaxy is watching.
Every dance ever is said to be featured at the Galaxy Dance Festival, but feel free to create a new one after you've had a few drinks. Director Park, 815 SW Park Ave., polarisdance.org. Through Aug. 4.
Friday, Aug. 3
Celebrate two decades of Pickathon.
Portland's biggest little music festival turns 20. Broken Social Scene and the Blind Boys of Alabama headline, with a truckload of folkies, rappers and indie-rockers filling out the typically stellar undercard. Pendarvis Farm, 16581 SE Hagen Road, Happy Valley, pickathon.com. Through Aug. 5. Prices vary.
Saturday, Aug. 4
Drop it like it's hot…sauce.
If the weather in August doesn't get hot enough for you, enter the inferno at the PDX Hot Sauce Expo, where you can set your taste buds on fire with the most extreme eating challenges around. OMSI bridge lot, 1945 SE Water Ave., omsi.edu. $7-$60.
Sunday, Aug. 5
Break a leg.
Every year, Proscenium Live Festival of New Work premieres a handful of new plays over the course of a weekend. The plays are usually written by accomplished playwrights and performed by some of the city's best actors, which makes it all the more remarkable that all the shows are free. Artists Repertory Theatre, 1515 SW Morrison St., portlandshakes.org. Aug 3-5. Free.
Monday, Aug. 6
Take to the streets.
As a part of Oregon Walkways, the historic Lents neighborhood is opening its streets to the people for the Lents Founders Fair. So leave your car at home, or in some other neighborhood. Rogue Ales & Spirits, 928 SE 9th Ave., oregonwalks.org. 11 am. Free. All ages.
Tuesday, Aug. 7
Take your lunch break at a concert.
Pioneer Courthouse Square will be hosting concerts on Tuesday afternoons in July and August featuring performances by regional and local artists such as Redwood Son. Pioneer Courthouse Square. 751 SW 6th Ave., thesquarepdx.org. Noon-1 pm. Free.
Wednesday, Aug. 8
Play trivia in a bike shop that doubles as a bar.
It seems everyone is doing trivia nowadays, but only at Shanrock's weekly Triviology can you test your pop-culture knowledge and have a flight of beer positioned on a skateboard deck. Velo Cult Bike Shop, 1969 NE 42nd Ave., shanrockstrivia.com. 8 pm. Free.
Thursday, Aug. 9
Watch Godzilla on a rooftop.
As part of its annual rooftop summer screenings, NW Film Center will show the classic black-and-white creature feature—because the only thing more exciting than watching a giant lizard monster destroy tall buildings is getting to watch it from the top of one. Portland State University's Parking Structure 2, 1724 SW Broadway, nwfilm.org. 7 pm. $10 advance, $12 at the door.
Friday, Aug. 10
Witness the return of a Gangster Star.
Shabazz Palaces' glittery, sci-fi themed Quazarz: Born on a Gangster Star was one of the most luxurious and far-out rap albums released last year. Plus, they're from Seattle, so this almost counts as a hometown show. Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., dougfirlounge.com. 8 pm. $20. 21+.
Saturday, Aug. 11
See how Alberta throws a party.
The Alberta Street Fair is as eclectic as the neighborhood. Expect entertainment, music, vendors, food and drinks. Northeast Alberta Street between 10th and 30th Avenues, albertamainst.org. 11 am. $2 suggested donation.
Sunday, Aug. 12
Stuff your face with free samosas.
In an effort to enhance Indian cultural awareness and to celebrate India's independence day, India Festival wants you to enjoy food, music and entertainment from its culture for free. Pioneer Courthouse Square, 751 SW 6th Ave., icaportland.org. 11 am. Free.
Monday, Aug. 13
Jai ho!
Bollywood is the new Hollywood, so you better learn how to dance the Bhangra. DJ Prashant will teach you how. Vitalidad Movement Arts Center, 116 SE Yamhill St., vmacpdx.com. 6:30 pm. $10.
Tuesday, Aug. 14
Flip out.
Did you know Portland has more pinball machines than any city in the country? Flip City does, and takes advantage by hosting double-elimination tournaments every Tuesday in different locations. See flip.city for weekly locations. 7 pm. 21+.
Wednesday, Aug. 15
Get free.
After 10 years of releasing inventive, warbly folk, New York's Amen Dunes released his breakthrough album earlier this year. Even if it's a little delayed, the hype is justified—Freedom is full of understated ballads that pack an emotional gut punch. Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside St., dougfirlounge.com. 9 pm. $15. 21+.
Thursday, Aug. 16
Discover the kind of music the rest of Oregon listens to.
Get out of Portland and experience some culture shock at Oregon's premier country music summit, the Bi-Mart Willamette Country Music Festival in Brownsville. Headliners range from Eric Church (who's actually damn good) to, uh, Kid Rock. 36866 Highway 228, Brownsville, Ore., willamettecountrymusicfestival.com. Through Aug. 19. $100. All ages.
Friday, Aug. 17
Attend a redneck barbecue.
The annual Banks Bar-B-Que and Truck & Tractor Pull is exactly as it sounds—a redneck summer extravaganza! Banks Sunset Park, 12765 NW Main St., Banks, Ore., bankssunsetpark.com. Through Aug. 19. $10.
Saturday, Aug. 18
Watch Mount Tabor spew up soap boxers.
Beer, sweat and creations of death and destruction rolling down a volcano—need we say more? Witness these shenanigans at the annual Adult Soap Box Derby. Mount Tabor Park, Southeast 60th Avenue and Salmon Street, soapboxracer.com. 9:30 am. Free.
Sunday, Aug. 19
Check out the wheels on that bike.
Craft beer and craft bikes from as far away as Japan will be at the Oregon Homemade Bicycle Show. After knocking back a few, you may find the strength to throw a frame in the Huffy Huck Competition. Cathedral Park Place, 6635 N Baltimore Ave., oregonframebuilders.org. Aug. 18-19. $10.
Monday, Aug. 20
Play hooky, get buzzed.
Mondays are hard. Use summer as an excuse to skip work and taste wine in the Willamette Valley. Willamettewines.com.
Tuesday, Aug. 21
Beat the crowd to Multnomah Falls.
Multnomah Falls should be on every Oregonian's summer to-do list. The lower viewing platform reopened in March following the Eagle Creek Fire, so beat the crowd and get there on the most hated weekday to do things.
Wednesday, Aug. 22
Hear jokes by the only Portland comedian who has a Twitter account Slate has written an article about.
After moving to LA and becoming Twitter famous from a viral thread about a co-worker stealing another co-worker's lunch, former Portlander Zak Toscani returns for a night of standup. Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th Ave., portland.heliumcomedy.com. 8 pm. $10.
Thursday, Aug. 23
Learn what "veni vidi vici" actually means.
Didn't know there were Italians in Portland? Enjoy authentic cuisine, music and, yes, Italian people at this year's Festa Italiana. Pioneer Courthouse Square, 751 SW 6th Ave., festa-italiana.org. 11 am-11 pm. Free.
Friday, Aug. 24
Feel it, still.
Portland-via-Alaska transplants Portugal the Man blew up out of nowhere last year on the strength of the Motown-sampling "Feel It Still," one of the biggest crossover rock songs in years. Expect a raucous homecoming. McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey St., edgefieldconcerts.com. 6:30 pm. $49.
Saturday, Aug. 25
Let your faerie flag fly.
For one weekend in the forest, Faerieworlds is the real world, as internationally acclaimed neo-folk and pagan-folk bands bring the mythical realm of the fairy to life. Horning's Hideout, 21277 NW Brunswick Canyon Road, North Plains, Ore., faerieworlds.com. Prices vary. All ages.
Sunday, Aug. 26
Shout in the general direction of Sounders fans.
The Portland Timbers will face their archrivals the Seattle Sounders one last time this season, so make sure your chants are on-point. Providence Park, 1844 SW Morrison St., timbers.com. 6:30 pm.
Monday, Aug. 27
Find out how weed can be made even better.
The Cannabis Science Conference isn't for the lighthearted stoner. At this highly technical ganja gathering, everyone from science researchers to policy makers will attend—but anyone interested is welcome to come and learn the chemistry that goes into Green Crack. Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., cannabisscienceconference.com. 4 pm. Through Aug. 29.
Tuesday, Aug. 28
Mingle with the rest of Oregon at the state fair.
Portland is definitely a blue dot in a red sea, but there's nothing more bonding than eating fried food with your neighbors while you watch a cow give birth—at least that's what we've heard happens at these things. Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th St. NE., Salem, oregonstatefair.org. Aug. 24-Sept. 3.
Wednesday, Aug. 29
Have Hump Day happy hour at a strip club.
Celebrate the last hump day of August at Sassy's strip club and cool down at the bar with micro and craft beers on tap for $2.50. Sassy's, 927 SE Morrison St., sassysbar.com.
Wednesday, Aug. 30
Get called out by Margaret Cho.
Standup legend Margaret Cho isn't afraid to address the elephant in the room during her standup. Expect her performance in America's whitest city to be no different. Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th Ave., portland.heliumcomedy.com. 8 pm. $30. 21+.
Thursday, Aug. 31
Talk like a pirate in an appropriate setting.
The Tortuga Pirate Festival allows adults to abandon their mundane lives for a weekend and act like pirates—playful drinking and fighting are just a couple of the shenanigans you can expect. Cheadle Lake Park, 2645 Main Road, Lebanon, Ore.,piratesoftortuga.net. Through Sept. 2. 21+.
Friday, Sept. 1
See the symphony outdoors.
The Oregon Symphony kicks off its season at the zoo's outdoor amphitheater with a selection of those classical standards you can hum but can't name. Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Road, zooconcerts.com. 7 pm. $35. All ages.
Sunday, Sept. 2
Catch a rising local band on a great bar patio, while you still can.
Rontoms' free Sunday music showcases happen all year long, but during the summer, the shows move outside to the glorious patio. With the good weather running out, get out there while you can—just be aware that everyone else will be doing the same. Rontoms, 600 E Burnside St., rontoms.net. Free. 21+.
Monday, Sept. 3
Chill.
It's Labor Day and you've earned it. Namaste.
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