Portland and Area Activities Planner - August 9, 2024

by Geri And Tim Penner

WHAT'S UP THIS WEEKEND?
Excerpts From
TravelPortland .com
TualitinValley.org
TravelOregon.com

	PORTLAND HOT SAUCE EXPO Enjoy the taste of a huge variety of hot sauces at this annual exhibition. The expo includes free hot sauce tastings, a selection of craft beers and specialty cocktails, snacks ranging from barbecue to vegan bites, and the "Stage of Doom."
	ELEPHANT GARLIC FESTIVAL The Annual Elephant Garlic Festival is a three-day festival celebrating, you guessed it, elephant garlic. The family-friendly event includes a parade, a 10K and a 5K run, live music, a kids' play area, crafts vendors and more. Fun stinks.
	DAHLIA FESTIVAL Celebrate the season of DAHLIAS. A Rainbow of Color. Stroll through almost 40 acres and a beautiful display garden of stunning dahlias featuring over 370 varieties. The beautiful fields are open from August to September each year, closed on Monday and Tuesday. Pick out and order your favorite dahlias for Spring delivery and planting. Purchase a beautiful bunch of cut dahlias to take home with you or to make someone’s day. Visit the Gift Shop with hundreds of local treasures, open year-round. Fill your belly with yummy treats from Food Carts, relax and enjoy the Live Music, attend the Sunday farmers’ market, or take one of the Classes throughout the festival dates.
	GHOSTS OF SUMMER A summer halloween convention for things spooky and nerdy. Enjoy theatrical performances, home haunt displays, a vendor hall, an escape room, spooky crafts, a scare zone and more.
	SIZEABLE SHENANIGANS Join a night of belly laughs and celebrate the First Anniversary of Sizable Shenanigans — a comedy variety show featuring and celebrating fat performers from Portland and beyond. After several successful runs in Portland, Seattle, and Philadelphia, Sizable Shenanigans is back and celebrating the First Anniversary kicking off Portland's Fat Joy Summer Celebration Weekend. At the gorgeous Curious Comedy Theater in Northeast Portland, prizes of all sizes and an abundance of shenanigans are guaranteed. The Theater has a full bar, tasty snacks, and fat-inclusive/accessible seating.
	MY FAIR LADY This is a musical masterpiece where wit, charm, and an unlikely partnership challenge the status quo. Step into Edwardian London, where social classes clash and hearts open wide. A determined professor bets he can refine a rough-edged flower vendor into a polished member of high society. Delight in this journey of laughter and romance, proving true beauty lies within. This award-winning musical will captivate your heart and leave you humming its iconic tunes long after the curtain falls.
	DWEEZIL ZAPPA Over the past 3 decades, Dweezil has forged an eclectic career. He’s a Grammy-winning guitarist who has played over 2000 concerts all over the world. He has composed original music which was performed in 2 concerts by a 100 piece orchestra in Holland. Additionally, he composed the theme music for the Emmy winning, “The Ben Stiller Show” and has acted in various roles in film and television. He also voiced the character “Ajax,” on the animated show “Duckman” and, hosted MTV as well as his own cooking show on the Food Network.
	CLACKAMAS COUNTY FAIR AND CANBY RODEO Dates (10:00am - 11:00PM All Days) Tue Aug 13 - Family Day Wed Aug 14 - Seniors Day Thu Aug 15 - First Respoonders Day Fri Aug 16 - Military Appreciatioon Day Sat Aug 17 - Agricultural Day
	SWINGIN' JAZZ ART FAIR AND BENEFIT CONCERT Join a day of music, dance, and art at the 1st annual Swingin’ Sounds Arts Festival and Benefit Concert. The festival will feature performances by the Darrell Grant Trio performing with members of the Rejoice! Diaspora Dance Theater and the Owen Broder Quartet, art from local artists, goods from local vendors, and an all-ages jam session.
	CHARCUTERIE BOARD WORKSHOP AT WOW MARKET PDX Come handcraft your one-of-one charcuterie board with Tree To Table PDX and Charcuterie Me. This all inclusive hands-on workshop provides a one-of-a-kind experience. In one hour, become a woodworker and a charcuterie connoisseur, handcrafting and then filling up your board with delicious food and enjoying a complimentary beer, whiskey, or non-alcohol beverage when you are done.
	OMSI STAR PARTY Join OMSI for a free star party and gaze at the heavens from Rooster Rock State Park and Stub Stewart State Park starting at sunset. From beginners to experts of all ages, here’s your opportunity to view the the moon, stars, and other objects through a variety of telescopes. Upcoming OMSI Star Party 2024 Schedule Aug 12 (Mon) – Perseid Meteor Shower Watch at Rooster Rock only Sept 14 (Sat) – Autumnal Equinox Celebration at Rock and Stub Stewart
	EDGEFIELD CONCERTS ON THE LAWN: ANIME PRES$ENTS THE BEST DAY EVER Portland rapper Aminé has announced a new two-day music festival in his Oregon hometown. The Best Day Ever takes place at the city’s Edgefield Lawn on Saturday, August 10, and Sunday, August 11. Aminé will perform at the festival, as will Kaytranada, BadBadNotGood, Concrete Boys rapper Karrahbooo, Ravyn Lenae, Toro y Moi, Portland’s 3Way Heff, and Aminé’s touring DJ, MadisonLST. See the festival’s poster below.
	BIGFOOT ADVENTURE CRUISE Explore the history and lore of Bigfoot while traveling 80 miles (129 km) roundtrip on a high-speed jetboat from Portland to Multnomah Falls. See the landmarks along the Willamette and Columbia Rivers that make the Northwest famous while listening to exclusive narration by Cliff Barackman (star of Animal Planet‘s “Finding Bigfoot”) and a live tour guide. You’ll enjoy curated information about the legend of Bigfoot and sightings in the Columbia River Gorge on this exhilarating, informative journey.
	ENCHANTED FOREST The Enchanted Forest has been a destination for Oregon children since it opened in 1971. Generations of kids have slid down the creepy witch slide, delighted in the Crooked Man’s house, and ridden on the carousel. The Enchanted Forest is a theme park – there is a section with carnival rides and a haunted house – but what most people remember is the creative world contained in the paths and structures of the park.
	THE OREGON GARDEN Home to Oregon’s garden city, Silverton is known for its natural beauty and stunning sights. Encompassing that small-town feel and hospitality, locals and visitors can feel right at home in Silverton. Take a stroll through Oregon’s breathtaking botanical garden in the heart of Silverton at The Oregon Garden. You will love visiting this majestic garden with a relaxing, magical escape full of nature’s finest offerings. Offering 80 acres and more than 20 specialty gardens to see and appreciate, there is something for everyone to enjoy of all ages.
	BEAVERTON ESCAPE ROOMS Beaverton Escape Rooms provides a thrilling, interactive adventure where 2-12 participants are locked in a themed room and have 60 minutes to discover hidden objects, gather clues, and solve puzzles to find the key to escape. It’s the perfect addition to a Tualatin Valley itinerary for visitors, team-building retreats and more.
	LENTS INTERNATIONAL FARMERS MARKET The Lents International Farmers Market (LIFM) is the only one in Portland with an intentional international focus. LIFM provides fresh, affordable and culturally appropriate produce to the diverse community of Lents neighbors. Founded in 2006 by a community of volunteers and then run by Zenger Farm, it is an important sales outlet for immigrant and new farmers and small food-business owners. The market features culturally specific products, including Northwest-grown traditional Mexican produce and Asian greens.
	STERNWHEELER RIVER TOURS This once primary mode of transportation has become more of a fun commodity for tourism, as river cruise ships provide visitors a chance to get out on the water and take in the sights of their new surroundings. Oregon joined in on the trend in the early 1980s. Since then, several non-steam-powered sternwheel riverboats have been built and operated on major waterways in the state, primarily on the Willamette and Columbia Rivers in Marion County. Each is a fun ride for visitors and locals alike as they seemingly tug along and transport them to yesteryear.
	HIGH LIFE ADVENTURES Enjoy a tour of 8 zip lines in a beautiful setting. Join two tour guides on an exhilarating zip line experience around and over a seven-acre lake. A mile of zipping, sure to create lasting memories for the whole family. Take your team to the next level: High Life Adventures also offers customized Team Building Programs to challenge your group while bringing them together as a team.
	PORTLAND SATURDAY MARKET Combining the vibes of an art show, a live street concert and an open-air bazaar, the Portland Saturday Market has been a beloved Rose City tradition since 1974. In fact, the market is considered the largest continually operating arts-and-crafts fair in the United States, drawing up to one million visitors during its annual season.
	ST JOHN'S FARMERS MARKET The St. Johns Farmers Market will be open 9 a.m.-2 p.m. every Saturday May 4 through November 23, the weekend before Thanksgiving. There will also be a Holiday Market on Saturday, December 14, from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. The market is held at the corner of N. Charleston Ave. and N Central St, next to the St. Johns Bachelor Club. The 2024 season has a full vendor roster, including new and returning small businesses spanning local, sustainably-grown agriculture, artisan food, and handmade arts and crafts, Some exciting new products at the market this year include organically grown vegetables and quail eggs from Tiny Acre, a St. Johns-based small scale organic farm; breakfast burritos from Poblano Pepper Mexican Food; and plant-based, farmer-forward pastries and treats from Poppy Shop. To see which vendors are scheduled for each week, check out the interactive market map: https://maps.managemymarket.com/6336
	PORTLAND INDIGENOUS MARKETPLACE Portland Indigenous Marketplace will host the Indigenous Marketplace. Over 30 vendors, food, art exhibits, and more will be present. A marketplace specifically for Indigenous/Black vendors, all the artists/entrepreneurs featured on Indigenous Marketplace have Indigenous/Black ancestry. Vendors sell their hand made and original designs.
	KENTON FARMER'S MARKET The Kenton Farmers Market is located in the heart of the historic Kenton neighborhood in North Portland. Founded in 2012, the market’s live music and the festive street-fair atmosphere thrive in this growing business district. Proximity to a MAX station and easy access for bicyclists and those on foot make this market a lively and convenient mid-week destination for fresh, local food.