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.
Throughlines: Connections in the Collection
Throughlines embraces wonder and curiosity, bringing together artworks from across the Museum’s collections to explore the range of artistic innovation. From diverse geographies, cultures, and time periods, artists have consistently created images, objects, and experiences that ask us to consider ourselves and the world from different perspectives. Visitors will encounter playful groupings that reveal how artists…
One Moto Show
Every year, the One Moto Show draws thousands of bikers and enthusiasts to Portland to celebrate all things motorcycle.
Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks
Future Now: Virtual Sneakers to Cutting-Edge Kicks is a groundbreaking new exhibition that features nearly 60 futuristic footwear designs pushing the boundaries of what art can be. Featuring an incredible mix of fashion, design, gaming, new media, architecture, and material arts as well as sustainable and collaborative practices, the exhibition features work by designers as diverse…
Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize
The Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State University is pleased to present the Arlene Schnitzer Visual Arts Prize exhibition. A public reception will be held on Wednesday, March 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. The School of Art + Design and the College of the Arts celebrate the eleventh year of the Arlene…
Labor of Love
The artists featured in Labor of Love produce work that aims to expose and highlight labor practices that have been historically and systematically concealed from the public sphere. Working across a wide variety of media and using a range of conceptual approaches, the eight artists exhibited here seek to explore that which is often hidden just under…
Picnic in the Park
Come enjoy lunch in Director Park with music and fun games such as corn hole, giant chess, and jump rope. Special appearance from Shoehorn Conley on Thursdays.
Prepare for the Night with DJ George the Mixologist
Come enjoy music from DJ, George the Mixologist, who will bring vibes to the park every Friday evening before people enjoy all the nighttime entertainment downtown has to offer.
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…
The Jefferson Dancers
The Jefferson Dancers, affectionately known as "the JDs," represent the pinnacle of excellence within the nationally renowned dance department at Jefferson High School. For nearly 50 years, this elite company has nurtured the community's most talented dance students, fostering a multi-ethnic ensemble of dancers aged 14 to 18. Under the expert guidance of Artistic Director…
The Merry Widow
Indulge in the elegance, romance, and comedic brilliance of Franz Lehar’s lighthearted operetta, “The Merry Widow,” with an unexpected twist. Count Danilo and Hannah fall in love, but their marriage is thwarted by his uncle because of Hannah’s insufficient wealth. Instead, Hannah marries a wealthy older man who soon dies, leaving her all his fortune….
Yohen
The odds are against this intriguing pair. A Japanese wife and her Black husband struggle against the headwinds of racism, cultural misunderstandings, and the passage of time that have worn them and their 30-year marriage to the bone. But she’s not content to toss it all out like a pot damaged in the red-hot kiln….
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.
Buffalo Exchange’s Earth Day
Starting at normal store opening hours, Buffalo Exchange Portland (Hawthorne and Downtown) will have an awesome selection of clothing, shoes and accessories for just $1 apiece. 100% of proceeds from the sale will benefit Goats of Anarchy and their dedication to rescuing and rehabilitating farmed animals with disabilities. The $1 Sale is CASH ONLY, and…
A Year with Frog & Toad
Wake up from hibernation with this delightful musical based on Arnold Lobel’s treasure characters. Join best friends Frog and Toad as they hop, sing, and dance through a year of adventure. As the seasons change from spring to fall, the cheerful Frog and the more timid Toad plant a garden, go swimming, fly kites, and…
Play in the Park
Join every Saturday in the partnership with Whimsy Care and IDEALPDX to provide family friendly entertainment and activities in Director Park. Fairy house building? Seed planting? Bubbles? Magicians? All to be expected throughout the Play in the Park series.
Textile Hive Guided Tour
Come take a tour of Textile Hive and experience the beauty of the Andrea Aranow Textile Design Collection. Located in the heart of downtown Portland, Textile Hive houses over 40,000 textile & design objects. The collection represents over 50 countries and 200 years of design history. Each tour last approximately an hour and fifteen minutes and covers…
Skylarks On Tap
Jazz, classical, and latin music. Dancers demonstrating rhythmic prowess. And to top it off, stunning singing from a Portland icon. This is what you’ll experience at Skylarks On Tap at The Judy Kafoury Center for Youth Arts (The Judy) this April. The show will be performed in the intimate Ball Black Box theater at this…
Bridge to Brews
The iconic Bridge to Brews race returns in 2024 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 vendors.
Multicultural Celebration Event
Join the first multicultural event that will include food, art, music, dance performances, and much more… This will be a family-friendly event where you will enjoy the variety of cultures represented in the vendors' products. Admission is free and open to all.
Swan Lake
Swan Lake is a ballet masterpiece that tells the story of a prince who falls in love with a beautiful swan princess under a spell. The ballet is renowned for its stunning choreography, intricate set design, and Tchaikovsky's captivating music. Its themes of love, sacrifice, and redemption continue to resonate with audiences of all ages and backgrounds, making it…
In Concert on Downtown’s Transit Mall
Picture this: A serene mid-day in Portland, the sun gently casting its warmth over Pioneer Square. As you sit down for lunch, the air is filled with the melodic strains of live music. It's Concerts on Downtown’s Transit Mall, an oasis of sound amidst the bustling city. Let the music serenade you as you savor…
Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour
Blippi is coming to your city for the ultimate curiosity adventure in Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour. So, come on. Dance, sing, and learn with Blippi and special guest Meekah as they discover what makes different cities unique and special. Will there be monster trucks, excavators, and garbage trucks galore? You bet! So get ready…
West End Wednesdays
West End Wednesday exists to ignite new energy and define a common vision for downtown SW Portland. Building relationships with neighbors and business partners is not just organizing a once-a-month event… it is actively creating, together, a neighborhood everyone can love to live, work and play in. West End Wednesdays is the West End's signature celebration…
SAVEUR Mag PDX Pop-Up
The legacy food publication SAVEUR Magazine just relaunched its print issue and will host a Portland pop-up to celebrate. The evening will feature editor-in-chief Kat Craddock, signing newly released copies of the issue, alongside small bites from Euzumeh — chef Tamara Hattar’s Jordanian food pop-up found at Café Olli and the Portland Farmers Market —…
United Way Laid-Back Literacy Society Book Club
Do you love chatting about your current read? Do you want to tell everyone about your favorite book? Join the Laid-Back Literary Society book club hosted by United Way of the Columbia-Willamette. What is the Laid-Back Literary Society? It is a book club with no set book. Rather, participants will choose a book genre…
Verselandia!
Verselandia! is the annual high school poetry slam presented by Literary Arts. It is the Grand Slam for the winners from individual school slams hosted by public high schools. High school poets compete for five great prizes. Celebrate Portland’s youth poets during Literary Arts’ annual Verselandia! Youth Poetry Slam Championship. Cheer on students from Portland…
Spring Cider Fest
Portland’s Spring Cider Fest features over 40 different participating cideries, along with a full bar. Tickets include a glass for you to keep, and 12 tastings. Additional tasters are available for purchase at Pine Street Taproom. The Pine Street Market's food vendors include, Tita's Juice Bar, Shanghai's Best Dumplings, The Mini Donut Company, Little Peacock, La Carrerta…
Spring Member Artists Show
Showcasing over 200 newly acquired works from outstanding Member Artists. Discover new work as varied and rich as the Pacific Northwest itself. And, best of all, you can take them home. All works on display at RSG are available to rent or buy. The Show will then run through May-June 2024. The Rental Sales Gallery…
Legally Blonde The Musical
A fabulously fun award-winning musical based on the adored movie, Legally Blonde The Musical follows the transformation of Elle Woods as she tackles stereotypes and scandal in pursuit of her dreams. Action-packed and exploding with memorable songs and dynamic dances – this musical is so much fun it should be illegal. Elle Woods appears to…
TEDxPortland
Cities are built and rebuilt, and Portland is in transition once again. With leadership, intention, and purpose, we drive progress by uniting our diverse perspectives. The magic of our culture and community is realized through the amalgam of creativity, technology, and innovation. Year 12 is inspired by the unlimited potential and endless possibilities revealed through…
Northwest Academy Performing Arts Showcase
Northwest Academy, downtown Portland’s arts-centered independent middle and high school, presents the Angry Pigeon Music Collective’s showcase. Hear from talented student musicians for a program of classic covers and other instrumental arrangements. Northwest Academy is a progressive independent middle and high school college preparatory program that inspires students to learn and achieve through its unique…
Feria de Portland
Celebrate spring with Feria de Portland. Live music, Sevillanas dancing, Flamenco performances, tapas, bebidas, juerga, y mas. Come dressed in your flamenco finest and ready to join in the fun. Inspired by the global theme for EarthDay 2024 (Planet vs. Plastics), this Feria will be a plastic free event and all proceeds will be donated…
Beethoven’s Eighth Symphony
A testament to Beethoven’s sly wit, the Eighth Symphony finds the revolutionary composer transforming beloved 18th-century dance forms with new dramatic possibilities. Violinist Baiba Skride displays a “soaring, incisive tone” (Strad) in Britten’s Violin Concerto, an emotionally charged work composed as Europe descended into World War II. Program Britten: Four Sea Interludes Britten: Violin Concerto…
She Persisted: The Musical
Fourth-grader Naomi's field trip to a Women's History Museum turns into a time travel adventure where she encounters inspirational women who have overcome barriers and made waves throughout U.S. history. From activists to athletes, artists and more, this musical features the stories of female trailblazers such as Harriet Tubman, Virginia Apgar, Ruby Bridges, Sally Ride,…
Women in High Courts
At the kickoff event for Law Day 2024, you are invited to learn about women in high courts. Professor of Political Science Chris Shortell will discuss his recent research on women in high courts. Oregon Supreme Court Justice Rebecca Duncan will speak about her pathway to the bench. A Q&A session with Justice Duncan will…
Oregon Judicial History Makers
Join OHS for the keystone event of Law Day 2024. Celebrate four judges who have made history in Oregon and hear them talk about their pathways to the bench. U.S. Magistrate Judge John Acosta First Hispanic American federal judge in Oregon Oregon Supreme Court Justice Aruna Masih First South Asian woman to join the Oregon…
Burgeoning ~ A Ritual Concert Honoring Beltane
Imagine yourself entering a space abuzz with the sounds of others gathered for a sip from the well of the mystery. You don't know what "ritual concert" means; you've just felt the pull because you've heard that voice before, or something you can't quite put your finger on draws you to it. You can just…
Jason Bonham
Encompassing hits from the iconic band’s entire career, including albums Led Zeppelin, Led Zeppelin II, Led Zeppelin IV and Physical Graffiti, the concert event celebrates the life and music of Jason’s father, the legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, with “…a band that recreates Led Zeppelin’s music to such a degree that one can’t help…
Roy Wood Jr.
Whether or not the name and music of Redwood Son has yet hit the big radar, this year's "Best New Artist" of the Portland Music Awards is on the rise. Their 20 Song double-disc debut, The Lion's Inside, boasts a dynamic versatility that crosses the borders of their West Coast Americana with hook-laden roots-rock and…
Sounds of Brazil PDX
Discover Choro music. Roots jazz from Brazil is considered Brazil's first "urban pop" music. In this unique show, you will experience a wide range of pieces of Choro and other genres by many of Brazil's important 20th-century composers — Pixinguinha (the Duke Ellington of Brazil), Jacob do Bandolim, and many more — three acts. Choro…
Ben Schwartz
Ben can be seen starring in the Universal Pictures’ upcoming horror comedy RENFIELD, set for release in April. You can also catch him starring opposite Kevin Hart and John Cena in DIE HART 2: DIE HARTER, the second season of Roku’s hit action comedy. Ben has leading roles in Lord & Miller’s AppleTV+ miniseries THE…
Cody Fry
GRAMMY Award nominee and American Idol finalist Cody Fry brings his singer-songwriter talents and genre-bending music to the Oregon Symphony for one night only. Fry’s popular musical fusions and orchestrations have made him a viral sensation with millions of views online and worldwide success, including a recent album release. Artists: TBD, Conductor Cody Fry, Vocals…
New Beginnings
In the season of new beginnings, the Portland Youth Philharmonic Orchestra, Conservatory Orchestra, Wind Ensemble, and String Ensemble present a concert filled to the brim with brilliant new music by Polina Nazaykinskaya, Giancarlo Castro D’Addona, and Nancy Ives. The 2023 PYP Concerto Competition Winner, still to be announced, will perform their winning piece with the Philharmonic Orchestra.
Audrey Luna Vocal Recital
Metropolitan Opera Star and PSU Alumnus returns to Portland to give a song recital and master class, with Dr. Chuck Dillard accompanying on piano.
Yom HaShoah
Every year on Yom HaShoah, the Day of Remembrance, communities around the world uphold the memory of victims of the Holocaust through the Reading of the Names, a public recitation of Holocaust victims’ names, ages, and birthplaces. Presented by the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education and the Jewish Federation of Greater Portland. A…
H.W. Brands
H.W. (Henry William) Brands was born in Oregon, went to college in California, sold cutlery across the American West, and earned graduate degrees in mathematics and history in Oregon and Texas. He taught at Vanderbilt University and Texas A&M University before joining the faculty at the University of Texas at Austin, where he holds the…
The Innocents
Now the subject of an award-winning documentary film, The Innocents, is social justice advocacy through performance art. The work is an effort to delve deeply into the current issues surrounding the subject of wrongful imprisonment and exoneration, as well as a commitment to connect with the communities in which it is performed. This work cuts…
Matt Rife
Matthew Steven Rife is an American comedian and actor. Rife is best known for his self-produced comedy specials, Only Fans, Matthew Steven Rife and Walking Red Flag, as well as his 2023 Netflix special Natural Selection and previous recurring role on the sketch improv comedy and rap show Wild 'n Out.
PSU Steinway Piano Series: Oxana Yablonskaya
The PSU Steinway Piano Series presents an exciting weekend of masterful piano performances: Friday, May 10 at 7:00 PM Concert with guest pianist Oxana Yablonskaya. This powerful concert will include solo works by CPE Bach, Schubert, Schubert/Liszt, Rachmaninov and Tchaikovsky. Ms. Yablonskaya will also perform the piano 4-hands version of Franck’s Prelude, Fugue and Variation,…
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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