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    • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
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  • Attractions
    • women dances with large fans outside on a city street surrounded by people in colorful dragon costumesView All Attractions
    • Museums
    • Parks & Gardens
    • Family Friendly
    • Shopping
    • On a Budget
    • EVEN MORE THINGS TO DO
  • Culture
    • people sitting at tables eating foodView All Culture
    • Arts
    • Beer
    • Biking
    • Cannabis
    • Cultural Communities
    • Craft Spirits
    • Food
    • Makers
    • Music
    • Nightlife
    • Outdoors
    • Sports
    • Weird
    • Wine
    • MORE CULTURE
  • Neighborhoods
    • aerial view of downtown area with buildings and roadways, bridges crossing a river to a smaller set of buildings that expand into the distanceView All Neighborhoods
    • Alberta Arts District
    • Belmont
    • Central Eastside
    • Division/Clinton
    • Downtown
    • Hawthorne
    • Lloyd
    • Mississippi
    • Northwest / Nob Hill
    • Old Town Chinatown
    • Pearl District
    • St. Johns
    • Sellwood-Moreland
    • Williams
    • ALL NEIGHBORHOODS
  • Region
    • RegionView All Region
    • Near the City
    • Columbia River Gorge
    • Mount Hood
    • Oregon Coast
    • Willamette Valley
    • ALL REGIONS
  • Plan
    • Light rail train car driving past people shopping at an outdoor marketView All Plan
    • Portland Maps
    • Where to Stay
    • Tours & Itineraries
    • Transportation
    • When to Visit
    • Accessible Portland
    • Portland Weather
    • COVID-19 FAQ
    • Safety in Portland
    • Plan a Meeting
  • Events
  • Search
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Director Park, right in the middle of downtown Portland, is home to the Portland Visitor Center.
Neighborhoods / Southwest Portland

Downtown

Explore diverse shopping, dining and cultural offerings in downtown Portland.

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Director Park, right in the middle of downtown Portland, is home to the Portland Visitor Center.

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.

Downtown Hotels

With Portland's highest concentration of hotels, not to mention ample restaurants, cultural attractions and shops, downtown makes a great home base for your visit.

Find a Hotel

Short-Term Rentals in Downtown

Use the links below to search for short-term vacation rental listings in Downtown.

Airbnb

Vacasa

Vrbo

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.

view from outside of clothing and shoes in window

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.

a person with tattooed forearms holds two plates of food

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.

Directors Park

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.

Explore Portland With Near Me Now

Are you in Portland or visiting soon? Our Near Me Now web app will lead you to some of our favorite neighborhood spots.

Visit Near Me Now

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.

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Pioneer Square is the center of downtown Portland and is surround by great shopping and places to eat. It’s also has movies playing on the big screen during the summer months and plenty of festivals during the year.
people browsing through an outdoor market
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Local artisans share their wares at the open-air market at Portland State University.
Credit: Leah Nash
A historic building with a variety of business signs
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Al’s Den, at McMenamins Crystal Hotel, hosts free live music nightly.
Credit: Ian Sane, via Flickr
two people walk with umbrellas in the distance along a path covered with golden-colored leaves in a city park
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Downtown Portland’s North Park Blocks are enjoyable in every season.
Credit: Jon Kraft
orange pedicab rides through park under backlit cherry blossoms and a view of the Burnside Bridge
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Walk, bike, or take a pedicab along the river in Tom McCall Waterfront Park.
Credit: NASHCO Photo

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.

5 to Try

Favorite Theaters

This neighborhood offers a thriving theater community with major venues within a few city blocks.

  • The Old Church Concert Hall

    Built in 1882, this former church hosts live music including folk, alternative, world, indie, classical, jazz and is home to the oldest tracker action organ in its original location -though it has now been modernized with electricity.

  • Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

    A 65-foot-high “Portland” sign illuminated with 6,000 lights crowns the historic Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. Seating 2,776 it is the home base for the Oregon Symphony Orchestra and several other large performing arts groups.

  • Keller Auditorium

    The spacious Keller Auditorium was built in 1917 and is part of Portland’5 Centers for the Arts. The venue hosts performing arts events of all kinds, including Broadway productions, ballet and opera.

  • Whitsell Auditorium

    Located inside the Portland Art Museum, the Film Center’s Whitsell Auditorium features year-round foreign, independent and classic films, and hosts visiting artists from the PacNW and across the globe as well as hosts International Film Festivals.

  • Winningstad Theatre

    This courtyard-style theater is Portland’5 Centers for the Arts’ most flexible performing space. With 304 seats, the seating and stage can be reconfigured in a variety of ways to allow for innovative staging and set design.

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?)

Neighborhoods, Tours & Itineraries
Top 5

Things To Do Outdoors

Visit verdant parks and outdoor attractions nestled amid downtown's hustle and bustle.

  • South Park Blocks

    Set aside for public use in 1852, the South Park Blocks were the city’s first parks, forming a green corridor through the heart of the city and playing home to the Portland Art Museum, the Oregon Historical Society and Portland State University.

  • Tom McCall Waterfront Park

    This downtown riverfront park offers a 1.5-mile stretch of green along the Willamette River. It is home to many signature Portland events, along with Salmon Street Springs and the Japanese American Historical Plaza.

  • Mill Ends Park

    At 24 inches (61 cm) in diameter, this is the world’s smallest park. Established by a journalist who grew tired of the empty hole outside his window, the park has been the site of events, fictitious leprechaun capers and a miniature Ferris wheel.

  • Keller Fountain Park

    An astounding 13,000 gallons of water per minute cascade through the terraces and platforms of this unique fountain landscape. Designed by Angela Danadjieva, this city landmark was inspired by the waterfalls of the nearby Columbia River Gorge.

  • Director Park

    This European-style piazza features a fountain, ample outdoor seating and plays host to occasional events in the summer.

Getting Your Bearings

From our Neighborhood Guide to Downloadable Maps, we are here to help to explore all of Portland.

Find Maps

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.

What's Going On In Portland?

Portland — like many cities — is currently confronting issues related to social justice, livability and the COVID-19 pandemic. Amid it all, Portland is a safe place to visit.

Read On

Downtown Events

Explore Downtown Portland and all that it has to offer at these upcoming events.

More events
Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize Exhibition
Feb. 28–Apr. 29, 2023

Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize Exhibition

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University Free

The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University is pleased to present the Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize exhibition from February 28 – April 29, 2023. A public reception will be held on Thursday, March 2, 2023, from 5 – 7 pm. To mark the prizes’ decade-long establishment, please join the PSU School…

Art & Design
Exhibition
Conductions: Black Imaginings
Mar. 22–26, 2023

Conductions: Black Imaginings

Portland Art Museum $0 – $25

Conductions: Black Imaginings is a programmatic series of in-gallery ephemeral activations by Black artists that look at the ways in which Black performance, sound, video and social practice works become bridges between present Museum practices and future Black imaginings of those spaces. Drawing on the use of the term “conduction” in Ta-Nehisi Coates’ novel The…

Art & Design
Cultural Communities
Performing Arts
Editor's Pick
Farmers Market at Portland State University
Ongoing

Farmers Market at Portland State University

Portland Farmers Market at PSU Free

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.

Editor's Pick
Food & Drink
Shopping
Nature Vive: Paul Missal
Mar. 25–Aug. 31, 2023

Nature Vive: Paul Missal

Portland Art Museum $0 – $25

Nature Vive is an intimate exhibition celebrating the masterful work of Paul Missal through the lens of his playful and symbolic still-life paintings and prints. This exhibition explores themes of decay to renewal, the cool tension of balanced dualities, and nature as guardian. The show’s title inverts the traditional term nature morte (literally, dead nature,…

Art & Design
Exhibition
The Odyssey of the Historic Jantzen Beach Carousel
Nov. 18, 2022–Apr. 30, 2023

The Odyssey of the Historic Jantzen Beach Carousel

Oregon Historical Society Free

The Jantzen Beach Amusement Park officially opened on May 26, 1928. It added a new attraction in July of that year—an impressive four-abreast carousel built by C. W. Parker. The Odyssey of the Historic Jantzen Beach Carousel examines the carousel’s journey from Parker’s Leavenworth factory to California’s sunny shores to the Jantzen Beach Amusement Park,…

Art & Design
Exhibition
History
Editor's Pick
Ticket to Dine
Mar. 17–26, 2023

Ticket to Dine

Old Town and Downtown Portland Free

Portland’s “Ticket to Dine” offers patrons scratch-off tickets and a chance to win big prizes for 10 days in March.

Editor's Pick
Events
Food
Weaving Data
Jan. 24–Apr. 29, 2023

Weaving Data

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University Free

The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at PSU is pleased to present Weaving Data, featuring the work of Faig Ahmed, April Bey, Jovencio de la Paz, Ahree Lee, Kayla Mattes, Shelley Socolofsky, Joan Truckenbrod, Vo Vo, and Sarah Wertzberger. The exhibition is on view from January 24 through April 29, 2023, with an opening reception…

Art & Design
Exhibition
Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe
Oct. 29, 2022–May 14, 2023

Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe

Portland Art Museum $22 – $25

Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe introduces new generations to one of the twentieth century’s most innovative Native American painters. Howe (1915–1983) committed his artistic career to the preservation, relevance, and ongoing expression of his Yanktonai Dakota culture. He proved that art could be simultaneously modern and embedded in customary Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Sioux) culture…

Art & Design
Cultural Communities
Exhibition
Hito Steyerl: This is the Future
Feb. 11–June 18, 2023

Hito Steyerl: This is the Future

Portland Art Museum $25

This is the Future, by the film and new media artist Hito Steyerl explores a vibrant, imagined garden through an immersive environment of video projection, sculpture, and an augmented reality (AR) experience. Steyerl is one of the foremost artists offering critical reflections on the complexities of the digital world, global capitalism, and the implications of…

Exhibition
Editor's Pick
Portland Saturday Market
Ongoing

Portland Saturday Market

Tom McCall Waterfront Park Free

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

Editor's Pick
Attractions
Events
Shopping
Story Time + Art Activity
Mar. 11–Apr. 22, 2023

Story Time + Art Activity

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University Free

Join in for a story and art activity led by Portland-based artist Latoya Lovely. As part of our programming for Weaving Data, Lovely will read weaving-related stories to children and their guardians in the galleries, followed by an art activity. This program is geared towards pre-K through early elementary students. A guardian must accompany children…

Art & Design
Exhibition
For Kids
Woodlark Artisan Market
Mar. 25–26, 2023

Woodlark Artisan Market

Woodlark Hotel Free

The Woodlark Hotel is celebrating the end of Women’s Month with their first highly curated artisan goods market. Shop and support a selection of local and incredible women-owned brands. Vendors include: Amy Wike Ceramics, Essance Skincare, Tacky Dayz, Renée Staeck, Amsha, Barrow PDX, FUN IS FOREVER, Momo Cocoa, Ayumi Angel, Throwing Tiny Fits, Punctuation Ceramics,…

Art & Design
Shopping
Yonder Mountain String Band
Saturday, Mar. 25, 2023

Yonder Mountain String Band

McMenamins Crystal Ballroom $29.50 – $39.50

With their latest album, “Get Yourself Outside,” Colorado-based Yonder Mountain String Band once again echoes out into the universe their place as not only a pioneering jam-grass act but also one of the most innovative groups in the live music scene – something the groundbreaking ensemble has proudly held high for the better part of…

Music
Cheerful Tortoise Comedy Open Mic
Ongoing

Cheerful Tortoise Comedy Open Mic

Cheerful Tortoise Free

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.

Comedy
Nightlife
Performing Arts
Hairspray
Mar. 28–Apr. 2, 2023

Hairspray

Keller Auditorium TBA

“If life were everything it should be, it would be more like HAIRSPRAY. It’s irresistible!” – The New York Times You Can’t Stop the Beat! HAIRSPRAY, Broadway’s Tony Award-winning musical comedy phenomenon is back on tour. Join 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular…

Music
Performing Arts
Ride Every Wednesday
Mar. 1–Apr. 26, 2023

Ride Every Wednesday

Multiple Locations Downtown Free

Every Wednesday morning in March and April, PBOT will be popping up with fresh coffee and Kuto credits for anyone who rides transit, bikes or walks into downtown. Welcome to Every Wednesday. A new Portland tradition designed to brighten up your midweek. Whether you’ve been coming into the office throughout the pandemic or prepping for…

Health & Wellness
Live Entertainment in The Nines Living Room
Ongoing

Live Entertainment in The Nines Living Room

The Nines, A Luxury Collection Hotel Free

Every Wednesday, local Portland area artists perform from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m. in The Nines Living Room. Cocktails and a limited menu are offered at each performance by Urban Farmer Steakhouse while you relax and listen. Located at the historic Meier and Frank building, The Nines Hotel Portland is an authentic piece of the…

Music
Eye Dotting Ceremony
Saturday, Apr. 1, 2023

Eye Dotting Ceremony

King Tide Fish & Shell Free

The eye dotting ceremony, awakening the dragon, and blessing the boats marks the beginning of the 12-week-long Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race season. Outside the King Tide Fish & Shell, The Portland-Kaohsiung Sister City Association (PKSCA) proudly presents the Eye Dotting Ceremony, signaling the start of the 12-week-long Portland Rose Festival Dragon Boat Race…

Cultural Communities
Sports
Weaving Data Exhibition Tour
Mar. 4–Apr. 1, 2023

Weaving Data Exhibition Tour

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University Free

Visit the JSMA at PSU for a tour of the exhibition, Weaving Data. Led by JSMA staff, the tour will cover highlights of the exhibition. This program is free and open to the public. ASL interpreting will be provided.* Exhibition, education, and outreach programs have been made possible by a grant from The Ford Family…

Art & Design
Exhibition
Guided Tour
Art Focus Night: Illustrators Work & Chat
Ongoing

Art Focus Night: Illustrators Work & Chat

Pioneer Place Free

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

Art & Design
Sasha Velour
Apr. 7–8, 2023

Sasha Velour

Winningstad Theatre $40 – $100

Sasha Velour presents an immersive evening of drag, storytelling, and live art, in celebration of her forthcoming book The Big Reveal: An Illustrated Manifesto of Drag (Harper Books, 2023). The book documents the histories and controversies surrounding drag alongside Velour’s personal story. The live show brings this to life with iconic new performances from Sasha,…

LGBTQ+
Music
Ten Grands
Saturday, Apr. 8, 2023

Ten Grands

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall $28 – $155

Ten grand pianos. Ten amazing pianists. One sensational stage with many special guests. THE PIANISTS: Michael Allen Harrison and more are to be announced soon. Enjoy this amazing group of performers while supporting Play it Forward live and in person at The Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

Music
Impractical Jokers
Saturday, Apr. 8, 2023

Impractical Jokers

Keller Auditorium Cost Varies

Brian Quinn (Q), James Murray (Murr) and Sal Vulcano are the Creators, Executive Producers, and Stars of truTV’s hit series, Impractical Jokers. Now in its 10th season, Impractical Jokers is a hidden-camera comedy show that follows Q, Murr and Sal as they compete to embarrass each other among the general public with a series of…

Comedy
Anti-Authoritarianism in Art and Design: Vo Vo and Andrew Santa Lucia
Thursday, Apr. 13, 2023

Anti-Authoritarianism in Art and Design: Vo Vo and Andrew Santa Lucia

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University Free

Join in on a dynamic conversation between Vo Vo and Professor Andrew Santa Lucia (School of Architecture at PSU) about the relationship between anti-authoritarianism, anti-fascism, anarchism, art and design. This event will take place in the galleries of JSMA near Vo Vo’s multimedia installation Still Fighting: Textile Workers of Lawrence, Strike of 1912 to present…

Art & Design
Exhibition
Readings & Talks
Breaking the Chains: The Legacy of Oscar Howe
Apr. 14–15, 2023

Breaking the Chains: The Legacy of Oscar Howe

Portland Art Museum $0 – $25

In this one-and-a-half-day event, artists will join academic and community scholars to explore ideas about Oscar Howe’s life and legacy introduced in the Dakota Modern exhibition and book. Speakers will discuss the role of cultural authority in Howe’s practice and his art in relation to Native American politics. Other topics include the impact of Howe’s…

Art & Design
Readings & Talks
The Sound Of Animals Fighting
Friday, Apr. 14, 2023

The Sound Of Animals Fighting

McMenamins Crystal Ballroom $32.50 – $49.50

For the purposes of mystique (and, one assumes, legal reasons due to the various participants owning recording contracts), the experimental noise rock collective the Sound of Animals Fighting appears in public only in cheap creepy cute children’s Halloween masks with cartoon animals on them. Furthermore, the members of the band — really more of an…

Music
Portland World Culture Festival
Saturday, Apr. 15, 2023

Portland World Culture Festival

Embassy Suites by Hilton – Downtown $30

The World Culture Festival was born out of an inspiration to create a celebration that reflected both the world’s unity and incredible diversity with it’s music and dance, soaring artistry and visionary dreams. And so a stage was born. Since it’s inception in 2006, the festival has entertained, thrilled, and inspired more than five million…

Cultural Communities
Music
Performing Arts
Peter & the Wolf
Sunday, Apr. 16, 2023

Peter & the Wolf

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall $11 +

Prokofiev’s enchanting children’s work for narrator and orchestra is both a fable about a headstrong boy and, cleverly, an introduction to the instruments of the orchestra. Artists TBA, Conductor Dance West Pacific Youth Choir Pam Mahon, Narrator Oregon Symphony

For Kids
Music
The Catalyst Quartet: UNCOVERED | Remarkable Women Composers
Sunday, Apr. 16, 2023

The Catalyst Quartet: UNCOVERED | Remarkable Women Composers

The Old Church Concert Hall $10 – $66.50

Hailed by The New York Times as “invariably energetic and finely burnished…playing with earthy vigor,” the Grammy Award-winning Catalyst Quartet was founded by the internationally acclaimed Sphinx Organization, which is dedicated to transforming lives through the power of diversity in the arts. Catalyst combines a serious commitment to diversity, education, and contemporary works with virtuosic…

Music
Sold Out
Dust to Matter : rettaM ot tusD
Tuesday, Apr. 18, 2023

Dust to Matter : rettaM ot tusD

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University Free

Join Weaving Data featured artist Shelley Socolofsky for a material conversation on slow looking, slow making, and the healing properties of weaving and touch. With an art practice grounded in storytelling, myth remaking, and ritual, Socolofsky’s gallery talk invites a deeper interrogation of the binary. Specifically, where weaving, a process of information storage through a…

Sold Out
Art & Design
Exhibition
They Might Be Giants
Apr. 18–19, 2023

They Might Be Giants

McMenamins Crystal Ballroom $35

The show is “an evening with” and TMBG will play two full sets with their electrifying live band featuring the show-stopping Mark Pender on trumpet. The sets will span the band’s entire career from early favorites to brand new tracks, as well as the live improvisations that have become a highlight of TMBG shows. Plus,…

Music
Impulse: Sweet 16
Apr. 21–May 7, 2023

Impulse: Sweet 16

Newmark Theater $12 – $18

Portland’s award-winning premier teen improv group is back for another season of laughs. Now in its 16th year, a new class of comedic comrades will create fast-paced scenes and games — all based on audience suggestions. Get ready for a quick-witted, hilarious night. Recommended for ages 7 and up.

Comedy
For Kids
Performing Arts
The Magic Flute
Apr. 21–30, 2023

The Magic Flute

Portland State University Performance Hall $20 – $45

In a mystical world of fantasy filled with terrifying dragons, mischievous fairies and charming forest animals, Tamino and his bird-catching sidekick Papageno embark on a life-changing challenge: to rescue the beautiful princess imprisoned by the evil sorcerer. Armed with little more than a magic flute and an unshakeable commitment to true love, the pair face…

Performing Arts
Danzmayr Conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 4
Apr. 22–24, 2023

Danzmayr Conducts Mahler’s Symphony No. 4

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall $25 +

Music Director David Danzmayr leads Mahler’s sunny Fourth Symphony, with its curious sleigh bells, puckish woodwinds, and a moving finale that imagines a child’s awe-inspiring vision of Heaven. Swedish soprano Camilla Tilling enchants with the “purity of her sound” (Gramophone) in both Mahler and Osvaldo Golijov’s tender, tragic Three Songs. Program Osvaldo Golijov: Three Songs…

Music
Editor's Pick
Bridge to Brews
Sunday, Apr. 23, 2023

Bridge to Brews

Tom McCall Waterfront Park Cost Varies

The iconic Bridge to Brews race returns in 2023 At Waterfront Park, join the annual 8k and 10k walk/run over 4 of Portland’s iconic Bridges. After the race, there will be a beer/cider-tasting event on the waterfront. Sip on some of Portland’s best beer and cider while enjoying live music, games, and goodies from local…

Editor's Pick
Food & Drink
Outdoors
Portland Art Museum Free Day
Feb. 19–May 20, 2023

Portland Art Museum Free Day

Portland Art Museum Free

Enjoy free admission all day in celebration of the special exhibitions Dakota Modern: The Art of Oscar Howe and Jeffrey Gibson’s They Come From Fire and To Name An Other. Families and children are invited to storytelling sessions and art-making activities with Indigenous educators Karen Kitchen and Sunshine Guzman, along with an array of presentations,…

Art & Design
Exhibition
Some Stars of Native American Comedy
Sunday, Apr. 23, 2023

Some Stars of Native American Comedy

Newmark Theater $20 – $25

Some Stars of Native American Comedy (aka Some Stars), The Rez Car Broke Down, features four Native American comedy storytellers sharing their take on life, love and dream catchers from a Native perspective. The award-winning line-up takes on everything from identity politics, cultural stereotypes, dating, white guilt, and rodeos with a mix of charm, irony,…

Comedy
Cultural Communities
Paper Weaving Workshop
Thursday, Apr. 27, 2023

Paper Weaving Workshop

Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University Free

The JSMA at PSU is pleased to host a paper weaving workshop with Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize recipient Johanna Houska (BFA Art Practice, ‘22). The method introduced will utilize various non-traditional weaving materials and draws on inspiration from 2-D artists to develop intricate woven work through color, shape, and pattern. Participants will learn to…

Art & Design
Exhibition
Steinway Piano Series - Susan Chan Master Class
Sunday, Apr. 30, 2023

Steinway Piano Series – Susan Chan Master Class

Lincoln Performance Hall Free

Founded in 2015 and directed by piano professor Dr. Susan Chan, the PSU Steinway Piano Series brings internationally recognized performers and educators to Portland for a weekend of public recitals and master classes each year. Acting as a bridge between world-class stages and the college classroom, the series elevates awareness for PSU’s outstanding music program…

Music
Performing Arts
Cobra Man
Wednesday, May 3, 2023

Cobra Man

McMenamins Crystal Ballroom $24

Inspired by a request from Los Angeles skateboarding collective the Worble, musician Andy Harry formed the electro-punk duo Cobra Man with his friend Sarah Rayne. The group’s first task was to write a score for the Worble’s video about a human skate ramp. The instrumental “Manramp” introduced Cobra Man’s thrashy, disco-punk synth and bass approach,…

Music
Beethoven's Ninth
Sunday, May 7, 2023

Beethoven's Ninth

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall $15 – $65

Portland Youth Philharmonic concludes its landmark 99th season with the famous and revered Ninth Symphony of Ludwig van Beethoven. Joining PYP’s first performance of this magnificent choral symphony is the Portland Symphonic Choir, which featured vocal soloists Anthony Kalil, Vanessa Isiguen, Zachary Lenox, and Hannah Penn. Program highlights: The PYP Orchestra Conducted by David Hattner…

Music
M83
Monday, May 8, 2023

M83

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall $49.50 – $69.50

Monqui Presents welcomes French electronic music group M83 to the Portland’5 Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall for the Fantasy 2023 Tour. Blending synth-pop and shoegaze into lush music that makes the most of nostalgia’s emotional impact, M83 became one of the more influential acts of the 2000s and 2010s. Anthony Gonzalez’s fascination with memories, melancholy, and…

Music
Portland Business Alliance's Rose City 5K Run - Presented by Nike
Thursday, May 11, 2023

Portland Business Alliance's Rose City 5K Run – Presented by Nike

World Trade Center Cost Varies

With a spring in your step, lace up your sneakers, and join the Portland Business Alliance’s annual Rose City 5K, presented by Nike. Whether you’ve competed in an Ironman or enjoy a lovely stroll, all are welcome to register as a team or solo. Online registration will close at 12:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 10. Participants…

Health & Wellness
Outdoors
Sports
Classical Gershwin with the Oregon Symphony
May 13–15, 2023

Classical Gershwin with the Oregon Symphony

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall $25 +

Steeped in jazz, blues, and ragtime, Gershwin’s Concerto in F Major is a quintessentially American take on the classical concerto, making it the perfect vehicle for the dynamic pianist Aaron Diehl. Shostakovich’s brooding, deeply personal Tenth Symphony pursues great extremes in emotion and orchestral color, from wistful wind solos to menacing marches. PROGRAM Unsuk Chin:…

Music
Ella Mai
Sunday, May 14, 2023

Ella Mai

McMenamins Crystal Ballroom $39.50 – $209

Ella Mai wasn’t unknown before signing Mustard’s 10 Summers label. Still, after the ink dried, the contemporary R&B singer/songwriter achieved true international stardom with “Boo’d Up” (2018), a sparkling slow jam exhibiting her casually commanding vocals. A Top Ten U.S. pop hit and a Grammy winner for Best R&B Song, the track drove its parent…

Music
Nightlife
Jerry Harrison & Adrian Belew
Wednesday, May 17, 2023

Jerry Harrison & Adrian Belew

McMenamins Crystal Ballroom $35 – $189

Jerry Harrison is the keyboardist and guitar player for the legendary band Talking Heads. He is a member of the Rock N Roll Hall of Fame and the recipient of a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2021. He has multiple critically acclaimed solo albums, including Casual Gods. Additionally, he has an illustrious career as a record…

Music
Nightlife
Tom Hanks: in Conversation
Thursday, May 18, 2023

Tom Hanks: in Conversation

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall $30 – $90

Literary Arts presents a special event with legendary actor, filmmaker, and writer Tom Hanks, in conversation about his new novel The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece. About Tom Hanks: Tom Hanks has won Academy Awards for best actor for Philadelphia and Forrest Gump. He has starred in, among many other films, Big, Sleepless…

Readings & Talks
Thomas Lauderdale Meets The Pilgrims
Thursday, May 18, 2023

Thomas Lauderdale Meets The Pilgrims

McMenamins Crystal Ballroom $25 – $35

Over 25 years in the making. Pink Martini bandleader Thomas Lauderdale’s rumored collaboration with legendary surf rock sensations Satan’s Pilgrims, was lost in the mists of time. This long-awaited album, recorded concurrently with Pink Martini’s seminal debut “Sympathique,” is finally seeing the light of day. Buoyed by Lauderdale’s sparkling piano fireworks atop the Pilgrims’ iconic…

Music
Against the Grain
Friday, May 19, 2023

Against the Grain

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall $11 – $45

The season finale will showcase Faust Overture by Emilie Mayer, an underappreciated contemporary of Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt. Emilie challenged the expectations of female composers during her time, veering away from salon music in favor of grand form. Despite her eight symphonies and numerous overtures, the Faust Overture was the only work printed during…

Music
Kali Uchis
Sunday, May 21, 2023

Kali Uchis

Keller Auditorium $39.50 -$79.50

Grammy-winning artist Kali Uchis’ new English language album, Red Moon In Venus, is slated for release on March 3 via Interscope. “Love is the message,” Uchis explains about the new album. “Red Moon In Venus is a timeless, burning expression of desire, heartbreak, faith, and honesty, reflecting the divine femininity of the moon and Venus….

Music

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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.