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Things to Do in Portland Today
Today is a beautiful day to explore all that Portland has to offer. This page lists the best Portland events, festivals, concerts, tours and exhibitions that are happening today. Scroll down to see our top picks. To find even more events, search the full events calendar and see our picks for Things to Do in Portland Tomorrow and Things to Do in Portland This Weekend.
Know Before You Go
To slow the spread of the highly transmissible Delta variant, effective Aug. 27, a statewide mask mandate is in place. Oregonians and visitors ages 5 and up are required to wear face coverings in all public indoor settings, regardless of vaccination status, unless actively eating or drinking. Masks are also recommended in crowded outdoor public spaces where physical distancing is not possible.
Additionally, some event organizers and venues may require proof of vaccination, or a negative COVID test, for admission. Other events may be canceled, postponed or held virtually. Please check individual event websites for the most up-to-date information.
Events in Portland Today
Tours
Wildwood Adventures Half Day Gorge Waterfalls Tour
Species seen nowhere else in the world, dramatic basalt lava flows nearly a mile deep, and some of the world’s most beautiful waterfalls are a few of the sights that await you on this tour. Experience the grandeur of the Columbia River Gorge, one of the United States’ most photographed National Scenic Areas. Drive along…
Exhibitions
Beyond Van Gogh Portland
“An imaginative and fully immersive adventure, Beyond Van Gogh takes on the challenge of breathing new life into Van Gogh’s vast body of work. Through the use of cutting-edge 3D projection technology and music to illuminate all of his genius, guests can experience the artist with all their senses,” says Mathieu St-Arnaud, Normal Studio.
Queen Nefertari's Egypt
Discover “The One for Whom the Sun Shines,” Queen Nefertari, the Great Royal Wife of Pharaoh Ramesses II. Drawn from the world-renowned Museo Egizio in Turin, Italy, the exhibition immerses visitors in the magnificent palaces and tombs of ancient Egypt, including Queen Nefertari’s Burial Chamber. Queen Nefertari’s Egypt celebrates the role of women—goddesses, queens, and…
ZooLights
Oregon’s most popular holiday tradition is back and better than ever. Kids and adults alike agree: it wouldn’t be the holidays in Portland without a visit to ZooLights. In addition to the classic walk through a dazzling display of 1.5 million lights, you can bring your family and friends to explore the lights by car…
Mandela: The Official Exhibition
Now open. Mandela: The Official Exhibition is the major new global exhibition that explores the story of the world’s most famous freedom fighter and political leader. Walk through Mandela’s inspiring life and understand how his values and commitment to making the world a better place remain as vital now as they were during his lifetime.
A Pittock Mansion Christmas
Pittock Mansion Christmas celebrates the wonderful world of animals with its Critters Make Merry exhibit. From reindeer and polar bears to lions and mice and a few in between, volunteer decorators have transformed the Mansion’s rooms into enchanting animal havens. Please note: Pittock Mansion Christmas is an event. General admission discounts do not apply. Due…
APEX: Sharita Towne & A Black Art Ecology of Portland
A “true grandchild of the Great Migration,” Sharita Towne creates installations that are multi-voiced, poetic, and informative. As a transdisciplinary artist, Towne has built a practice steeped in the work of collaboration, cultural organizing, and arts infrastructure building. Towne’s exhibition for the APEX series is a culmination of this work that takes her to the…
AUX/MUTE Gallery
Presented by The Numberz FM The AUX/MUTE Gallery presented by The Numberz FM and the Portland Art Museum is an endeavor designed to reduce the barrier for BIPOC practicing artists to be represented within an institution of high art. The name is derived from the history of marginalized groups being MUTED in their ability to…
Isaka Shamsud-Din: Rock of Ages
“Portland Art Museum honors a local legend with its presentation of Isaka Shamsud-Din’s vivid narrative paintings, including the recent acquisition that gives this exhibit its title. Shamsud-Din uses his painterly brushstrokes and glowing colors to depict his own personal experiences and scenes of local culture and history, and his murals (also featured in the show)…
Mesh
Mesh features the bold work of four emerging and early career artists whose multidisciplinary work touches on current social issues including the ongoing fight against racial injustice and conflicts over Indigenous land rights. At the same time, through photography, painting, sculpture and mixed media they celebrate the ongoing presence of Native American art and culture…
The Longest Leg
(Portland, OR) Fuller Rosen Gallery and guest curator Laurel V. McLaughlin are pleased to present The Longest Leg, a solo exhibition of new and recent work by Emmanuela Soria Ruiz on view November 11, 2021 – January 09, 2022. Join us for an in-person opening reception on Saturday, November 13 from 6-8 pm. Schedule a…
"Come On In" by Faye Driscoll
New York-based choreographer Faye Driscoll (US, b. 1975) creates performances that activate the dynamic space between artist, performers, and audience. Often balancing poignancy and tenderness with irreverent wit and humor, her work as she describes summons “the unnamed forces that surge between the viewer and the viewed.” Come On In, the artist’s first solo exhibition…
Benson Hotel Annual Gingerbread Display
For 50 years running, the historic hotel has baked and constructed a gingerbread showstopper that could earn a handshake from Paul Hollywood. The theme for this year’s four-foot by eight-foot masterpiece is “Polar Express” and comes complete with a working toy train.
I Have a Winter Friend
PDX CONTEMPORARY ART is pleased to present I Have a Winter Friend, a solo exhibition of new work by Jeffry Mitchell. The show will take place in the new, and still developing gallery space on 1825 B NW Vaughn Street in Portland, Oregon. I Have a Winter Friend features a variety of enchanting new work…
All Other Events
Christmas Festival of Lights
Presenting the sights, sounds and sensations of the season, The Grotto’s Christmas Festival of Lights is the largest Christmas choral festival in the world. The festival features nearly 160 indoor holiday concerts performed by many of the region’s finest school, church and civic choirs. Offering a family-oriented blend of traditional celebration and serene reflection, the…
Winter Wonderland
Recognized throughout the Pacific Northwest as the “Largest Holiday Light Show West of the Mississippi”, Winter Wonderland, will grab your attention with glimmers and glows around every corner. Since 1993, a journey through Winter Wonderland has become a holiday tradition for many families, friends, and social organizations to celebrate the spirit of the holiday season….
AT-HOME: Radovan Vlatković: Transcendent Horn Trios—with Soovin Kim & Gloria Chien
As one of the most celebrated musicians of the 21st century whose voice seems to speak through his instrument, Radovan Vlatković’s performances are enjoyed across the globe as deeply moving and utterly memorable. German newspapers call him “the Croatian messenger of the gods of the valve horn,” and say that “under his breath, it unfolds…
Beware The Krampus: A Christmas Treasure Hunt
In the dark nights before Christmas, an ancient creature stalks the streets of Portland, stealing away the bad children and leaving behind its haunted bells. Can you find these profane relics and survive the Krampus…? Three maps will be sent to you; one each week leading up to Christmas. Use them to discover three locations…
The Mystery Game
Portland Treasure Hunt A $150 cash prize awaits you at the end of this quest to find an ancient and mysterious game. Along the way you’ll encounter a historic house, a cornucopia of craft beers, unusual vocabulary, delicious pastries, a bouncy terrain, and trolls (literally). Encrypted instructions for finding the game will be mailed to…
The Mythstory of the Golden Ass
Treasure Hunters Seek Hidden Gold A one-of-a-kind, solid gold pendant valued at $400 has been hidden in a major Oregon metropolis. Are you a treasure hunter brave, cunning, and erudite enough to decipher the clues and discover the hiding place of the Golden Ass? Mme. Obscura will make the necessary clues available for purchase on…
Alberta Street Gallery Holiday Gift Show
Shop locally and give the gift of art this year. Alberta Street Gallery co-op proudly shows the work of 30 artists from the community, including ceramics, paintings, photography, fabric art, woodworking, jewelry, sculpture, fused glass, drawing and paper quilling.
Holiday Market
All 14 of the local small businesses represented at the six-week market are minority-owned. They’ll sell items perfect for the holiday giving season. Hosted by Micro Enterprise Services of Oregon (MESO) Contact: (503) 841-3351 or mesomarket@mesopdx.org
Drive-By Christmas on the Campground
Drive by or take a stroll past our campground on Duke Street to enjoy thousands of lights, a life-size nativity, and the tallest decorated Christmas tree in Southeast Portland.
Lightopia – An Illuminated Journey
Take a drive through a glimmering winter landscape this holiday season. Lightopia – An Illuminated Journey, the award-winning drive-through light show at Gordon Faber Recreation Complex, returns this December 9 through 31. Enjoy a leisurely drive through the brilliant display, which expands to a half-mile this year. Reservations for the week of December 9-14 open…
Silverton Christmas Market
Join us for our awe-inspiring, annual Christmas light display and market at the Oregon Garden Resort. Now named the Silverton Christmas Market, this annual event offers a joyous and magical holiday experience for all ages. Stroll along immersive paths draped in one million lights, while sipping a warm, spicy gluhwein during this beloved, annual event….
Trattoria Nights at Ava Gene's
Join us under the floating lights of Ava Gene’s dining room for trattoria nights, a bi-weekly dinner series featuring a 3-course menu of what we do best: Roman-inspired dishes highlighting the best produce, seafood and meat raised by Pacific Northwest farmers and ranchers.
Die Hard: The Musical Parody
The holiday tradition is back—and not a moment too soon. All John McClane wanted for Xmas was to patch things up with his wife. And stop a dozen terrorists. And sing and dance while doing it. It’s back. The Funhouse Lounge is thrilled to revive our beloved parody version of the most beloved Christmas film…
Ginger Minj's Winter Wonderland
Ginger Minj, star of RuPaul’s Drag Race and RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars 6, teams up with her bestie, Gidget Galore in this non-denominational, musical romp through the holidays. Experience all of the nostalgic, wintry, and cozy feels as they create festive magic on stage. Long before she held court as a finalist on season…
The Juicy Jam!
The Juicy Jam’s only goal is to jam, and The Juicy Jam’s only rule is no covers. Instrumentalists can blast off on space jams and be the backing band to songwriters from all over the place. Songwriters can find their band and explore new material in an environment that’s soaking wet with excitement. Parker’s Hideout…
A Carol for Christmas
Based on Charles Dickens A Christmas Carol A Carol for Christmas is a new musical inspired by Charles Dicken’s classic ghost story and set in the Midwest during America’s 1930’s Depression Era. The themes of greed, bigotry, contempt and apathy ring true today as they did then. The cry for the gifts of love, life…
Elf – The Musical
The holiday season is approaching fast, and what better way to kick it off than with a hilarious family musical. Lakewood Theatre Company presents Elf – The Musical on the Headlee Mainstage at Lakewood Center for the Arts. This show marks the theatre’s second mainstage show since re-emerging from the pandemic.
Jim Gaffigan
James Christopher Gaffigan is an American stand-up comedian, actor, writer, and producer. He was raised in Chesterton, Indiana. His material is often about fatherhood, observations, laziness, and food. He is also regarded as a “clean” comic, using little profanity in his routines. He has had several successful comedy specials, including Mr. Universe, Obsessed, Cinco, and…
Serious Cupcakes
BodyVox has invited current and former dancers and artists from the BodyVox family to create an evening of original works on our company members. Get ready for a superb collection of premieres from this group of inspired choreographers, making delightful dances filled with BodyVox’s signature athleticism, humor, and theater. We are thrilled to welcome audience…
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime
Winner of five Tony Awards including Best Play. This Broadway smash hit takes you inside the mind of Christopher, an exceptionally intelligent, neurodivergent 15-year-old boy. Now, it is seven minutes after midnight and Christopher is under suspicion of killing his neighbor’s dog, Wellington, with a garden fork. Determined to find the true culprit, Christopher carefully…
Black Pumas
Black Pumas is an American psychedelic soul band based in Austin, Texas, led by singer/songwriter Eric Burton and guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada. The group received its first Grammy Award nomination in 2020 for Best New Artist at the 62nd awards.
Una Noche de Bienestar
The Bienestar tradition lives on. Join in on a captivating evening that will bring the community together through Latinx music, art, and culture. Latinx performers will take the stage in a musical celebration of Bienestar’s legacy or affordable housing, immigrant rights advocacy, and community solidarity. Proceeds go to Bienestar, a nonprofit affordable housing developer. Bienestar…
White Album Xmas
White Album Christmas has become a tradition — a way to keep Portland weird during the holiday season. The Nowhere Band (a full 15-piece Beatles orchestra) plays the White Album note for note, while the jugglers, aerialists, clowns and acrobats of the Rose City Circus present feats of remarkable strength, focus and dexterity. Guaranteed to…
Events by Month
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