Downtown
Explore diverse shopping, dining and cultural offerings in downtown Portland.
Know Before You Go
Downtown Portland is well served by TriMet, the city’s public light rail, Portland Streetcar and bus system.
Portland’s compact, walkable downtown offers easy access to great food, green spaces, cultural offerings, tax-free shopping and seemingly endless things to do. Browse the Rose City’s most diverse mix of retail brands, see a show and grab a bite at a food cart or fine restaurant — all conveniently located in downtown Portland.
Where to Stay in Downtown
The city center offers easy access to shopping, entertainment, culture —and other districts, making downtown Portland a natural jumping-off point for visits to the city. Downtown is home to more than 35 hotels, from independent boutiques to big-name shopping brands. With a direct MAX light rail connection to Portland International Airport, Portland Streetcar service, and short, walkable blocks, downtown is great for a car-free stay.
Where to Eat and Drink in Downtown
Coffee connoisseurs select from a hand-written menu of single-origin, house-roasted beans at Courier Coffee Bar. Once you’ve made your choice, baristas grind the beans right in front of you to prepare a perfect pour-over into a steaming mason jar. Never short on local-roasted coffee, for award-winning single-origin coffee, visit the green wall at Coava Coffee for an urban escape after wandering the city center.
Flying Elephants, a Portland-local chain across from Director Park, offers deli fare from a fresh salad or sandwich with classic pastries to sate the sweet tooth. For a modern and romantic experience, head to Q Restaurant & Bar with electric menus featuring dishes inspired by Pacific Northwest cuisine.
As the evening winds down, relax into a leather armchair at Multnomah Whiskey Library, where expert staff offers recommendations from 1,500 available spirits. Count on a line to get in; downstairs, The Green Room serves as a sophisticated (and thirst-quenching) waiting area.
Explore Downtown Portland
Eat, shop and play in the lively central city.
Downtown and Central City Shopping
Downtown Portland boasts a wide array of shopping options, from major national and international retailers to locally owned boutiques and specialty shops.
Downtown Restaurants
Downtown Portland restaurants run the gamut — you'll find everything from budget lunch options at a multitude of food carts to delicious fine dining at acclaimed dinner spots in central city.
Central City Activities
Walk to a wide range of entertainment in central city and downtown Portland including theaters, museums and parks that play host to festivals and farmers' markets.
Things to Do in Downtown
Museums, parks, sports arenas, shopping, and theaters; these attractions in downtown Portland are enough to keep any traveler busy for days. Known as Portland’s living room, Pioneer Courthouse Square is a gathering space where most days, you can see people enjoying their lunch breaks or taking a beat from exploring the city. From food carts to art installations and performances, The Square is a must-see.
Walk along the South Park Blocks, a green strip spanning 12 city blocks ending at the campus of Portland State University, to discover public art, the Portland Art Museum, Oregon Historical Society, and seasonally, the Portland Farmers Market at PSU, in the heart of Downtown’s cultural hub.





Take in some music -folk, jazz, a hundred flavors of indie rock, soul, singer-songwriter- at McMenamins Crystal Ballroom, a historic Portland music hall that remains among the most vital and central venues in the city. It features high ceilings, a balcony, grand chandeliers, wide, arched windows, and “floors that bounce.” The ballroom complex includes Lola’s Room, a much smaller venue and bar on the second floor beneath the ballroom. Ringlers Pub is on the street level, featuring beer from the Crystal Brewery. And the Crystal Hotel is nearby, with its own restaurant and music venue.
Favorite Theaters
This neighborhood offers a thriving theater community with major venues within a few city blocks.
Downtown Shopping Highlights
Parisian-style shopping at Union Way provides only in-Portland shopping. This sleek arcade houses iconic local brands like Danner, the iconic Oregon boot brand, which has opened its first-ever stand-alone retail shop in the alley. Also, find trendy denim boutique Self Edge and if you need a sweet treat after shopping, try Wailua Shave Ice.
Nearby boutiques Frances May, Pinkham Millinery, and Tender Loving Empire feature local designers and artisans, while Woonwinkel offers a curated selection of housewares and jewelry from local and international artists.
Step into WILDFANG, a bastion of tomboy fashion, beloved by celebrities like Janelle Monae and Kristen Stewart for its feminist T-shirts and gender-binary-breaking collection of blazers, bow ties, and button-ups.
Central city’s premier shopping center, Pioneer Place boasts more than 75 stores, including H&M, Apple, and J. Crew. (Did we mention that all shopping in Oregon is tax-free?)
Things To Do Outdoors
Visit verdant parks and outdoor attractions nestled amid downtown's hustle and bustle.
Portland's Central City
There's a lot more to Portland's urban core than Downtown, a center for retail, restaurants and cultural attractions. Goose Hollow is home to Providence Park soccer stadium, while the Pearl District is famous for upscale bars, boutiques and galleries. Old Town Chinatown offers streetwear shops, Saturday Market and Lan Su Chinese Garden and Northwest/Nob Hill boasts shopping, dining and access to Forest Park and the historic Pittock Mansion. East of the Willamette River, the Central Eastside offers family-friendly attractions, shopping and nightlife, while Lloyd is home to the Oregon Convention Center and the Portland Trail Blazers.
Downtown Events
Explore Downtown Portland and all that it has to offer at these upcoming events.

Black Artists of Oregon
Black Artists of Oregon, highlighting and celebrating the work of Black artists in and outside the collection, will deepen awareness of the talented artists that have shaped and inspired artists regionally and nationally. The exhibition will be the first of its kind to consider the work of Black artists collectively in Oregon, often underrepresented and…

City of Inspiration: A Walking Tour of Downtown Portland
Explore downtown Portland, and learn about the history and culture of one of this country's most talked about cities. During the ~1.5-mile (2.4 km) walk, you will experience famous historical sites, vibrant public squares, hilarious trivia, hidden artwork, innovative parks, magical city-planning concepts, the tiniest park in America, and more. Pick up in front of…

A Question of Hu: The Narrative Art of Hung Liu
Groundbreaking Chinese American artist Hung Liu (1948–2021) made highly narrative images that foregrounded workers, immigrants, refugees, women, children, and soldiers in haunting, incandescent portraits that mingle Chinese and Western artistic traditions. Liu was born in Changchun, China, and her childhood and youth coincided with one of the most tumultuous periods in Chinese history. After she…

Every Wednesday Events
Come down to Director Park (815 SW Park Ave) Wednesdays from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. for a series of FREE popup events with vendors, raffles, music and activities guaranteed to elevate your lunch hour.

Visiting SAGE: The Future of Community – Featuring David Brooks
Celebrated writer and social commentator David Brooks will speak about America’s crisis of connection and the need to weave a new, inclusive social fabric at the 2023 Visiting SAGE. Brooks will spotlight how to help shift the culture to value deep relationships and community success over a narrow focus on personal achievement.

BeerQuest Haunted Pub Tour
Uncover Portland’s dark side on this spine-tingling walking pub tour. In the early 1900s, unsuspecting sailors were often ruthlessly abducted and whisked away through the notorious Shanghai Tunnels. Tour guides will tell you how notorious criminals kidnapped thousands of people and why their ghosts still haunt Portland today. This is Portland’s longest-running ghost tour with…

Siddhartha Mukherjee
Unlocking the Secrets of Cells: The New Science Driving Cures for Everything From Cancer to Alzheimer’s Disease Pioneering oncologist and author Siddhartha Mukherjee will explore how our rapidly evolving understanding of the cell is revealing new cures for cancer, Alzheimer’s disease, infertility and much more. Mukherjee is a spellbinding storyteller and influential voice in the…

Flynn Creek Circus presents Desert Myth
Internationally acclaimed Flynn Creek Circus returns to Portland with a superstar lineup in their all-new show, Desert Myth. Enjoy the spectacle under the big top tent at The Lot at ZIdell Yards. Featuring wild stunts and mind-blowing skills, Desert Myth is an acrobatic thrill ride that draws on a rich history of traditional folklore. Flynn…

Fortune Feimster
You can catch stand-up comedian, writer, and actor Fortune Feimster, on the radio, on screens both big and small, and touring her stand-up across the nation. Fortune Feimster’s one-hour specials are streaming on Netflix and have fantastic reviews and nominations. Before her one-hour specials, Netflix released Feimster’s half-hour special in 2018 as part of THE…

Nicole Byer
Nicole Byer is one of the most versatile voices in the comedy landscape today. An actress, comedian, writer, author and podcaster, she is perhaps most well-known as the host of Netflix’s Emmy-nominated competition baking series Nailed It!, which has gained a cult following of viewers since its premiere on the streaming platform in 2018. In…

Owl City
Since first breaking onto the alt-pop scene in 2007, Owl City has built a global following on the strength of his heart-on-sleeve songwriting and endlessly inventive sound. Along with earning a monumental hit with the diamond-certified "Fireflies," -a 2009 release that reached No. 1 in 26 countries-the, the Minnesota-bred artist otherwise known as Adam Young…

Shreya Ghoshal
RASIKA presents Bollywood’s most popular and iconic diva singer Shreya Ghoshal Live in her first-ever appearance in Portland, OR. This is her only concert on the West Coast on this tour. Rasika thanks the national tour organizers, Shreya and the entire team for their loving gesture to perform for Rasika in our 25th performing art…

The Improvised Shakespeare Company
Based on one audience suggestion (a title of a show that has never been written), The Improvised Shakespeare Company creates an entirely improvised Shakespearean masterpiece right before your eyes. Prepare for an evening of spontaneous comedy using the language and themes of William Shakespeare. Nothing has been planned out, rehearsed, or written. All of the…

Farmers Market at Portland State University
The Portland Farmers Market at Portland State University will be open every Saturday, year-round. April through October hours are 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. November through March hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Market at PSU is located in Downtown Portland in the South Park Blocks between SW College & Montgomery Streets.

Portland Saturday Market
Open every Saturday from March–December, Portland Saturday Market is the largest arts-and-crafts fair in the U.S.

City Crush–PDX Urban Wineries Harvest Wine Festival
CELEBRATE FALL Join PDX Urban Wineries at Directors Park and sample a variety of wines made by Portland Wineries in the heart of Downtown Portland. They'll pour everything from the classics like pinot noir, pinot gris and chardonnay to the less-known syrah and chenin blanc to the fun and unique blends. Pair your wines with…

Pink Warrior Zumba Fundraiser
Portland’s annual Pink Warrior event is more than just a dance party and a fundraiser. Hundreds of Zumba instructors and fans from Oregon, Washington, and beyond gather in Pioneer Square to share hope, spread joy, and raise funds for the fight against breast cancer. After a three-year break, it is back and better than ever…

Mahler’s First Symphony
A titanic work of unbridled expression and orchestral color, Mahler’s First Symphony charts a journey in which the composer crosses tranquil meadows, witnesses a funeral march, and triumphs over self-doubt. Plus, violinist Benjamin Beilman brings his talent to showstopping miniatures by Ravel and Saint-Saëns. Program Gabriel Kahane: World Premiere and Oregon Symphony Commission Saint-Saëns: Introduction…

Ben Bailey
Long before he got behind the wheel of "Cash Cab," Ben Bailey left his home in a small town in New Jersey and headed to Los Angeles to pursue his dream of a career in show business. Six weeks later, he found himself on stage at The Comedy Store. Shortly thereafter, Bailey returned to the…

Mondays on the Mall
Portland Mall management partners with Pioneer Courthouse Square and local businesses to bring free events and performances to the transit mall each Monday.

Cheerful Tortoise Comedy Open Mic
Comedy Open Mic for every skill level. Beginners are welcome. Weekly mic every Monday night with 8:30 p.m. sign-ups. Hosted by Sam Bass and Milo Loza. The Cheerful Tortoise is an iconic Portland bar that has been around for more than 60 years and provides a cheerful environment for everyone to enjoy.

Jessie Murph
Singer Jessie Murph brings a sugar-coated grit to her moody trap- and R&B-influenced pop. She first broke through in 2021 with singles like "Upgrade" and "When I'm Not Around." Her first EP, If I Died Last Night, appeared in 2022, followed by a 2023 mixtape, drowning. Born in Nashville, Murph grew up in Alabama, where…

MonArchy by Arnold Pander
Arnold Pander presents his new works in Oil, Watercolor and Pen and Ink at Ale O Boutique in downtown Portland. Pander will display recent works in various media focusing on figurative art, punk rock and its influence on fashion. Arnold will perform a live-art demonstration with a live model at 6 p.m..

Taylor Tomlinson
Taylor Tomlinson announces 30+ additional 2023 U.S. dates of her blockbuster The Have It All Tour. Recognized by The New Yorker for her “quicksilver candor,” the California native has been mining everything from her childhood to her dating escapades for an entirely new live show on the heels of her second hour-long special, Look At…

Art Focus Night: Illustrators Work & Chat
Professional illustrators, graphic designers, digital painters and artists are invited to come and have free snacks, meet other creators and have time to work together. Bring a project to work on. Hosted by artist Shelly Swann @fairywulf and Gallery Go Go @gallerygogo

NW Dance Project – Sharing Stories
Kicking off NW Dance Project’s 20th anniversary season and celebrating 20 years and over 350 original dance works made and premiered in Portland. True to form, Portland’s award-winning contemporary dance company brings a diverse and delightful triple bill evening featuring inspired and inspiring new dance works to the Newmark stage. NW Dance Project presents: SHARING…

Orion Quartet Farewell Tour with Ida Kavafian
Reach for the stars with the world-renowned Orion String Quartet as they celebrate their 36th and final season together. Hailed as “consistently beguiling and technically impeccable” (The Los Angeles Times), don’t miss your last chance to hear violinists Daniel Phillips and Todd Phillips — brothers who share the first violin chair equally — violist Steven…

Young Frankenstein
From the creators of the record-breaking Broadway sensation, The Producers, comes this monster new musical comedy. The comedy genius, Mel Brooks, adapts his legendarily funny film into a brilliant stage creation — Young Frankenstein. The grandson of the infamous Victor Frankenstein, Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced "Fronk-en-steen"), inherits his family's estate in Transylvania. With the help of…

Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis
Experience the sensational Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra, led by artistic director, trumpeter extraordinaire, and nine-time Grammy Award-winner Wynton Marsalis. The Chicago Tribune describes the band in concert: “The orchestra [tore] through this music as if chasing the wind. Only a group of musicians who have toured together for so long…could have attained this kind…

Leonard Baskin, the Great Birdman
Leonard Baskin’s Orthodox Jewish upbringing and deep knowledge of Jewish texts and history are evident throughout his oeuvre. His art, expressed in sculpture and painting, and the printing techniques of lithography, woodcut, etching, and engraving, carries multiple sources of inspiration, including monumental Egyptian and Mesopotamian sculpture, classical Greek mythology and literature, and portrayals of Native…

Derek Hough
For the first time in 4 years, the incomparable Derek Hough brings you an all-new, spectacular Symphony of Dance. With electrifying music, awe-inspiring dance and nonstop entertainment, Derek Hough is the perfect way to experience the beauty and power of music and dance. Hough and an incredible cast of dancers pull out all the stops…

Fauré Piano Quartet
One of the world’s leading piano quartets, the German-based Fauré Piano Quartet is highly regarded for their visionary approach to music, whether it is performing arrangements of pop songs, appearing in clubs like Le Poisson Rouge, or getting children excited about chamber music with their “Rhapsody in School” program. “Right up there with the best…

Matt and Kim
The Brooklyn-based duo Matt and Kim — Matt on keys and vocals, Kim on drums — started playing energetic dance punk in the early 2000s, then edged into the mainstream in 2007 with the song "Daylight," which became a viral sensation thanks to its witty video. They held on to that level of popularity by…

Ray LaMontagne
Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Ray LaMontagne returns to the stage on his Just Passing Through acoustic tour, highlighting songs from his vast and varying body of work. LaMontagne will be playing songs spanning his albums, including Trouble, Till The Sun Turns Black, Gossip in the Grain, God Willin’ & The Creek Don’t Rise, Supernova, Ouroboros, and…

International Day of the Girl Luncheon
Girls Inc. of the Pacific Northwest is hosting its annual International Day of the Girl celebration with an in-person luncheon. The 2023 International Day of the Girl luncheon theme is “Digital generation. Our generation,” providing a platform for the global community to better understand girls' online disadvantages. 100% of proceeds will go towards serving over…

Max & Iggor Cavalera
Brazilian death/thrash metal act Cavalera Conspiracy initially formed in 2006 as Inflikted, around the talents of groundbreaking metal juggernaut Sepultura siblings Max Cavalera (vocals and guitar) and drummer Igor Cavalera, guitarist Marc Rizzo (Soulfly), and bassist Joe Duplantier (Gojira), but changed the name to Cavalera Conspiracy for legal reasons. The band's debut for Roadrunner Records,…

Camille A. Brown & Dancers
Camille A. Brown is the recipient of numerous awards and the first Black artist to direct a mainstage production at the Metropolitan Opera. After presenting Mr. TOL E. RAncE (2012) and BLACK GIRL: Linguistic Play (2016), White Bird is proud to bring Camille A. Brown’s ink, the third part of Brown’s Trilogy on race, culture…

Portland Tent Revival
The Portland Tent Revival is a church meeting to bring hope and healing to the community. There will be gospel music, speakers, food, and activities for children. All are welcome.

Elgar's Cello Concerto
The riveting cellist Joshua Roman plumbs the emotional depths of Elgar’s powerful Cello Concerto, a work of searing intensity and profound beauty. And Mason Bates’ Anthology of Fantastic Zoology brings a bevy of mythological creatures to life in a virtuosic showpiece. Program Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3 Elgar: Cello Concerto Mason Bates: Anthology of Fantastic…

Marc-André Hamelin
Among the piano's most ambitious and satisfying works to experience, Ives's "Concord" Sonata pays homage to four giants of American Transcendentalism — Emerson, Hawthorne, Alcott, and Thoreau — with music ranging from pastoral hymns to raucous ragtime. Ravel's Gaspard de la nuit transports us to a shadowy world of nymphs and goblins, making it the…

Eydís Evensen
“Classical music gamechanger” The Line Of Best Fit “Few artists are so effortlessly able to twist your heartstrings into a contortion of joy, sorrow and despair like Eydís Evensen” Wonderland Magazine The 29-year-old – who also sings on the album, for the first time – confronted her hardships and sorrows to create The Light….

Sammy Rae & The Friends
For as much as Sammy Rae & The Friends may be a band, this collective of dreamers and artists consider themselves a family first. Fronted by singer and songwriter Sammy Rae, the group flourishes in any spotlight with a combination of all-for-one and one-for-all camaraderie, palpable chemistry, deft virtuosity, and vocal fireworks. Their sound is…

Wilco
Evolving from a rough-and-tumble alt-country act into a mature and eclectic indie rock ensemble, Wilco became a critical favorite and cult hero on the back of a stylistically diverse body of songs from founder Jeff Tweedy. Rising from the ashes of the seminal alt-country band Uncle Tupelo, Tweedy assembled Wilco's first lineup from the membership…

Jonathan Eig
Jonathan Eig is an American journalist and biographer, acclaimed as a “master storyteller” by filmmaker Ken Burns. A former staff writer for The Wall Street Journal, he is the author of six books, including three New York Times bestsellers. Vividly written and exhaustively researched, Eig’s latest book, King: A Life (2023) is the first major…

Barbara Kingsolver
Literary Arts is thrilled to present An Evening with Barbara Kingsolver, author of The Poisonwood Bible and, most recently, the Pulitzer-Prize-winning novel Demon Copperhead. Barbara Kingsolver is the author of Demon Copperhead (Harper, 2022), a contemporary re-telling of David Copperfield set in Appalachia at the onset of the opioid epidemic. Demon Copperhead won the Pulitzer…

Lunchtime FREE Concert Series
The Old Church Concert Hall's gift to the community for over 50 years. Free classical concerts on the 3rd Wednesday of the month at noon. The 2023 season will be live-streamed with a live audience on 3rd Wednesdays at noon. Shifting to a once-each-month schedule means you can continue to enjoy these shows in-house or…

Write Your Story
Are you interested in capturing your family’s story in writing? Join writing workshops this quarter to guide participants in writing personal stories about family relationships, first and second-generation experiences, and immigration. No previous writing experience is necessary. Jessica Yen will lead this workshop. This program is free and open to the public. Jessica Yen is…

Meet the Flutists of the Oregon Symphony Orchestra
The Greater Portland Flute Society's Fall 2023 Guest Artist Event will feature a performance from the Oregon Symphony Orchestra’s flute section: Martha Long, Alicia DiDonato Paulsen and Zach Galatis, a "Q and A" with audience members and a reception following the event. Sponsors include Powell Flutes Boston, Brannen Brothers Flutemakers, Inc., Burkhart Flutes and Piccolos…

Fright Night: A Halloween Circus
Get ready for a tantalizing and spooky night of circus fun. Night Flight presents “Fright Night – A Halloween Circus” and is back for its 11th year. Blockmonster Video clerks Nick and Kyle hope for a quiet Halloween night rewinding horror hits. But when a mysterious book shows up with the rental returns, all hell…

Troupe Vertigo’s Cirque Noir
Experience the thrill of Cirque Noir, a symphonic performance featuring the acrobatic talents of Troupe Vertigo. Watch in awe as these aerial acrobats, dancers, and contortionists perform alongside the soaring melodies of the Oregon Symphony. Artists Jeff Tyzik, Conductor Troupe Vertigo Oregon Symphony
Portland's Central City
There's a lot more to Portland's urban core than Downtown, a center for retail, restaurants and cultural attractions. Goose Hollow is home to Providence Park soccer stadium, while the Pearl District is famous for upscale bars, boutiques and galleries. Old Town Chinatown offers streetwear shops, Saturday Market and Lan Su Chinese Garden and Northwest/Nob Hill boasts shopping, dining and access to Forest Park and the historic Pittock Mansion. East of the Willamette River, the Central Eastside offers family-friendly attractions, shopping and nightlife, while Lloyd is home to the Oregon Convention Center and the Portland Trail Blazers.
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