Search Alberta Arts District
Stroll Alberta's main street to discover local art, live music and a wide range of bars and restaurants.
Alberta Street is bursting with things to do any day of the year. If you’re having difficulty narrowing down where to go, use this guide to plan a perfect day filled with food, drink and local culture in Northeast Portland’s Alberta Arts District.
Learn More About Alberta Street
Where are the best places to eat on Alberta Street?
What are some quintessentially Portland things to do on Alberta Street?
- Choose from inventive ice cream at hyper-popular Salt & Straw
- Look for Mike Bennett’s yard zoo
- Browse tiny (and regular-sized) survival and camping tools at Cord
- See a show at The Alberta Rose Theater or Alberta Street Pub
What’s the history of Alberta Street?
What other neighborhoods are near Alberta Arts District?
Where to Eat and Drink on Alberta Street
Wake up with a cup of direct trade coffee at hip local roaster Case Study Coffee, which serves seasonal java in an inviting café filled with warm wood beams, leafy potted plants, and ample natural light.
Case Study shares a patio with one of Portland’s most popular (and most dog-friendly) brunch destinations, Tin Shed. Chow down on the “Everything Nice,” a sampler platter piled with potato cakes, sausage, French toast, and scrambled eggs or a hearty breakfast bowl.
When lunchtime rolls around, kick back with a mason jar of boozy peach lemonade at the Bye and Bye, a vegan restaurant and watering hole where locals chow down on bowls of brown rice, Brussels sprouts, and barbecue tofu on a sun-dappled patio.
Comfort Food on Alberta
Enjoy elevated Spanish tapas at Urdaneta. Served in a casual environment, the visually striking plates play host to bold flavors. Each dish is complementary to the house craft cocktails, Spanish wines and sherries. Dining at Urdaneta is meant to be an experience. The open kitchen and dining areas help make eating dinner and dessert at the restaurant a communal affair. While the menu is always changing, seafood and meat dishes share space with plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options.
Chef for the recently shuttered Beast restaurant (and 2014 James Beard Award-winner) Naomi Pomeroy’s latest venture, Expatriate, offers a diverse array of culture-bridging and Burmese-inspired fare. Vinyl beats and vintage film projections set the vibe for meticulous cocktails from Pomeroy’s husband Kyle Linden Webster, and drinking snacks like Chinese-sausage corn dogs complement the standout libations.
Don’t let the name fool you; the Bollywood Theater doesn’t charge admission. Feast on Indian small plates of street food such as lamb samosas, pork vindaloo, or fried sweet and sour cauliflower while watching a Bollywood movie projected on the wall.
Get an education in saké at Zilla Saké House, where the 70+ varieties of saké include offerings from SakéOne, located in Forest Grove, west of Portland. Let the experienced staff pour you a flight; they can also recommend the best pairings from the sushi menu.
Alberta Sipping Spots
Get a taste of Alberta at these recommended watering holes.
Alberta Street Art and Murals
In addition to dedicated gallery spaces like Alberta Street Gallery, murals and galleries of all sizes line Alberta Street. Monograph Bookwerks focuses on art books, but it’s also a stylish gallery with prints, paintings and midcentury ceramics. A couple of blocks away, Ampersand Gallery & Fine Books is a similar hybrid, offering collectible new and used books focused primarily on visual content, vintage photography and monthly art shows. At Flight 64 you can see art by local printmakers, or attend a workshop.
Guardino Gallery — one of the founders of the Last Thursday art/street fair — specializes in contemporary Northwest art and highlights fine crafts in its gift shop. Enjoy all kinds of art with several galleries on the street, like Nucleus or Antler, both showcasing contemporary art and handmade craft, or the local artist collective and gallery, Alberta Street Gallery.
Alberta Main Street recently collaborated with local Black artists and storytellers to teach visitors about the neighborhood’s history. Look for Black Heritage Markers on the sidewalk between 11th Avenue and 24th Avenue.
Live Events on Alberta
When summertime arrives, Alberta welcomes back its iconic monthly street fair, Last Thursday. The traditionally more artist-based neighborhood’s response to the Pearl District’s more upscale First Thursday. During the Last Thursday art walk, more than 150 local vendors, artists, and musicians line Alberta Street, which is closed to vehicle traffic.
Anchoring the neighborhood’s east end, the Alberta Rose Theatre offers live music, comedy nights, art house films, and other events year-round, meaning there’s never a bad time to stop in.
Alberta Street Pub hosts live music almost every day of the week, with multiple acts throughout the day during weekends. The massive outdoor patio is a great place to hang out with friends and family or simply soak it all in.
The Alberta Street Fair, held in August, features live music on multiple stages, more than 150 local vendors, kids’ activities, a beer garden and more.
Alberta Shopping
With its many boutiques, galleries and indie shops, Alberta Street is made for leisurely shopping strolls.
For casual but beautiful locally-made fashion, pop next door to Tumbleweed for a selection of dresses and accessories by indie designers. At boutique Amelia, the vintage-inspired apparel and jewelry are made in the U.S. by designers, artisans and small production facilities. Frock offers an eclectic mix of vintage and locally designed fashions and accessories.
Underneath it all, nothing beats a bra that fits perfectly. Portland ladies sing the praises of The Pencil Test, a friendly shop whose small stock is almost guaranteed to include the best-fitting bra you’ve ever worn.
Fashion for Any Body
Shopping for Kids
At Grasshopper you’ll find organic, American-made children’s clothing and non-toxic toys. For families, Green Bean Books makes a great rainy-day escape thanks to colorful walls, plush couches, weekly storytimes and frequent author readings.
Get Crafty
Feeling inspired? Stop by Collage to fulfill your creative urge. The well-stocked art supply store has everything you need for drawing, painting, jewelry-making, stamping, mixed-media or card-making.
Close-Knit sells yarn, knitting and crochet supplies and offers online classes for beginning and intermediate sweater makers. Browse their extensive yard selection online before you visit, or ask their friendly staff for recommendations.
Aspiring to join Portland’s numerous successful Project Runway contestants — or just wanting to sew yourself some new duds? Visit Modern Domestic for sewing classes and open sewing hours on their fleet of Bernina machines; a few blocks east, you’ll find a wide range of materials at Bolt Fabric Boutique. Next door to Bolt, yarn shop Close-Knit wins fans with its inspiring sample projects, great yarn selection and friendly staff.
Self Care Shopping and Soaks
Blendily is a handmade skincare kitchen where you can watch owner Ivy Chuang craft all-natural skincare, bath products and herbal remedies with fresh, organic wild ingredients. Indulge in the “Glow Up” facial steam for some sweet-smelling self-care. For added relaxation, head to the outdoor soaking pool at nearby McMenamins Kennedy School.
More Alberta Arts Events
Get to know the Alberta Arts neighborhood at these upcoming events.
Main Stage Open Mic
Come out and support local musicians and the non-profit venue Alberta Abbey. Happy hour from 5:00 to 6:00, and live music starts at 6:00. Pizza and a full bar are available.
Katelyn Convery
With a buttery, breathless roar over a ferocious acoustic guitar, singer-songwriter Katelyn Convery’s achingly honest, alternative rock/pop tones soothe while begging deeper questions. From busking solo acoustic in Barcelona and Seoul to recording an electronic-house album in Cape Town, the many places she’s called “home” reveal themselves in her music with unexpected chord changes and…
Annual Dolly Parton Hoot Night
Portland’s best musicians pay tribute to Dolly Parton, the Queen of country music, musical icon, and one of country music’s most prolific songwriters. Dolly Parton is the most honored female country performer of all time. It’s time again for Siren Nation’s annual Dolly Parton Hoot Night at the Alberta Rose Theatre. This show always proves…
Eagle Eyes – Eagles Tribute
Eagle Eyes – Eagles tribute is ‘THE’ tribute to the legendary California country rock band. Audiences are mesmerized by this group of Vancouver, B.C. musicians’ precise vocal harmonies and service to the smallest details in performing songs spanning the extensive Eagles’ Rock N’ Roll Hall of Fame Career (including a few selections from Eagles’ solo…
Cascade Blues Association Fundraiser
BACK WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN – First Annual Cascade Blues Association Fundraiser & Official Waterfront Blues Festival Kickoff Event Five bands on one incredible evening. Featuring: Too Slim & the Taildraggers Reunion https://www.tooslim.net/ Ty Curtis Band https://www.tycurtis.net/ Johnny Wheels & the Swamp Donkeys with guest Kathryn Grimm https://johnnywheelsband.com/ Norman Sylvester Band http://normansylvester.com/ Kevin Selfe Big…
Live Wire with Luke Burbank
Join Emmy award-winning host Luke Burbank for the taping of Live Wire, the fastest-growing entertainment show on public radio. We’ve got a late-night stride, an Oscar Wilde wit, and the charisma of Ferris Bueller grand marshaling a parade. Music, comedy, and conversation, live and packed with surprises. Featuring Humor writer, podcaster, and performer Demi Adejuyigbe,…
Low Bar Chorale: Ring Around the Moonlight
Low Bar Chorale invites you to a harmony singalong celebrating the music of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Learn the harmonies for some of their greatest songs – Helplessly Hoping, Suite Judy Blue Eyes, Guinnevere, Our House, and others – and all sing them together in the gorgeous acoustics of the Alberta Abbey. This show…
The Stinkfoot Orchestra
As the iconic frontman for Frank Zappa’s most infamous 1970’s ensemble, Napoleon Murphy Brock helped breathe life into many of Frank’s most enduring compositions throughout four albums, including what many consider Zappa’s greatest live release, Roxy and Elsewhere. Decades later, the Grammy Award-winning San Jose native’s voice and performance are as strong as ever. Still…
Radix Vocal Ensemble: Mad Love
Ah, love, that most universal of human emotions. It can engender so much: beauty, happiness, transcendence, confusion, heartbreak, resentment, murder…and children. Join one of Portland’s newest vocal groups, the Radix Vocal Ensemble, for an eclectic, entertaining celebration of love in all its manifestations. Delight in the lush, intricate perfection of medieval motets by Dunstable and…
JSO Honors Hall of Fame Voices
A benefit for Jazz Society of Oregon’s Cathedral Park Jazz Festival. Celebrating 50 Years of the Jazz Society of Oregon 5:00 – Doors 5:00 – 7:00 – Mix, mingle and sip (VIP Ticket with dinner*) 7:00 – 10:00 – Main program $25 GA/$40 VIP with dinner* *Dinner includes: Bourbon St Chicken / Garlic Stuffed Brisket…
Alberta Street Fair
The annual Alberta Street Fair offers three blocks of vendors, crafts, artists, live music, farm fresh produce and hot foods. Shop for unique hand-made items, listen to local music and taste the offerings from local food producers at this lively street fair.
Candlelight: A Tribute To Taylor Swift
Candlelight concerts bring the magic of a live, multi-sensory musical experience to awe-inspiring locations like never seen before in Portland. Get your tickets now to discover the music of Taylor Swift at Alberta Rose Theatre under the gentle glow of candlelight.
Tipping Point
In 2020, following the murder of George Floyd, the largest civil rights protest in recent history erupted worldwide during a global pandemic. Portland, Oregon, became the focus of media attention for its protests and demonstrations against systemic racism and police brutality. TIPPING POINT is a documentary film that captures the first 90 days of the…
Booker T. Jones
Booker T Jones is a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee, GRAMMY Lifetime Achievement Award recipient, four-time GRAMMY winner and arguably the most famous Hammond B3 player in history. As the leader of the legendary Booker T and the MGs, this pillar of soul music collaborated with Otis Redding, Albert King, and more during…
Jason Neville’s Funky Soul Band with The Bayou Boyz
Jason Neville’s Funky Soul Band was formed in 2016. It was the remnant of the very popular “Jason Neville Band” The original band was established in 2015 and was a very popular cover band. The band added New Orleans Flavor and Funk to increase its visibility. Once the FunkySoul Band was created, they added originals….
Pints & Palettes
Learn foundational watercolor techniques and take home your own hop-tastic creation in this all-levels workshop. Local artist Amy Wike will teach insider tips and tricks of the watercolor medium, introduce essential materials and techniques, and provide Portland and beer-themed templates for you to fill in (or create your masterpiece from a blank canvas). Enjoy Baerlic…
North Mississippi Allstars
Nothing runs deeper than family ties. Brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, sons, and daughters understand one another at the purest level. When families rally around music, they speak this oft-unspoken bond aloud and into existence. After 25 years, twelve albums, four GRAMMY Award nominations, and sold-out shows everywhere, North Mississippi Allstars open up their world once…
DAPPERLESQUE: A Gender Bending Burlesque Cabaret
Dare to be different. Dare to be desirous. Dare to be DAPPER. Experience a stylishly seductive, decidedly debonair gender-bending medley of burlesque and drag as Lacy Productions and The Alberta Rose Theatre present DAPPERLESQUE: A Gender Bending Burlesque Cabaret. Bringing you the most smartly-dressed, dashingly sultry, and dare we say, rakish performance artists from burlesque,…
NEW@NIGHT: Tri-Angles
Up close and extremely intimate, in this NEW@NIGHT, you’ll get a sneak peek of the dynamic flute/viola/harp trio umama womama. You’ll encounter new music by Han Lash, experience an R. Murray Schafer piece for a string trio, and take in Maombi Asante, a piece by and with flutist Valerie Coleman.
Nora Brown with Stephanie Coleman
First brought together by Brooklyn’s tight-knit old-time music community in 2017, Nora Brown and Stephanie Coleman share a rich musical partnership that belies their 20-year age difference. Nora is a banjo player and has released three albums on Jalopy Records. She has performed across the US, Europe, and on NPR’s tiny desk and TED ed….
Daniel Champagne
If you’re wondering what Australian singer, songwriter and one-of-a-kind guitar virtuoso Daniel Champagne did after his 44-city US tour over the summer of 2022, he proceeded immediately to Canada for 30 mostly sold-out shows and then to New Zealand for another 30 mostly sold-out shows. There’s a Christmas break and then a monumental tour of…
Booklover's Burlesque – Revenge of the Sci-Fi Edition
Journey through time and space into worlds where dreams are born as Lacy Productions and The Alberta Rose Theatre present BOOKLOVER’S BURLESQUE: Revenge of the Sci-Fi Edition This next Booklover’s Burlesque edition at the Alberta Rose Theater will be an experience that is out of this world. Booklover’s Burlesque is the world’s sexiest literary salon…
Greg Howe
Legendary guitarist, Greg Howe, will kick off his North American tour Lost and Found this July 2023, which will feature tracks from a new upcoming studio album, in addition to many of his classic fan favorites. The 2023 touring band features renowned bassist Stu Hamm (Steve Vai, Joe Satriani) and drummer Joel Taylor (Al DiMeola,…
Gina Yashere
Comedian Gina Yashere brings her fierce and funny comedic style back to the stage this summer with a new solo tour, The Woman King of Comedy. With the success of her hit TV sitcom Bob Hearts Abishola on CBS, which she co-created and stars in, this is a unique chance to hear her personal story…
Jazz Is Dead
Jazz Is Dead has been playing instrumental jazz-tinged versions of Grateful Dead songs since 1998, making 2023 its 25th anniversary. Since its inception, the band has been a rotating cast of characters, but there has been bassist Alphonso Johnson, best known for his work with the jazz fusion outfit Weather Report. Alphonso is no stranger…
Kruger Brothers
Born and raised in Europe, brothers Jens and Uwe Kruger started singing and playing instruments at a very young age. Growing up in a family where music was an important part of life, they were exposed to various musical influences. The brothers were performing regularly by the time they were eleven and twelve years old,…
Oregon Burlesque Festival
Crank up the heat in Northeast Portland with a festival brimming with tempting teases from the best of the Northwest and beyond! Friday’s showcase features neo and comedy, circus and more. The O.B.F. competition portion is Saturday, closing night. Be sure to attend all events as each has something special in store, and per our…
Prince Again
Very few artists are more legendary than Prince. When he died in 2016, millions mourned his untimely passing. However, this iconic multi-instrumental musical savant will never be forgotten. His inimitable musical styling, stage presence and undeniable genius remain imprinted upon hearts and minds. Prince’s hits smashed the Billboard Charts and created memories for generations. Whether…
Science on Tap
Science on Tap: Cascadia Earthquakes: Reality, Risks, and Improving Resilience The Pacific Northwest is due for a major earthquake along the Cascadia Subduction Zone. A magnitude 9 Cascadia earthquake and tsunami would likely produce an unprecedented catastrophe much larger than any state of Oregon has ever faced. Oregon’s earthquake resilience is low; thus, preparing for…
Tom Waits Tribute
Terrible Tales Told in Beautiful Melodies – TOM WAITS TRIBUTE featuring an amazing lineup of instrumentalists and vocalists. With innovative staging, a little magic, a lot of music, and a touch o’ whiskey, conjuring up the essence in Tom Waits’ lyrical obsessions of tragic blues, narcotic jazz, sinister opera, and delirious, drunken carnival mambos. Catch…
More to Explore
The Alberta Arts District is just the beginning of Portland's love for the arts and magic.
Monthly Art Walks in Portland
Explore Portland's art gallery scene with three regular art walks, held in different creative neighborhoods around town.
Portland’s “Mystic District”: Three Magical Shops in One City Block
Whether you’re curious about crystals, dreaming of divination decks or just seeking sweet-smelling soap, Portland’s Mystic District has the store for you.
Ways to Practice Self-Care in Portland
It’s okay to admit that you occasionally get stressed or down. Thankfully Portland's self-care offerings are deep; walk in over 200 parks, find time for yoga, sauna, soaking, and health-conscious food to practice self-care like a Portlander.
Illustration by Subin Yang
Northeast Portland Neighborhoods
Located east of Williams Ave. and north Burnside Street, Northeast Portland contains popular visitor destinations like the Alberta Arts District and The Grotto. Portland International Airport is in outer Northeast.
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