Arts & Media

This fall, Portland welcomes an extraordinary celebration of classical ballet as PRIMA Ballet Gala brings together artists of the Grand Kyiv Ballet and international guest performers for one unforgettable night.

More than a performance, PRIMA Ballet Gala is a night of elevated artistry – where timeless classics meet contemporary expression, and the stage becomes a space of beauty, power, and emotion.

The program features iconic highlights from world-renowned ballets including Don Quixote, Spartacus, and The Dying Swan, alongside vibrant national dance such as the thrilling Hopak, set to music by legendary composers including Tchaikovsky.

Begin your evening on the red carpet, then step inside for a celebration of artistic excellence and international cultural connection.
Guests are warmly encouraged to attend in the evening attire, helping create an atmosphere of elegance worthy of this special occasion.

Join us for a rare opportunity to experience world-class dancers, timeless choreography, and a night filled with beauty and inspiration.

Seats are limited. Be part of PRIMA Ballet Gala — where ballet speaks from the heart.

Each year, Milagro observes Día de Muertos with the premiere of a new production, altar displays, and community events with the Día de Muertos Festival. The Centerpiece event of the 31st Annual Día de los Muertos Celebration is Marigolds y Memorias, an original devised production inspired by the traveling carpa tradition, in which humor, music, and storytelling come together in a vibrant theatrical journey. Guided by an elder, a younger generation learns o build an altart, the heart of Día de Muertos, discovering the meaning behind each of its elements, from candles and marigolds to photographs, ofrendas, and cherished recuerdos. Through song, dance, and short theatrical vignettes, the altar gradually takes shape as an act of remembrance and cultural inheritance, inviting audiences to consider how traditions are taught, how memory is kept alive, and what is carried forward when we share rituals across generations.

Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a long-honored tradition with roots in Indigenous Mexican culture. Día de Muertos is observed annually in Mexican and other Latin American cultures on November 1st and 2nd as a remembrance of those who have passed. Individuals and families who honor this day set up ofrendas (altars) with offerings to their departed loved ones. Typical offerings include marigolds, calaveras, photos of the dead, and traditional food like “pan de muerto.”

In this lecture demonstration, members of Hung Dance will provide an introduction to Taiwanese dance company Hung Dance’s movement language, including how their acclaimed work Birdy blends traditional Chinese exercises and materials with contemporary dance. The company will also delve into the inspiration and concepts behind Birdy, followed by a short excerpt of the work. Guests will have the opportunity to have their questions about the dance answered by members of the company. This lecture demonstration will be delivered primarily in Mandarin, with live translation between Mandarin and English.

November 15, 2026

Family Series

Alice McLerran’s classic children’s book The Mountain that Loved a Bird tells a heartwarming story of unlikely friendship between a barren mountain and a visiting bird named Joy. Experience Portland-based composer Caroline Shaw’s musical interpretation of the story as the book is narrated live in this celebration of friendship that teaches us the transformative power of kindness and care.

• Su-Han Yang Harold & Arlene Schnitzer Associate Conductor
• Pam Mahon Narrator
• Dance West Jason Davis, Artistic & Technical Director
• Pacific Youth Choir Chris Maunu, Artistic Director; Amber Schroeder, Associate Conductor
• Oregon Symphony

This concert is part of the Family Series, and is eligible for the Choose Your Own Series (Portland only).

This concert is part of the 2026/27 Sounds Like Portland festival.

The Portland Princess Ball returns bigger, more enchanting, and more unforgettable than ever! Explore three magical ballrooms and meet nine beloved princesses as they bring their stories to life through special interactions, live performances, photos, and dancing.

Meet the royal team. These queens and princesses are kind, sweet, and gentle, with hearts full of love for children. They embody grace and warmth, ensuring every moment is magical. Many of the performers are professional dancers, actors, and singers, bringing their talents and charisma to life with every wave of the wand. Of course, they’re always true to character, making each experience unforgettable.

The princess roster:

• Ice Queen
• Ice Princess
• Cinderella
• The Island Princess
• Little Mermaid
• Beauty
• The Arabian Princess
• Snow White
• The Frog Princess

* Princess appearances are subject to change in case of illness, emergency, or circumstances beyond control.

Event Highlights:

• Nine enchanting princesses
• Famous princess songs performed live on stage
• Special princess interactions, photos, and dancing
• Three uniquely themed ballrooms
• Tea sandwiches, royal desserts, and princess tea
• Freshly scooped ice cream
• Two photo booths
• Two bouncy castles
• Glitter tattoos
• Princess crafts

Step into autumn’s splendor as the garden transforms with the colors and textures of chrysanthemums, a flower of nobility and longevity in Chinese culture. Stroll among 81 mum varieties, cascading displays along the waterfall, and sweeping floral sculptures that transform the garden into a living gallery.

From dazzling floral artistry to hands-on learning opportunities, Chrysanthemum Festival is one of the garden's most anticipated annual celebrations—and an unforgettable way to experience Lan Su in fall. Explore this beautiful flower and time of year.

Nov. 5-8 — Nights of the Golden Flower: Immerse yourself in the illuminated works of 18 talented local floral artists and featured designer Toni Tibbits as they interpret this year’s theme, Golden Blooms Upon Autumn Waters. Plus, enjoy gentle music by Lulu Guzheng Studio, dance performances by YZ Dance Academy, floral jewelry-making, and all-ages fun as you wander among glowing lanterns and vote for your favorite designs of the showcase. Sensory Night November 14.

Three friends return from a three month sojourn to find that an economic downturn has robbed them all of their fortunes. Undaunted, the three of them decide to open a gas station and try their hand at manual labor. When a beautiful woman appears at the station, the three of them eagerly vie for her attention, but only one of them can win her heart. THE THREE FROM THE GAS STATION was one of the best films produced by the legendary film duo of Willy Fritsch and Lilian Harvey. Brimming with charm, humor, and those familiar Weimar tropes of gender play and role reversal, it stands as a wondrous monument to an irreverent culture in the midst of catastrophic change.

The World’s MOST Iconic Ballet — With a LIVE Orchestra!

The legendary tale of Swan Lake takes flight in a breathtaking production from World Ballet Company, as fate and magic entwine in a timeless battle between good and evil. Performing with a Live Orchestra, and featuring a cast of 50 international dancers, over 150 radiant hand-sewn costumes, and stunning hand-crafted sets, this spellbinding ballet captures every heart-pounding moment — from the Dance of the Little Swans to the Black Swan’s 32 fouettés, and every pirouette in between.

With Tchaikovsky’s unforgettable score soaring through the air and played LIVE, immerse yourself in this mesmerizing journey where dreams, heartbreak, and hope unfold right before your eyes.

Duration: 2 hours 30 minutes (including 20-minute intermission)
Audience: For ages 5 & over

*About the Company: Based in Los Angeles, and led by Sasha Gorskaya and Gulya Hartwick, World Ballet Company presents the most beloved and iconic ballets of our time in cities nationwide. Driven by the belief that ballet is for everyone, performances appeal to newcomers and seasoned ballet goers alike. The company attracts many international artists and comprises renowned professional dancers representing over ten countries.

To date, World Ballet Company has traveled to more than 300 cities, reaching an audience of more than 500,000 fans.

Make it a group experience! Special pricing is available for groups of 10 or more.

Join scholars Dr. Lindsey Mantoan, author of It's All Happening: How Musical Theater Does High School (Oxford, 2026), and Dr. Daniel Pollack-Pelzner, author of Lin-Manuel Miranda: The Education of an Artist (Simon & Schuster, 2025) for a free conversation about high school on the musical theater stage. This evening will feature performances by PSU students from some favorite high school musicals--come to sing, chat, and cheer along!

Books will be available for purchase and signing.

Learn more about theTheater Arts program at PSU's School of Music & Theater.

Join Makola Performing Arts, led by Okaidja Afroso, for an hour of joyful song and dance! Rooted in circle-based learning, Okaidja brings joy, resilience, and belonging to community spaces across Oregon and beyond.

Join us to discover and celebrate Día de los Muertos, an important Mexican holiday honoring loved ones.

We will tell stories, create block print artwork, and experience a vibrant performance by Folkloric Ballet of SW Washington. We’ll also share traditional pan de muerto and other festive treats. Come explore, create, and celebrate together!

Events are offered in partnership with La Casita Art Gallery & Cultural Center.

Participe con nosotros para descubrir y celebrar el Día de los Muertos, un importante día festivo mexicano que honra a los seres queridos.

Contaremos historias, crearemos grabados en bloque y presenciaremos una interpretación vibrante del Ballet Folklórico del Sudoeste de Washington. También compartiremos el tradicional pan de muerto y otras delicias festivas. ¡Venga a conocer, crear y celebrar junto con nosotros!

Los eventos se ofrecen en colaboración con La Casita Art Gallery & Cultural Center.

Search and Destroy (S.A.D. for short) is a multimedia variety show happening on the last friday of every month featuring artists and local leaders sharing their craft and talking about what matters most to them. Through storytelling, live conversations, audience interaction, and heavy doses of honesty and humor, S.A.D. seeks to give hope and to be an entertaining and informative space for all to have fun, let loose, and be reminded that we as a people have the agency and ability to initiate change by working together as one.

S.A.D. was partly inspired by late-night television talk shows and variety hours and follows a similar format: an eye-catching opening number, a charming Emcee willing to play the fool, and a shared evening of dance, music, film, comedy, and conversations/interviews, all loosely tied to a theme of the night. The show ends with a dance party where the audience is invited to join the party on stage.
One of the main goals of each S.A.D. show is to dissolve the separation between artist and audience by directly engaging, conversing, and interacting with the audience, inviting them to participate in their seats as well as on the stage.
 Every show features dance movement, improvisation, visual imagery and soundscapes, conversations and spoken word, and various bits that play with the blurring of boundaries between the scripted and unscripted, all through an honest and humorous lens and the intention to entertain, educate, and inspire. Each episode of S.A.D. showcases different artists and acts than the previous one, guaranteeing that every iteration is unique and can only be experienced once.
S.A.D. is a show for everybody and every body, regardless of their identity, background, age, and anything else used to describe oneself.

*Revenue generated from each show is split evenly amongst the contributing artists

Please note that departure times are subject to change; final trip times are approximate and will be confirmed closer to the event.

Step back in time at Aurora Colony Days, a beloved heritage festival celebrating the history and traditions of this charming historic town. Your visit includes:

• Browsing an open-air market filled with antiques, crafts, and artisan goods.
• Living history demonstrations highlighting the colony’s past.
• Classic car displays and vintage vehicles.
• Live music, local food vendors, and a lively festival atmosphere.

Date / Time: 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Sat 8/8
Price: Res $51 / Non-Res $77
Registration Website: https://www.auroracolony.org

Spend the day at Seaside, a classic Oregon Coast town with a lively promenade, sandy beaches, and a variety of shops and eateries. Take in ocean views, explore local shops, and enjoy the seaside atmosphere.

Highlights of this outing include:

• Walking along the Seaside Promenade and beach.
• Browsing local shops, boutiques, and souvenir stores.
• Enjoying the classic seaside town atmosphere with cafés and oceanfront views.
• Lunch will be on your own and paid individually; we will not be dining as an organized group.

Date / Time: 8 a.m.–5 p.m., Thu 8/13
Price: Res $37 / Non-Res $56
Registration Website: https://www.seasideor.com

Reconnect with nature and experience the calming presence of horses during this unique retreat focused on communication and trust-building. The day includes:

• Hands-on activities designed to build confidence and connection with horses.
• Guided interactions with gentle horses in a peaceful outdoor sanctuary.
• Learning about horse behavior, communication, and emotional awareness.
• A relaxing group picnic surrounded by open skies and natural beauty.

Date / Time: 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Thu 8/27
Price: Res $94 / Non-Res $142
Registration Website: https://oregonhorsemanship.com/

Enjoy a lively day exploring the Camas Vintage & Art Faire, where historic downtown streets transform into a vibrant outdoor marketplace. Highlights include:

• Browsing unique vintage treasures, antiques, and handmade artworks.
• Meeting talented local artists and craft makers.
• Live music performances throughout the festival.
• Local food vendors and the welcoming charm of downtown Camas.

Date / Time: 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Sat 8/29
Price: Res $52 / Non-Res $79
Registration Website: https://downtowncamas.com/event/camas-vintage-art-faire/

Get a behind-the-scenes look at artisan cheese making and spirit distilling at TMK Creamery. This day trip includes:

• A hands-on cow milking experience and an opportunity to meet the dairy cows.
• Learning how farmstead cheeses and unique craft spirits are created.
• Sampling delicious cheeses and spirits directly at the source.

Date / Time: 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Tue 9/8 (Tour #34866)
Price: Res $107 / Non-Res $160
Registration Website: Register Online

Celebrate Indigenous culture at the annual NAYA Neerchokikoo Powwow. This cultural excursion includes:

• Immersing yourself in traditional dance and witnessing spectacular ceremonial regalia.
• Listening to powerful, historic drum groups.
• Supporting Native communities by shopping local Native vendors.

Date / Time: 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Sat 9/12 (Tour #34867)
Price: Res $59 / Non-Res $88
Registration Website: Register Online

Explore Elk Rock Garden, a breathtaking hillside estate overlooking the Willamette River. This scenic tour includes:

• Strolling peaceful, winding pathways to discover rare international plants.
• Viewing rocky cascades and beautifully curated garden landscapes.
• Taking in stunning autumn views of the river and Mount Hood.

Date / Time: 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m., Tue 9/15 (Tour #34868)
Price: Res $47 / Non-Res $70
Registration Website: Register Online

Join the old-school fun at St. Josef's annual Grape Stomping festival. This festive outing includes:

• Jumping into giant wood barrels to experience crushing grapes by foot.
• Enjoying live music and a lively harvest festival atmosphere.
• Relaxing on the scenic patio to toast to the new vintage.

Date / Time: 11 a.m.–5 p.m., Sat 9/26 (Tour #34869)
Price: Res $77 / Non-Res $115
Registration Website: Register Online

Indulge your sweet tooth at the Portland Craft Chocolate Festival. This tasty escape includes:

• Meeting artisan chocolatiers and learning about their craft.
• Sampling premium small-batch chocolate creations.
• Shopping local treats while discovering the fascinating journey from bean to bar.

Date / Time: 10:30 a.m.–2 p.m., Sat 10/3 (Tour #34870)
Price: Res $94 / Non-Res $144
Registration Website: Register Online

Join the community celebration at Clackamas Community College honoring Indigenous Peoples Day. This gathering includes:

• Experiencing moving traditional performances and song.
• Hearing insightful guest speakers share history and legacy.
• Viewing cultural exhibits during an inspiring day of community unity.

Date / Time: 12 p.m.–5 p.m., Sat 10/10 (Tour #34871)
Price: Res $53 / Non-Res $88
Registration Website: Register Online

Enjoy a private tour of Frog Pond Farm in Wilsonville. This autumn farm outing includes:

• Getting up close to feed and interact with resident llamas, goats, pigs, and chicks.
• Experiencing a crisp day filled with classic, nostalgic farm fun.
• Enjoying gorgeous farm backgrounds perfect for fall photo ops.

Date / Time: 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Thu 10/15 (Tour #34872)
Price: Res $77 / Non-Res $96
Registration Website: Register Online

Board a historic locomotive in Garibaldi for a gorgeous autumn rail journey. This trip includes:

• Winding along scenic Tillamook Bay and the Nehalem River.
• Taking in vibrant autumn foliage from the comfort of a historic train.
• Dedicated free time to explore the coastal surroundings and grab lunch.

Date / Time: 8 a.m.–7 p.m., Sat 10/24 (Tour #34873)
Price: Res $113 / Non-Res $141
Registration Website: Register Online

Go behind the scenes at the Oregon Humane Society Portland campus. This educational tour includes:

• A walkthrough of the state-of-the-art animal care facility.
• Learning about innovative behavioral rehabilitation programs.
• Discovering the profound dedication and work behind life-saving animal rescues.

Date / Time: 9 a.m.–3 p.m., Tue 11/10 (Tour #34874)
Price: Res $69 / Non-Res $86
Registration Website: Register Online

Go behind the scenes at the Gamblin Artists Colors factory to see how premium oil paints are crafted in Portland. This unique tour includes:

• Observing the traditional manufacturing and milling process up close.
• Learning the fascinating science behind color making.
• Discovering what makes these materials a favorite for global artists.

Date / Time: 9 a.m.–1 p.m., Wed 11/18 (Tour #34875)
Price: Res $52 / Non-Res $86
Registration Website: Register Online

Discover the art of traditional basketry during an interactive workshop. This hands-on experience includes:

• Guided instruction with the expert educators at Trackers Portland.
• Learning how to source, manipulate, and work with natural organic materials.
• Creating and taking home your very own hand-crafted basket.

Date / Time: 9:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Tue 11/17 (Tour #34876)
Price: Res $97 / Non-Res $146
Registration Website: Register Online

Enjoy a guided tour of the world-class gem, mineral, and fossil collection at the historic Rice Museum. This trip includes:

• Exploring unique geological exhibits and viewing rare extraterrestrial meteorites.
• Seeing the famous, world-renowned Alma Rose rhodochrosite.
• Learning about the history and preservation of historic Northwest treasures.

Date / Time: 8:30 a.m.–2:30 p.m., Fri 11/20 (Tour #34877)
Price: Res $73 / Non-Res $109
Registration Website: Register Online

Experience winter magic during the Christmas Festival of Lights at The Grotto. This evening holiday outing includes:

• Walking beautifully illuminated forest pathways.
• Enjoying incredible live choral performances inside the world-renowned chapel.
• Gathering around outdoor fire pits to share seasonal warmth and camaraderie.

Date / Time: 3 p.m.–9 p.m., Tue 12/1 (Tour #34878)
Price: Res $82 / Non-Res $123
Registration Website: Register Online

Stroll through a traditional German-style holiday market nestled inside the Oregon Garden. This festive trip includes:

• Savoring the sight of millions of twinkling, intricate light displays.
• Sipping authentic warm beverages to stay cozy.
• Exploring classic vendor booths filled with unique handmade gifts.

Date / Time: 3:30 p.m.–9:30 p.m., Sat 12/19 (Tour #34879)
Price: Res $98 / Non-Res $148
Registration Website: Register Online

Experience ultimate holiday magic at the iconic Pittock Mansion during its Christmas celebration. This final seasonal trip includes:

• Viewing spectacular, professionally styled seasonal displays inside the historic chateau.
• Learning about the history of early Portland high society.
• Taking in unparalleled, panoramic winter views of the city below.

Date / Time: 9 a.m.–2 p.m., Tue 12/22 (Tour #34880)
Price: Res $73 / Non-Res $109
Registration Website: Register Online

Take a look at the wonderful day trips we've enjoyed earlier this year! These programs are currently concluded.

• Otter Wildlife Tour (3/11): A behind-the-scenes trip to the Oregon Zoo's Steller Cove to meet the otter care team and explore marine conservation.
• Wolf Haven Sanctuary (3/26): A guided walk through an internationally recognized refuge to observe rescued wolves and study prairie restoration.
• Portland Bridge Tour (4/9 & 4/16): An engineering and cultural history tour of Portland's iconic river crossings, inspired by the LO Reads book Tilt.
• Secret Lives of Bees (4/30): An immersive apiary and pollinator garden walk with local beekeepers, complete with a specialty honey tasting.
• Live Jazz at The Benson (5/13): An elegant, cultured evening enjoying live music from local jazz artists paired with dinner at a historic hotel.
• Magic in the Mountains Event (5/30): A premium wine country outing at The Allison Inn & Spa, featuring tastings from 35+ regional wineries.
• Berry Picking & Picnic (6/11): A relaxed farm-to-table trip harvesting fresh seasonal fruit with a group picnic at South Barlow Berry Farm.
• The Covered Bridges of Lane County (6/25): A scenic historic drive through the Oregon countryside to marvel at century-old timber bridges.
• Western Antique Airplane & Automobile Museum (7/11): A trip to Hood River for a vintage transportation car show and massive historic aircraft collection.
• Villa Catalana Cellars (7/14): A unique Mediterranean-inspired botanical garden tour mixed with a private vineyard wine tasting.
• Oregon Coast – Cannon Beach (7/23): A free-guided day of beach walking by Haystack Rock and exploring art boutiques and local eateries.

Diwali, “the festival of lights,” is a holiday celebrated all across India. In collaboration with the Indian-American community, NWCT is excited to bring the festivities back to The Judy. Create a beautiful rangoli, make a lantern, learn a diya (lamp) dance, and enjoy savory and sweet Indian treats.

Free to attend with a suggested donation of $10 per family.

RSVPs are strongly encouraged.
All ages welcome.

Join Habiba, a native of Ghana, in learning the richness of West African culture through song and dance. Habiba offers an interactive, multicultural lesson with authentic West African costume, spiced with singing and movement. The whole audience gets involved in simple dance steps, call and response, greetings and phrases, and rhythm drumming.

This event is first come, first served.

Polynesian dance and narration from Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, and New Zealand with authentic costuming and music. Troupe of 10 to 18 dances for 50 minutes. Interactive dance with the audience—the show is exciting and colorful for all ages.

Brighten your autumn by celebrating Diwali, the vibrant Indian Festival of Lights, at the Wilsonville Public Library. This free, family-friendly evening brings the community together to experience the joy and rich traditions of the holiday. Enjoy an immersive celebration featuring lively music, beautiful cultural dances, delicious traditional foods and hands-on festive crafts.

This program is sponsored by the Friends of the Lake Oswego Public Library and admission is free, and there is no registration required. The Lake Oswego Public Library is located at 706 Fourth Street, Lake Oswego. For more information, contact the Youth Services Librarians at 503-697-6580 or [email protected].

Our bodies may be sick. Our lives are not over. Our stories deserve to be seen.

SICK: A Year in Our Bodies is a fundraising showcase centering Portland-area sex workers living with chronic illness and disability—and the ways we have learned to survive in a world that wasn’t built in our favor.

For many disabled and chronically ill people, traditional employment demands something our bodies cannot always promise: the same energy every day, rigid schedules, eight-hour shifts, limited rest, and the ability to simply push through. Sex work can offer something different—the ability to build work around our bodies instead of constantly punishing our bodies to fit the expectations of work.

We are dancers. Performers. Artists. Providers. Mothers. Hustlers. Creators. Disabled people. Chronically ill people. Survivors.

This night brings our community together for performances, vendors, entertainment, and unapologetic visibility while raising funds for Rose and Pistolita to create SICK: A Year in Our Bodies—a calendar featuring 12 iconic Portland-area sex workers living with chronic conditions.

Each month will put a real body and a real story behind invisible illness. Not as tragedy. Not as inspiration porn. Not as bodies to pity.

As bodies that adapted. Bodies that worked. Bodies that survived. Bodies that are still fucking here.

This project is about what survival actually looks like when your body refuses to cooperate with the rules of an able-bodied world. It is about the ingenuity of people who found another way when conventional systems failed them. And it is about refusing the shame that so often surrounds both disability and sex work.

We are taking the bodies society tells us to hide—and putting them on the fucking calendar.

Twelve workers. Twelve bodies. Twelve stories of adaptation, resistance, sexuality, illness, labor and survival.

Come celebrate the people who learned how to make a living on their own terms. Come support chronically ill and disabled sex workers telling their own stories.

Sick people are strong people.
Disabled bodies are worthy bodies.
Sex workers are workers.
And survival deserves to be seen.

Join us for a special classical Indian dance performance by Nartana School of Kuchipudi Dance in honor of Diwali! Kuchipudi is a centuries-old dance form that originates from southern India, and it is one of the 8 classical dance forms of India. It is characterized by a lively tempo, exhilarating footwork, and rounded movements portraying control with abandon and strength with delicacy. Nartana School of Kuchipudi Dance, located in Beaverton, is dedicated to preserving and promoting Kuchipudi dance through education, performance, and community outreach programs. Anuradha Ganesh is the founder and artistic director of Nartana.

Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a major South Asian festival celebrated by millions of people around the world. Diwali is associated with themes of light overcoming darkness, good overcoming evil, and knowledge overcoming ignorance. Traditions vary among communities, but celebrations commonly include lighting diyas (small oil lamps) and candles, decorating homes, creating colorful rangoli designs for entrances, offering prayers and performing religious ceremonies, fireworks displays, wearing new or festive clothing, and sharing sweets and special foods with family and friends. Diwali occurs annually in autumn, with the primary day of Diwali occurring on the day with the darkest night of the lunar month, the day of the new moon. This year, the holiday starts on Friday, November 6 and spans five days, with the main day of Diwali on Sunday, November 8.

This program is sponsored by LO for LOve. Admission is free, and no tickets are required. Lake Oswego Public Library is located at 706 Fourth Street, Lake Oswego. For more information, contact Allison Arnold at 503-534-5665 or [email protected].

Join an afternoon with Grammy Award-winning soprano Audrey Luna. Audrey will give a masterclass with L&C and PSU students and present a lecture titled "The Business of Singing."

Join Hillsboro Schools Foundation for our 9th Annual Fiesta de Tamales at M&M Marketplace! Pre-order your tamales by visiting www.hsfonline.org. *Please note there will not be any on-site tamale sales benefitting HSF on the day of the event.* Choose a drive-thru pickup option for your tamales, or stay and watch student Ballet Folklorico performances, taste tests, & community building.

Presented by Portland Dance Collective, this showcase will feature a rich variety of local dance artists alongside original works created for this event.

Independent choreographers include Celeste Gutentag, Kelly O'Connor, Kiri Maasen, Jess Zoller, and Willow Swanson, with performances by ELXR, ShapeScape, and Portland Dance Collective.

Suggested ticket price is $25 for general admission.

Click below to view all options and pay-what-you-can.

• November 21st at 7pm

• November 22nd at 4pm

Diwali, “the festival of lights,” is a holiday celebrated all across India. In collaboration with the Indian-American community, NWCT is excited to bring the festivities to The Judy.

Decorate Rangoli, make a lantern, learn a Diya (lamp) dance, and more! Plus, there will be savory and sweet Indian treats to enjoy. All are welcome!

The Diwali Festival has no cost to attend, with a suggested donation of $10 per family. RSVPs are strongly encouraged.

One Last Gathering of the Crows. Join Darcelle XV Plaza for the Wildwood: Follow the Crows Farewell Weekend. After soaring across Portland all season, all 30 spectacular crow sculptures are coming together for one final celebration. This free, family-friendly event is your last chance to see the crows in Portland—and the only opportunity to experience the entire flock in one place.

Meet some of the talented artists behind the crows, collect autographs, take plenty of photos and support OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital through optional donations.

Costumes are highly encouraged. At 2 p.m. on Halloween Day, costumed guests can strut, flap or swoop through the plaza in a festive Costume Parade. Prizes will be awarded in both Adult and Under-18 divisions for:

• People’s Choice
• Best Themed Costume
• Best Crow Costume

Admission is free, and all ages are welcome. Bring your family, gather your flock and help give Portland’s beloved crows a send-off to remember.

Meet at 4:00PM, Walk at 4:15PM, the walk is 1.5 mile total out-and-back hike. Plan to meet at Lower Macleay Park - 2960 NW Upshur St, Portland, OR 97210.

Join Third Angle and World Forestry Center for an immersive All-Saints Day soundwalk to Witch’s Castle, featuring a spooky, site-specific soundscape created by local composer Bora Yoon. Grab your headphones, download the soundwalk, and join us under the bridge at Lower Macleay Park as we excavate memory, and bring to life place-based storytelling along the wooded path.

The Philip Glass Ensemble returns to Portland for Powaqqatsi, an artful cinematic experience that speaks to the impact of modernization and industrialization on traditional ways of living. Seen through the lens of communities across the globe, the narrative is amplified by a masterful Philip Glass score that features native, classical, and electronic instruments. Enjoyed alone or as the second in the Qatsi series, you won’t want to miss this thought-provoking performance with the Oregon Symphony and The Philip Glass Ensemble, led by conductor Michael Riesman.

po.waq.qa.tsi (from the Hopi language, powaq sorcerer + qatsi life) n., an entity, a way of life, that consumes the life forces of other beings in order to further its own life.

In Smith Claudel's third solo exhibition with Carnation Contemporary, the yard is both a symbol and a physical source material, juxtaposing the enclosure of nature and its display with the control of the body. In this exhibition, temporary sculptures of raw clay, harvested from the artist’s yard, will soon return to the earth. A series of botanical drawings was made with the artist's menstrual blood. And a site-specific installation displays a collection of yard work specimens: a small patch of grass unnaturally maintained, nail enamel coating unfired pinch pots, and plant clippings caught in resin.

Yard Work examines the absurdity and care of maintaining one's landscape, and the tension between being kept and being desired.

Kim Smith Claudel is an artist and visual designer based in Portland, Oregon. Working across painting, sculpture, and installation, Smith Claudel creates work that exists in deliberate flux. Her process-driven approach embraces the ephemeral, the decaying, and the mundane, building visual systems that resist completion. Her work has been exhibited nationally and internationally, including a recent solo exhibition (End Cycle) at The Vestibule in Seattle. Other recent solo exhibitions include The Arts Center (Corvallis, OR), The Painting Center (NYC), Mt. Hood Community College (OR), and KyotoBA (Japan). Recent residencies include Building 5 in Portland and the Boston Center for the Arts. She holds an MFA from the School of Visual Arts. She received an MS in Media Arts and Sciences from the MIT Media Lab, where she was a Learning Innovation Fellow. She is a member of Carnation Contemporary Gallery and the WAVE artist collective.

Opening Saturday, October 03, 5–8 p.m.

Featuring special guest Gary Hershberger (Mike Nelson) in person!

Joins us for the complete Twin Peaks series on the big screen for the first time in history! We continue our year-long celebration of the greatest TV show of all time The Missing Pieces. Rarely shown in theaters, this feature film presents deleted scenes from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me assembled together as an untold portion of the story’s prequel. Following a Q&A, we’ll then begin The Return with episodes “My Log Has a Message for You” and “The Stars Turn and a Time Presents Itself.”

Gary Hershberger will be signing autographs and taking photos with fans for an additional fee at the event.

Internationally renowned artist Pipilotti Rist presents her major installation 4th Floor to Mildness in a West Coast premiere and only second exhibition in the U.S.

Pipilotti Rist dissolves exhibition spaces through luminous color, moving imagery, and melodic sound. 4th Floor to Mildness immerses the viewer in a soft, aquatically inspired environment, where a film shot underwater plays across two biomorphic-shaped screens hanging from the ceiling. A soundtrack by experimental musician Soap&Skin/Anja Plaschg adds to the ambience with lyrics about dreams, love, and memories as the camera catches glimpses of floating bodies. Two projected light circles move across the room, enlightening it with visceral hues. For Rist, this light represents a “desire to turn yourself inside out.”

Rist creates conditions for visitors to come together in unconventional ways so that they might better understand their relationships to one another, their own bodies, and nature. In the gallery, raft-like beds provide a place or visitors to rest and share social space as they watch the projection overhead. She asks: “What happens to our perceptions when we don’t have to stand or fight gravity?” The sensation of floating may evoke a sense of returning to an elemental state. For the artist, the work “describes the fantasy of [ourselves] being an organic plant . . . and simulates our dissolution into water, mud, slime, molecules and atoms.”

Originally created for the fourth floor of the New Museum of Contemporary Art in New York, PAM adapted the work to the Crumpacker Center with the assistance of the artist’s team at Atelier Rist; production partner Portland Garment Factory, a woman-owned B-corp and zero-waste creative factory, created the curtains, beds, and bed coverings, and Figure Plant engineered and fabricated the hanging screens.

What’s Up, Doc? (1972) Directed by Peter Bogdanovich. 1hr 34min. Rated G. 35mm.

Join Film School x PAM CUT @ The Whitsell for What’s Up, Doc (1972) in 35mm. The 1972 screwball comedy, starring Barbra Streisand and Ryan O’Neal, follows a wild and eccentric mix-up of plaid luggage through 70’s San Francisco. This portrait is tailored to showcase Barbra Streisand’s unique and distinct comedic persona and the chaotic magnetism she brings to the screen—echoing the screwball heroines that came before her.

Film School is a community film club hosting monthly screenings, discussions, and a blog. They celebrate cinema, spark conversation, and connect film lovers—on and off the screen.

We do not generally provide advisories about subject matter or potentially triggering content in films, and films exhibited don’t necessarily reflect the views of PAM CUT or the Portland Art Museum. In addition to the synopses, trailers, and other links on our website, further information about content and age-appropriateness for specific films can be found on sites like Common Sense Media, IMDb, and DoesTheDogDie.com.

Join us to discover and celebrate Día de los Muertos, an important Mexican holiday honoring loved ones.

We'll share stories, create block prints, and enjoy a vibrant performance by Ballet Folklórico of Southwest Washington. We'll also share traditional pan de muerto and other festive treats. Come learn, create, and celebrate with us!

Events are offered in partnership with La Casita Art Gallery & Cultural Center.

Participe con nosotros para descubrir y celebrar el Día de los Muertos, un importante día festivo mexicano que honra a los seres queridos.

Contaremos historias, crearemos grabados en bloque y presenciaremos una interpretación vibrante del Ballet Folklórico del Sudoeste de Washington. También compartiremos el tradicional pan de muerto y otras delicias festivas. ¡Venga a conocer, crear y celebrar junto con nosotros!

Hannah Lillith Assadi reads from her new novel Paradiso 17 at Portland Art Museum in the Northwest Art gallery (Level 4, Room 402), paired with Esther Podemski, In the Desert. Presented by the National Book Foundation.

FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD
THE NEW YORK TIMES BOOK REVIEW EDITORS’ CHOICE
LONGLISTED FOR THE WOMEN’S PRIZE

The intimate, sweeping tale of one Palestinian man’s restless search for home the world over, as the pendulum of fate swings between loss and life, grief and euphoria, regret and hope.

All his life, exile has been the shadow stitched to the sole of Sufien’s shoe.

Born in Palestine on the precipice of 1948’s Nakba, Sufien is forced to leave the only home he’s ever known, the one on the hill with a beautiful blue door. This is the precise moment when time stops making sense. He spends the rest of his life propelled forward, always on the way—although in search of what, he is never quite sure. In the dusty, oil-rich desert of Kuwait, he meets his first love and decides he must leave his family. In a small Italian university town, he spends his youth wrapped up in the sweet promise of the West and the forgetful assurance of wine. When life takes him to a gritty New York, he discovers his true vocation and falls for a Jewish woman born into a wholly different world. Finally, he finds himself recalled to the wild, vast open skies of the desert, in Arizona.

Sufien’s life spans friendships lost and maintained, a stint selling leathers at a tanner’s stall, the ineffable company of cats, and the freedom of the open road, the glowing pride of fatherhood, Sufi myths, prophetic dreams, and visions of the afterlife—and always, always, no matter how far he chases joy, the sweet, treacherous song of a balcony urging him to fly, to fall, to fall. The lyrical pages of Paradiso 17 weave in and out of time and space, beginning at the end and ending at the beginning. They are haunting, haunted with grief, struck through, as Dante once wrote, with “the arrow that the bow of exile / shoots first,” and yet they throb with light—not just the light that Sufien sees as he approaches his own end, but the brilliant light of a life lived.

Like all of our dead, Sufien still speaks, the book begins. Listen, this is his story.

“With stunning intimacy, Hannah Lillith Assadi has crafted an unforgettable story about the many stunted afterlives of hyphenated belonging. In this book live some of the most complex characters I’ve read in a long time, and a deeply nuanced exploration of exile as both event and inheritance.” —Omar El Akkad, author of One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This

“Suffused with tenderness.” —The New York Times

SICK: A Year in Our Bodies

Our bodies may be sick. Our lives are not over. Our stories deserve to be seen.

SICK: A Year in Our Bodies is a fundraising showcase centering Portland-area sex workers living with chronic illness and disability—and the ways we have learned to survive in a world that wasn’t built in our favor.

For many disabled and chronically ill people, traditional employment demands something our bodies cannot always promise: the same energy every day, rigid schedules, eight-hour shifts, limited rest, and the ability to simply push through. Sex work can offer something different—the ability to build work around our bodies instead of constantly punishing our bodies to fit the expectations of work.

We are dancers. Performers. Artists. Providers. Mothers. Hustlers. Creators. Disabled people. Chronically ill people. Survivors.

This night brings our community together for performances, vendors, entertainment, and unapologetic visibility while raising funds for Rose and Pistolita to create SICK: A Year in Our Bodies—a calendar featuring 12 iconic Portland-area sex workers living with chronic conditions.

Each month will put a real body and a real story behind invisible illness. Not as tragedy. Not as inspiration porn. Not as bodies to pity.

As bodies that adapted. Bodies that worked. Bodies that survived. Bodies that are still fucking here.

This project is about what survival actually looks like when your body refuses to cooperate with the rules of an able-bodied world. It is about the ingenuity of people who found another way when conventional systems failed them. And it is about refusing the shame that so often surrounds both disability and sex work.

We are taking the bodies society tells us to hide—and putting them on the fucking calendar.

Twelve workers. Twelve bodies. Twelve stories of adaptation, resistance, sexuality, illness, labor and survival.

Come celebrate the people who learned how to make a living on their own terms. Come support chronically ill and disabled sex workers telling their own stories.

Sick people are strong people.
Disabled bodies are worthy bodies.
Sex workers are workers.
And survival deserves to be seen.

SICK: A Year in Our Bodies
November 21 • 8 PM • Dante’s • 21+

Church of Art's collaborative neurographics is a mindfulness-based creative activity that provides therapeutic relaxation through intuitive mark-making on a grand scale. For this mindfulness-based collaborative art activity, Church of Art will cover a long row of tables with a roll of paper and acrylic paint pens in a variety of sizes and colors. Participants will move freely around the table, filling the paper with sweeping, colorful doodles to the sounds of calming music. The giant scale allows for whole-arm movements, which signal brains to move out of fight-or-flight mode and into a state of mental relaxation and improved focus. The collaborative aspect of this workshop teaches one to let go of perfection and expectation through shared creative exploration, while working large encourages greater freedom of expression.

Neurographic art is a relatively new form of focused, intentional mark-making that uses curved, bold lines, vibrant colors and calming patterns. Physician and neurographics practitioner Ruben Halperin, M.D., will be the guide, co-facilitating this workshop with artist and Church of Art founder, Erika Halperin.

Immerse yourself in this beneficial form of meditative doodling and experience the mood-boosting effect of creativity coupled with community gathering.

Using paper and acrylic markers. All materials and supplies are provided by the studio.

Tickets Include:

• 2 hours of guided creative exploration in a supportive, friendly environment with all supplies included.
• Light snacks and non-alcoholic beverages are included.
• That wonderful feeling of joy and connectedness that comes from a few hours of in-person artistic play with other adults.

Inspired by Davide De Pierro’s newly released novel The Letters I Never Sent, his live show blends personal storytelling, humor, and audience conversation. Throughout the night, De Pierro will deliver a monologue and read selections from the book, followed by an open Q&A with the audience. Limited meet-and-greet opportunities will also be available for those who purchase in advance. Davide is a New Jersey native that has cultivated over 3M followers on TikTok and 2.7M followers on Instagram and has been earning millions of views online. Known for his commentary on relationships, finances, and those relatable moments that capture the human experience, Davide is excited to be expanding into a fresh medium.

Portland Book Festival welcomes Molly and Meherwan Irani, the husband-and-wife team behind Asheville’s nationally celebrated Chai Pani Restaurant Group. Their flagship restaurant, Chai Pani, was named Outstanding Restaurant by the James Beard Foundation in 2022.

This year, Molly and Meherwan each bring a new book to the table. Meherwan has written No. 1 Best Indian Cookbook in the World: At-Home Recipes from the Streets, Truck Stops, Villages, and Palaces of India. Molly’s Service Ready: A Story of Love, Restaurants, and the Power of Hospitality was published earlier this year. Together, the books offer two very different—and deeply connected—perspectives on food, restaurants, and hospitality.

In celebration of Diwali—the Hindu festival of lights, marked by food, gathering, and celebration—Molly and Meherwan will join their longtime friend Chef Troy MacLarty at Bollywood Theater on Alberta Street for a collaboration. Bollywood Theater will serve a special menu inspired by recipes from Meherwan’s book alongside its own Diwali-inspired menu. It’s a gathering of longtime friends, great food, and two books that reflect different sides of a shared life in restaurants.

Both books will be featured at Portland Book Festival, and Molly and Meherwan will be on hand at Bollywood to meet guests and sign copies.

The second night of 'Sight Reading - Musical Dialects' at the Portland Book Festival features world-renowned songwriters Anna Tivel, Willy Vlautin, and Wonderly collaborating in real time. Performers are accompanied by new arrangements from 45th Parallel Universe.

Join a screening of Union County, starring Will Poulter and Noah Centineo alongside a cast of non-actors from central Ohio. Set in the shadow of the opioid epidemic, this hopeful drama follows two brothers navigating court-mandated recovery and the community that helps them imagine a different future.

Ohio-born filmmaker Adam Meeks drew inspiration from the real-life recovery community he encountered in his hometown, full of people healing and rebuilding their lives. Some of them were cast in the film, and the result is an intimate, compassionate portrait of people rebuilding their lives and finding solidarity and hope in the aftermath of a devastating drug crisis.

Started in 1999 and organized by writer Willa Schneberg, this annual event features readings by prominent Oregon Jewish poets and writers. The writers in the 2026 program span a range of genres, including fiction, poetry, non-fiction, and essays. Each author will share selections from their work.

Each year, Milagro observes Día de Muertos with the premiere of a new production, altar displays, and community events with the Día de Muertos Festival.

Día de Muertos (Day of the Dead) is a long-honored tradition with roots in Indigenous Mexican culture. Día de Muertos is observed annually in Mexican and other Latin American cultures on November 1st and 2nd as a remembrance of those who have passed. Individuals and families who honor this day set up ofrendas (altars) with offerings to their departed loved ones. Typical offerings include marigolds, calaveras, photos of the dead, and traditional food like “pan de muerto.”

Polynesian dance and narration from Hawaii, Tahiti, Samoa, and New Zealand with authentic costuming and music. Troupe of 10 to 18 dances for 50 minutes. Interactive dance with the audience—the show is exciting and colorful for all ages.

Broadway Books is thrilled to welcome Anthea Kreston with her debut memoir Crescendo: Chronicles of an Adventurous Violinist (Paul Dry Books, 2026). She will be joined in conversation with Ling Ling Huang, author of Natural Beauty and Immaculate Conception.

When American violinist Anthea Kreston, called “An Indomitable Spirit” by Yo-Yo Ma, is selected as the fourth member of Germany’s Artemis Quartet, it is the culmination of decades of dedication. In Crescendo, her enchanting and deeply personal memoir, Kreston writes about growing up in a well-to-do but difficult family in Chicago, leaving home at age sixteen, studying at the ultracompetitive Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia (Hilary Hahn was a classmate), then burning out and leaving it all behind for a commune in Oregon.

Join an essential lecture by the acclaimed Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath. Jared Cooney Horvath (PhD, MEd) is a neuroscientist, educator, best-selling author and expert in the field of human learning. His new book, The Digital Delusion: How Classroom Technology Harms Our Kid's Learning - And How to Help Them Thrive Again, pulls back the EdTech curtain and explains the research showing how digital tools in the classroom consistently undermine learning. It also explains how parents, teachers and schools can push back with purpose.

As a leading expert in learning and technology, Jared testified before the US Senate on EdTech and is an internationally sought-after speaker.

Sponsored by the Institute for Families and Technology and OR Unplugged.

Doomsday is an MF Doom-themed group art exhibition celebrating the life, legacy, music, and unmistakable visual identity of one of hip-hop’s most influential and mysterious artists. Presented in partnership with Unspoken and More Than February Art Gallery, the exhibition brings together a diverse group of artists working across painting, illustration, sculpture, design, fashion, and mixed media to reinterpret the world of MF Doom through their own creative lens.

Timed around the anniversary of Doom's passing, Doomsday is both a tribute and a celebration—honoring an artist whose impact extended far beyond music. From the iconic metal mask and comic-book-inspired mythology to his intricate lyricism, production, and independent spirit, MF Doom created a universe that continues to inspire artists, musicians, designers, and fans around the world.

The exhibition will feature original artwork and special installations inspired by Doom, including sculpture, collectible objects, apparel, prints, collaborative pieces, and one-of-a-kind interpretations of the mask and character. Guests will also be able to experience interactive elements including an MF Doom-inspired photo booth, music, merchandise, raffles, and special collaborations created specifically for the exhibition. At its core, Doomsday is about bringing together art, hip-hop, community, and independent creativity while giving artists a space to celebrate a cultural figure whose influence remains deeply present.

Opening Reception: Thursday 6 p.m.–9 p.m.

Andrew Sean Greer, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Less, showcases his wit, sophistication, and deep knowledge of focaccia in this tale of a young man who takes an unspecified job with a charismatic elderly Baronessa at her crumbling villa in the Tuscan hills. Interviewed by Lucy Feldman (TIME).

An aspiring archivist determined to begin a “serious” life after an undistinguished undergraduate career takes up residence in the Italian countryside. Here, he becomes the all-purpose assistant to the Baronessa, known to her friends as Coco, a defiantly youthful and naturally flamboyant woman of ninety-two. Amid a chaotic and colorful milieu of gin-swilling princesses, incomprehensible handymen, roaming boarhunters, nuns, and other local wildlife, our young man does his best to catalog the villa’s extensive collection of art and antiques—although he notices that things seem to go missing from right under his nose.

Despite himself, he tumbles into an affair with a married man, complicating his future plans considerably. And when the Baronessa loses someone close to her, he becomes an unwitting accomplice in the acceleration of Coco’s great and final plan: to locate the love of her life and be reunited before it’s too late. Told with the signature wit, charm, and humanity that made Less an international phenomenon, Villa Coco is a dazzling, sun-soaked ode to life itself, a meditation on how seriously we ought to take ourselves, and a bawdy Mediterranean ballad about becoming who we’ve always wanted to be.