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LISTEN: Lunchtime Concerts: Michael Barnes Hallowe’en Concert
Got any lunch plans today? Yes, today, Wednesday, Oct. 16—like possibly even right now, depending on what time you’re reading this paper. We ask because today at noon Michael Barnes will be holding his annual Halloween performance at The Old Church Concert Hall. A free gift from TOC to Portland for the past 56 years—this afternoon’s show will feature “Funeral March of a Marionette” by Charles Gounod, Toccata and Fugue in D minor by J.S. Bach, and more, very spookily and eerily performed via organ. Like, the instrument. Unless… The Old Church Concert Hall, 1422 SW 11th Ave., 503-222-2031, events.tocportland.org. Noon Wednesday, Oct. 16. Free.
WATCH: Wicked at the Keller Auditorium
Ariana Grande—I mean, Glinda the Good Witch—is coming to Portland this weekend. That’s right y’all, now through Nov. 3, you can catch the Broadway classic Wicked at the Keller Auditorium (sans Ariana Grande, apologies for the clickbait). Wicked tells us what happened before Dorothy ended up in the Land of Oz, from the perspective of Elphaba and Glinda, the Witches of Oz. It’s a story of female friendship, trust, identity, self-love, discrimination, governmental corruption—and it’s incredible. TLDR: If you haven’t seen Wicked, you should, and if you have, you should go see it again. Right now. Keller Auditorium, 222 SW Clay St., 503-248-4335, portland5.com. 7:30 pm Wednesday-Friday, 2 and 7:30 pm Saturday, 1 and 6:30 pm Sunday, Oct. 16–Nov. 3. $54.25+.
VIEW: Paul McCartney Photographs 1963-64: Eyes of the Storm and Psychedelic Rock Posters and Fashion of the 1960s
If you’re looking to take a trip back in time, in a yellow submarine, via mushroom or otherwise—the Portland Art Museum has got ya covered. Both exhibitions currently (or soon to be) on display at the museum take patrons back to the ‘60s, one through the lens (literally) of Paul McCartney—250-plus recently rediscovered photographs from McCartney’s personal archive—and the other to Haight-Ashbury and beyond via a study of psychedelic rock posters and fashion. Plus, the museum admission price gets ya tix to both exhibits, so you don’t even have to choose which trip to take. Date night, anyone? Portland Art Museum, 1219 SW Park Ave., 503-226-2811, portlandartmuseum.org. 10 am–5 pm, through Jan. 19 and Oct. 19–March 30. Free with museum admission.
SIP N’ SNACK: Halloween Candy and Wine Pairing
We all know that wine goes well with chocolate. But have you ever considered a red paired with Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups? How about rosé paired with Skittles? Orange wine with Butterfingers? Admittedly, these specific examples are all made-up pairings—sommeliers, plz don’t come for me. The folks over at Hip Chicks do Wine do, however, actually know what they’re talking about. Stop by the Southeast winery this weekend and next for a Halloween Candy and Wine Pairing, featuring five candies paired with five wines, plus a Seasonal Witches Brew Sangria sample. Hip Chicks Do Wine, 4510 SE 23rd Ave., 503-234-3790, hipchicksdowine.com. 2–6 pm Friday, noon–6 pm Saturday, noon–5 pm Sunday, Oct. 18–20 and 25-27. $28.
GO: Howloween
Lions and tigers and bears and pumpkins and goblins and ghouls and witches and little Barbies and Kens…oh my! Howloween at the Oregon Zoo is back and spookier than ever (like, appropriate for ages 2-10 spooky). Bring your costumed kiddos and candy vessels for some early, zoo-approved trick-or-treating (i.e., candy made with deforestation-free palm oil) as well as magic shows, puppet shows, zookeeper talks and, crucially, the annual Squishing of the Squash, where you’ll get to witness the zoo’s Asian elephant family absolutely demolish some pumpkins. Oregon Zoo, 4001 SW Canyon Road, 503-226-1561, oregonzoo.org. 9:30 am–2:30 pm Saturday–Sunday, Oct. 19–20 and 26–27. Free with zoo admission.
GO: West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta
West Coast Giant Pumpkin ricotta? No (but yum)—this is the West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, and yes, it’s exactly what it sounds like. Pumpkins, apparently, are quite buoyant. So buoyant, in fact, that a man once sailed an enormous, hollowed-out pumpkin 26 miles down the Red River in Minnesota. And this weekend, a fleet of like-minded, costumed pumpkin seafarers will paddle along Tualatin Lake in their own individual 1,000-pound gourds. The regatta will feature a whole bunch of on-dry-land activities as well—pumpkin bowling, a costume contest, face painting, a giant vegetable weigh-off contest—but we’re just gonna let you sit with the image of an enormous pumpkin death race and leave it at that. Tualatin Lake at the Commons, 8325 SW Nyberg St., 503-691-3091, tualatinoregon.gov. 10 am–4 pm Sunday, Oct. 20. Free.
GO: Night of the Living Opera
Raven’s Manor is creepy all year long, but come Halloween time, the haunted bar really kicks it up a notch…or should we say…an octave? On Oct. 21 and 23, experience Night of the Living Opera, i.e., an evening of contemporary spooky operas performed in an equally spooky if not more so place. The operas’ themes range across the board, from THUMP, a show inspired by Edgar Allan Poe’s gothic classic “The Tell-Tale Heart” to she conjures, a feminist, witchy opera to a murderous parody of Sex and the City. Although, we will say that Poe seems to be a common source of inspiration. Makes sense. Raven’s Manor, 235 SW 1st Ave., newwaveopera.org. 5 pm–midnight Monday and Wednesday, Oct. 21 and 23. $10-$15.
Got a tip? Email shannon@wweek.com.