February Events
Portland warms up winter with these exciting events.
The arrival of February heralds some of Portland’s favorite annual activities, including a celebration of Black History Month, PDX Jazz Festival and one of the world’s largest tango festivals (just to name a few). Scroll down for our annual February picks, or search the events calendar to see everything on offer.
Portland Seafood and Wine Festival
Scheduled smack dab in the middle of the Dungeness crab season, this upscale festival celebrates both the bounty harvested from the Pacific Ocean and the state’s vineyards. More than 130,000 square feet (3,962 square meters) at the Oregon Convention Center allows plenty of room for Portland Seafood and Wine Festival-goers to wander while enjoying great food, wine and live music.
Portland Jazz Festival
Celebrating both the jazz genre and Black History Month, PDX Jazz Festival is packed with more than 150 concerts, including performances by major international artists and scores of free gigs showcasing local talent.
Cascade Festival of African Films
Billed as the longest-running nonprofit African film festival in America, Portland’s free Cascade Festival of African Films has celebrated African achievements and hopes for the future since 1991. The month-long film festival shares stories of Africa as told by Africans. Hosted by the Hollywood Theatre and Portland Community College’s Cascade Campus, the festival also includes staged theatrical readings, talk-backs with the films’ creators, an African marketplace and a social hour with food and live music every Saturday.
Valen Tango
Founded in 1997, Portland’s legendary dance event, Valen Tango, is the largest and longest-running tango festival in North America. Filled with thrilling milongas, live orchestras, DJ’d music and world-class instruction from some of tango’s best professional dancers, this event offers ample opportunities for people of all abilities to hone their tango skills in a fun, welcoming environment.
Chinese New Year
The two-week Chinese New Year celebration at Lan Su Chinese Garden includes lion dances, children’s activities, martial arts and cultural and historical demonstrations. The festivities, held during the lunar new year (usually late January/early February), culminate with a traditional lantern-viewing ceremony.
Zwickelmania
Beer lovers rejoice! Zwickelmania returns returns every February, getting breweries, big and small, to open their doors to casual and hardcore beer fans. All participating breweries offer events like meet-the-brewer, beer tastings, brewery tours and food and beer pairings.
