Portland and Area Activities Planner - October 4, 2024

PORTLAND MARATHON
Sunday, Oct. 6
The fast and beautiful Portland Marathon presented by OHSU Health is the best way to experience the Rose City. With four epic bridge crossings, a downtown start and finish, and a tour through some of the most iconic landmarks and neighborhoods in town, the Portland Marathon, presented by OHSU Health, offers the most unique race experience to be found.

Join the 52nd running of the Portland Marathon presented by OHSU Health. Join and run through the streets of Portland. Offering a marathon, half marathon, kids run, and new to 2024, a 10K distance. There's a distance for everyone to enjoy. Join the 9,000 runners descending upon downtown Portland on the first Sunday of October. Don't want to run but still join in the fun? Visit www.portlandmarathon.com to see where the route goes and come and cheer on the runners wherever you may live in the city.

ROLOFF FAMILY FARMS
Oct 4-27 Fri-Sun
Roloff Farms is the home of the Roloff family, made famous by the television series “Little People, Big World.” The farm is only open to the public during pumpkin season. Throughout October, enjoy a pumpkin patch and a new scenic trail walk around the grounds. Tickets must be purchased in advance.

THE CORN MAIZE AT THE PUMPKIN PATCH
Aug. 31–Oct. 31
Located on Sauvie Island, , a rural escape just 13 miles (21 km) north of downtown Portland, the Corn Maize offers visitors eight acres (3 hectares) of exciting twists and turns. But it’s not all about getting lost in nature; Two 16-foot (5 m) observation bridges provide picturesque panoramas with great views of the island and Mount Hood, as well as the maze itself.

Every year, the cornfield is carved with a different pattern, and the design is always sure to stump maze-goers while delighting fans of public art. Starting at the end of August, the maze is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and stays open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in October (and on select days leading up to Halloween). 

CARSON GOLF & SPA RESORT
Year-Round
Driving east on either side of the Columbia River Gorge with Mount Hood filling the windshield, the stunning scenery leads to an enchanted place where you can choose your own adventure, relax and enjoy the magical hot water of Carson Hot Springs. Whether you are looking for luxury and a comfortable overnight stay or something a bit more rustic with a camping option, Carson Hot Springs in Washington has something for everyone.

WEEZER
Sunday, Oct. 6 @7 pm
As one of the most popular groups to emerge in the post-grunge alternative rock aftermath, Weezer merged the heavy power pop of arena rockers like Cheap Trick and the angular guitar leads of the Pixies while injecting their melodies with doses of '70s metal gleaned from bands like Kiss. What truly set the band apart, though, was their geekiness. None of the members of Weezer, especially leader Rivers Cuomo, were conventional rockers: they were kids who holed up in their garage to play along with their favorite records when they weren't studying or watching TV. As a result, their music was infused with a quirky sense of humor and an endearing awkwardness that made songs from their debut, Weezer (aka "The Blue Album"), into big modern rock hits during the mid-'90s.

PORTLAND GREEK FESTIVAL
Oct. 4–6
Enjoy authentic Greek food, traditional dance, music, and more with the whole family. When the first Greek immigrants came to the Northwest in the late 1800s to work in fishing, lumber, railroad and other jobs, they established the Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in Southeast Portland. After they moved to a larger church on 32nd and NE Glisan in 1952, they needed to find a way to pay off the mortgage. The ladies decided to help by holding a bazaar featuring their handwork, food, pastries, music, and dances from their homeland. This began what is now known as the Portland Greek Festival.

FASHIONNXT
Oct 3-5
The annual FashioNXT week premiers the latest in fashion in a runway production that TIME Magazine ranks #1 in the US outside NY Fashion Week and it is recognized as the official fashion week of Portland. See the biggest red carpet in the PNW premiere of next season’s collections by extraordinary designers from around the US and the latest fashion exhibits.  As in every October,  this year FashioNXT Week is premiering the next season’s collections of extraordinary designers on the runway in an innovative fashion experience. Extraordinary fashion designers from all over the world are joining the best of Portland in a world-class experience ideal for engaging the patrons and the media. 

PORTLAND TATTOO EXPO
Oct. 4–6
Join up for three fun-filled days with tattoos, live performances, contests and more. Get tattooed by amazing artists from around the world.

Come to the Portland Expo Center to observe these artists at work (and potentially go home with your own tattoo).

BUILT FESTIVAL
Sept. 27–Oct. 4
Built Festival brings Oregon together to celebrate, connect and support its consumer product ecosystem. This event celebrates the makers, brands and regions that together create Oregon’s unique consumer product tapestry. Join the Built Festival as it looks to continue building an event that helps to position Oregon as the leader of consumer product entrepreneurship and innovation.

“Oregon is to consumer goods what the Bay Area is to technology — a vital center of opportunity and innovation.”

PORTLAND WING WEEK
Sept. 30–Oct. 6
What, dear reader, was the greatest week of your life? Think back on that moment. Treasure its beautiful memory. Then THROW IT IN THE TRASH because the Portland Mercury’s Wing Week is about to make every other week you’ve ever experienced look like GARBAGE. That’s right: From the Portland Mercury’s Wing Week returns with one-of-a-kind chicken wings available at some of Portland’s favorite bars and restaurants. Even better? Each order of wings will only cost you a mere $8.

JUDAS PRIEST
Thursday, Oct. 10
Judas Priest are one of the most influential and long-lasting heavy metal groups of all time. Emerging at the dawn of the New Wave of British Heavy Metal, Priest combined straightforward rock & roll muscle with a more theatrically minded performance presence. This sound was made more unique by the dynamic banshee wail of Rob Halford and the vicious dual-lead guitar attack of Glenn Tipton and K.K. Downing. While issuing metal anthems like "Breaking the Law,” “Living After Midnight,” and “You've Got Another Thing Coming," Judas Priest set the pace for the genre from 1975 until 1985 with iconic albums like British Steel (1980), Screaming for Vengeance (1982), and Defenders of the Faith (1984), and helped lay the groundwork for speed and death metal. The group struggled after Halford's departure in the early '90s but were restored to prominence in the 2000s upon his return, issuing a string of acclaimed efforts — Angel of Retribution (2005), Nostradamus (2010), Redeemer of Souls (2014), and the U.S. and U.K. Top Five-charting Firepower (2018) — that skillfully married melody, pageantry, and force. Judas Priest were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2022, two years before the arrival of Invincible Shield, their 19th studio LP.

FRESH HOP POP-UP BEER FEST
Sept. 20–Oct. 6
The Portland Fresh Hop Pop-Up Beer Fest returns for its 9th year in 2024 at Portland’s Prost! Marketplace on N. Mississippi Ave. The beer garden features ten food trucks and ten rotating taps. Each day of this 17-day fresh hop marathon will feature rare seasonal beers with special tappings nearly every day celebrating some of the best and brightest breweries and regions.

HOOD RIVER HOPS FEST
Saturday, Oct. 5
The Hood River Hops Fest returns for its 20th year, celebrating the fresh-hopped beers of this beloved region. Awarded silver medal for best beer festival from the Willamette Week, Oregon Beer Awards, the Hood River Hops Fest is an annual celebration of beer’s bitter friend, freshly harvested hops. 

World-renowned hop-growing regions surround Hood River County, and since 2003 brewers have gathered each year in downtown Hood River to share their fresh-hop beer creations.  The family-friendly event features more than 30 breweries with more than 40 fresh-hop beers, plus a variety of food vendors, live music, and an awesome collectible tasting glass.

HOOD RIVER VALLEY HARVEST FESTIVAL
Oct. 11–13
The valley’s best farms and orchards bring their bounty to Hood River Harvest Fest with stands full of produce, giant displays of apples, pears, squash, raw honey, beautiful flowers, local plants, herbs, and more. Stock up for the season with basketfuls this autumn’s harvest.

The artists and makers you will find at Hood River Harvest Fest go through a juried acceptance process and are some of the best in the region. All items sold by vendors are handcrafted and locally made — hats, candles, cheese, jams, woodworking, paintings, clothing, jewelry, and more. The “marketplace” is not to be missed. Plus, live music all weekend long. Nothing better than enjoying some local music outdoors between exploring the marketplace tent and stocking up on the season’s produce.

PORTLAND LATIN AMERICAN FILM FESTIVAL
Sept 25–Nov 24
The Portland Latin American Film Festival announces its XVIII Season at the Hollywood Theatre, featuring feature films, documentaries, and short films from Peru, Portugal, the Dominican Republic, Germany, Mexico, Argentina.

FALL HARVEST CELEBRATION
Sept. 28–Oct. 27
Tickets include: 

• Sunflower field, maze and optional u-cut sunflowers (as long as Mother Nature allows)
• Sorghum mazes for kids
• U-pick pumpkin field
• Hayrides
• Visit the animals
• Hay maze
• Farm tire and mini tractor playgrounds
• Tire swing
• Farm market featuring pre-picked pumpkins
• Cornhole and horseshoes
• Free Parking
• Duck races
• Tractor trikes
• Order from the bar all day and grill starting at 11 a.m.

SPIRIT OF HALLOWEENTOWN
Sept. 28–Oct. 31
It’s no “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” or” Night of the Living Dead,” but once in the 1990s, the peaceful waterfront city of St. Helens was overrun by something worse than zombies or headless horsemen — a Hollywood movie crew! Now, every October the lovely Oregon town just 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Portland transforms into a Halloween haven.
Each year, St. Helens, the filming site of the nostalgic favorite “Halloweentown,” remembers its entry into lighthearted Halloween canon with Spirit of Halloweentown  a fun, family-friendly celebration of the spookiest holiday around. The celebration of the creepiest day of the year extends into every weekend in October, starting with the lighting of the Great Pumpkin in the city plaza.

THE FEAR PDX HAUNTED HOUSE
Sept. 13–Nov. 1
PORTLAND'S LARGEST HALLOWEEN EVENT: All-new haunted houses, one location, one ticket.
2024 Attractions: 

• Toxic Carnage
• The Mansion
• Blood House 2
• Scarecrow
• Metal Massacre
• Rotten Pulp
• Poison Apple Festival
• Tormented
• Chopped
• Slasher Shed

UNDERHILL HAUNTED HOUSE
Oct. 4–Nov. 2
Visit the Trio of Terror:
Underhill Manor
Terror Ship
The Salvage Yard 
For little ones under 12 (and those of all ages that are a little Haunted House-phobic), the Kids Monster Fest is an immersive matinee experience because haunted houses are so less scary in the daylight. Kids Monster Fest will give you chills and a few scares but in a wholesome, kid and family-friendly environment. It is the only Halloween event targeted toward families with children (and you adult scaredy cats, too).

OAKS PARK SCARE GROUNDS
Oct. 4–Nov. 2
Portland Oregon’s ONLY Scream Park returns this fall to one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, the historic Oaks Amusement Park.

The Event features three horrifying haunted walkthrough attractions, amusement rides, themed side attractions, mini golf, roller skating, concessions and so much more.

Alcoholic beverages are available for adults 21+

NATIONAL HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH AT BAR CARLO
Sept. 15–Oct. 13
Join Chef/Owner Melinda Archuleta of Bar Carlo, recently featured on Comcast's groundbreaking docuseries Culture Capital, in honoring National Hispanic Heritage Month.

Chef Archuleta is launching a special series of Domingueando, a celebration of the art of leisurely Sundays. The series will feature all-day happy hour every Sunday from 4-8 p.m. The weekly event will showcase live music, art, pop-ups, and more, offering the perfect blend of culture and community. 

Come back every week to enjoy weekly seasonal food specials and handcrafted Cantaritos — vibrant cocktails made from muddled fruits, herbs, and optional agave spirits, served in handmade pottery cups created by artisans with disabilities in Mexico.

OREGON BUDDHIST TEMPLE FALL SUKIYAKI BAZAAR
Sunday, Oct. 6
Shop for Omiyage and handcrafts at the annual Oregon Buddhist Temple Fall Bazaar — pre-order delicious menu items such as Sukiyaki or Chow Mein. 

The Oregon Buddhist Temple welcomes all people, regardless of ethnicity, age, sexual orientation, gender identification, and political or religious affiliation.

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: KOOZA
Aug 21, 2024 - Oct 6
Undeniably the most daring Cirque du Soleil touring production, KOOZA takes audiences on a thrilling, emotional ride with its nail-biting, mind-boggling acrobatics. Inspired by traditional circus arts from around the globe, the show’s performances display remarkable showmanship, exceptional execution and incredible agility — notably in the High Wire, Teeterboard and Wheel of Death acts. 

STERNWHEELER RIVER TOURS
Year-Round
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.

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.

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