Arts & Media events in Portland

SUNNOV 8

9:00 AM – 2:00 PM

Hiking & WalkingParks & NatureArts & MediaBooksCraftsStorytimesTalks & LecturesHolidays & SeasonalKids (5-11)

Mushroom Mania

Friends of Tryon Creek11321 South Terwilliger Boulevard

Website ↗

SUNNOV 1

3:30 PM – 4:30 PM

Arts & MediaCraftsWorkshopsKids & FamilyParks & Nature

Science Sunday: Pinecone Bird Feeders

Hillsboro Public Library, Brookwood2850 NE Brookwood Pkwy

Make life a little easier on our Oregon winter birds with some crafty edible artistry for all ages.

Website ↗

TUENOV 10

7:00 PM – 9:00 PM

💰 $32SportsArts & MediaDocumentariesParks & Nature

Warren Miller’s “Days Off”

Kiggins Theatre1011 Main Street

Warren Miller’s “Days Off” will play at the Kiggins Theater from 7-9 p.m. Nov. 1. Host Katie Burrell will show what the pros do on their days off. Go skijoring in Banff, join Craig McMorris and friends in Whistler, and explore Alaska’s spines with Sam Kuch and Craig Murray. Watch Jess Kimura push snowboarding forward and inspire the next generation in Hokkaido, Japan. Head to Chamonix for an intense high-alpine pivot with Christina “Lusti” Lustenberger. Hit Deer Valley with Ted Ligety, Kaylin Richardson, Pep Fujas and Chuck Mumford. Get tickets ($32) at kigginstheatre.com/movie/warren-millers-day-off.

🎟️ Tickets ↗

THUNOV 5

10:00 AM – 4:30 PM

+17 dates

DanceHolidays & SeasonalCultural HeritageArts & MediaCraftsGalleriesParks & NatureWorkshopsWorld Music

Chrysanthemum Festival

Lan Su Chinese Garden239 Northwest Everett Street

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.

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.

Website ↗

SUNNOV 1

4:00 PM

Hiking & WalkingArts & Media

Bora Yoon Soundwalk at Witch's Castle

Lower Macleay Park / Forest Park2960 Northwest Upshur Street

Join Third Angle and World Forestry Center for a FREE, 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. Meet at 4:00PM, Walk at 4:15PMWalk is 1.5 mile total out-and-back hike

🎟️ Tickets ↗

SUNNOV 8

1:30 PM – 3:30 PM

Hiking & WalkingParks & NatureArts & MediaPhotographyTeaMeditationLearning & Tech

Transformation in Nature with Clara-Julia Peru

Crystal Springs Rhododendron Garden5801 Southeast 28th Avenue

We invite you to join our transformation in nature retreat to slow down from your daily life, capture moments in nature, reflect and resonate with the seasonal changes that surround us.

Participants will begin with self-reflective prompts before embarking on a slow, guided walk, where they will be invited to observe and capture with a camera (or cell phone) how the late autumn garden mirrors the landscapes of transformation, grief and transition.

The seasonal landscape itself becomes a teacher: the architectural presence of conifers standing among bare deciduous trees, the rich layers of fallen leaves returning to the soil, beavers preparing for winter, eagles tending their nests, seed pods, mosses, textures, changing light, and the quiet beauty that emerges when life appears stripped down to its essence.

Through mindful photographs, participants will gather visual "fragments" before coming together in a circle for creative reflection, gentle conversation, and complementary herbal teas. The intention is to cultivate presence, symbolism, and a compassionate way of witnessing both nature and ourselves.

Bring comfortable walking shoes, weather-appropriate layers, drinking water, optional snack, camera or cell phone. If using a cell phone camera, be sure that the sound is off.

About the Guest Facilitator

Clara-Julia Peru is an artist, poet and nature advocate. She is a grief informed art and nature guide with an abundance of specialized training in grief support and expression. Learn more about Clara-Julia’s work here.

Sliding Scale Equity Pricing

In an effort to create an inviting and inclusive community for all we have sliding scale equity pricing based on personal financial experience and financial privilege.

We invite you to join our transformation in nature retreat to slow down from your daily life, capture moments in nature, reflect and resonate with the seasonal changes that surround us.

Participants will begin with self-reflective prompts before embarking on a slow, guided walk, where they will be invited to observe and capture with a camera (or cell phone) how the late autumn garden mirrors the landscapes of transformation, grief and transition.

The seasonal landscape itself becomes a teacher: the architectural presence of conifers standing among bare deciduous trees, the rich layers of fallen leaves returning to the soil, beavers preparing for winter, eagles tending their nests, seed pods, mosses, textures, changing light, and the quiet beauty that emerges when life appears stripped down to its essence.

Through mindful photographs, participants will gather visual "fragments" before coming together in a circle for creative reflection, gentle conversation, and complementary herbal teas. The intention is to cultivate presence, symbolism, and a compassionate way of witnessing both nature and ourselves.

Bring comfortable walking shoes, weather-appropriate layers, drinking water, optional snack, camera or cell phone. If using a cell phone camera, be sure that the sound is off.

About the Guest Facilitator

Clara-Julia Peru is an artist, poet and nature advocate. She is a grief informed art and nature guide with an abundance of specialized training in grief support and expression. Learn more about Clara-Julia’s work here.

Sliding Scale Equity Pricing

In an effort to create an inviting and inclusive community for all we have sliding scale equity pricing based on personal financial experience and financial privilege.

🎟️ Tickets ↗

FRINOV 20

4:30 PM – 10:30 PM

+7 dates

💰 $35+Holidays & SeasonalParks & NatureArts & MediaGalleriesStreet Festivals

ZooLights

Oregon Zoo4001 Southwest Canyon Road

Every year, ZooLights dazzles visitors of all ages with wildlife-inspired light displays and a whole lot of seasonal fun. It’s the ideal place to gather friends and family, snap photos and make lasting memories. Looking for the perfect holiday date night? Bring that special person in your life to ZooLights.

See the zoo in a whole new light! Hop on the zoo train and see dozens of life-size animal lanterns along the route. Walk through vibrant tunnels of glittering lights and take in the glowing festive atmosphere.

Enjoy delicious treats like Elephant ears, hot chocolate, popcorn and s'mores. Or raise a toast with beer, wine and a range of non-alcoholic options. It’s all available at ZooLights.

Every year, ZooLights dazzles visitors of all ages with wildlife-inspired light displays and a whole lot of seasonal fun. It’s the ideal place to gather friends and family, snap photos and make lasting memories. Looking for the perfect holiday date night? Bring that special person in your life to ZooLights.

See the zoo in a whole new light! Hop on the zoo train and see dozens of life-size animal lanterns along the route. Walk through vibrant tunnels of glittering lights and take in the glowing festive atmosphere.

Enjoy delicious treats like Elephant ears, hot chocolate, popcorn and s'mores. Or raise a toast with beer, wine and a range of non-alcoholic options. It’s all available at ZooLights.

🎟️ Tickets ↗

FRINOV 27

Hours not provided

+2 more

Holidays & SeasonalCultural HeritageArts & MediaCraftsParks & NatureTea

Holiday Weekends at the Garden

Portland Japanese Garden611 SW Kingston Ave

Celebrate the season with a little holiday magic at Portland Japanese Garden. For three special weekends, experience the Garden’s traditional winter decorations, shop for thoughtful Japanese and Japanese-inspired gifts, and have your purchases beautifully wrapped in cloth using the Japanese custom of furoshiki. Along the way, warm up with seasonal teas and treats from the Umami Café and make an origami ornament to take home. These Holiday Weekends are a festive way to slow down, enjoy the season, and find something meaningful for everyone on your list.

Did you know? Furoshiki refers to traditional Japanese cloths that are used to wrap and carry items, including gifts. Traditionally, when presenting a gift wrapped in furoshiki, givers would take the cloth back home with them. Today, furoshiki may also be given as part of the gift itself, valued both for their beauty and as environmentally friendly, reusable alternatives to disposable paper wrap. Recipients can then reuse the cloth for wrapping and carrying items or presenting a future gift.

Celebrate the season with a little holiday magic at Portland Japanese Garden. For three special weekends, experience the Garden’s traditional winter decorations, shop for thoughtful Japanese and Japanese-inspired gifts, and have your purchases beautifully wrapped in cloth using the Japanese custom of furoshiki. Along the way, warm up with seasonal teas and treats from the Umami Café and make an origami ornament to take home. These Holiday Weekends are a festive way to slow down, enjoy the season, and find something meaningful for everyone on your list.

Did you know? Furoshiki refers to traditional Japanese cloths that are used to wrap and carry items, including gifts. Traditionally, when presenting a gift wrapped in furoshiki, givers would take the cloth back home with them. Today, furoshiki may also be given as part of the gift itself, valued both for their beauty and as environmentally friendly, reusable alternatives to disposable paper wrap. Recipients can then reuse the cloth for wrapping and carrying items or presenting a future gift.

🎟️ Tickets ↗

FRINOV 6

10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Arts & MediaStorytimesBooksCraftsParks & NatureHiking & WalkingLearning & TechUnder 5

Storytime - Mushrooms

Friends of Tryon Creek11321 South Terwilliger Boulevard

Join Friends of Tryon Creek and local author, illustrator, and naturalist Audrey Sauble for a special storytime series. Featuring a variety of nature themes and books, some of which are available to purchase in the Nature Center Store. We will gather near the Nature Center for a story, activity, and walk introducing children (and adults) to forest plants and animals. It is best suited for children 3-5 years old, but all are welcome.

Spring Storytimes - Register Here

This event is free for current Friends of Tryon Creek members (use this express membership link and join today) or $10 for each family for non-members. Use the links above to register. If you are not a current member, you can use the link above to join and then you will be asked to create an account before registering. If space is available, registration is also available the day-of at the Nature Center Store.

Join Friends of Tryon Creek and local author, illustrator, and naturalist Audrey Sauble for a special storytime series. Featuring a variety of nature themes and books, some of which are available to purchase in the Nature Center Store. We will gather near the Nature Center for a story, activity, and walk introducing children (and adults) to forest plants and animals. It is best suited for children 3-5 years old, but all are welcome.

Spring Storytimes - Register Here

This event is free for current Friends of Tryon Creek members (use this express membership link and join today) or $10 for each family for non-members. Use the links above to register. If you are not a current member, you can use the link above to join and then you will be asked to create an account before registering. If space is available, registration is also available the day-of at the Nature Center Store.

Website ↗

🎟️ Tickets ↗

SATNOV 7

10:30 AM – 1:00 PM

Group RidesParks & NatureArts & MediaWellnessTours

Waterways, Real and Metaphoric Ride

Portland, ORMap

Organizer: Portland By Cycle Rides and Classes
Schedule: Meet at 10:30 a.m., we'll roll out at 11:00.
Ride Length: 8-15 miles
Route: Loop ride (returns to start)
Location Details: between Ankeny and Burnside
Audience: General (all ages)

This ride will tour public art and Public Works sites that mimic natural waterways, including the Oregon Convention Center rain garden and the downtown Open Space Sequence. It will be a relaxed paced ride (8-10 mph) along low-stress bikeways, with frequent stops to show off gems of Portland art, architecture and inspiration that represent our connection to the natural world, specifically rivers and streams.

This is a no-drop loop ride perfect for folks new to Portland, new to the bike or just getting back on their wheels. About 8 miles long round trip. Coffee and restroom available at the start location, we'll provide the donuts!.

Bring a friend because no one is left behind! Bring appropriate clothing - you know Portland weather, always interesting, and we'll ride rain or shine.
Free and open to everyone. Made possible with support from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund.

Free BIKETOWN rides!
We have some free BIKETOWN codes (we pay the cost) available specifically for this ride! To receive a BIKETOWN code, email Timo Forsberg at [email protected].

Contact: portland.gov/bike

Organizer: Portland By Cycle Rides and Classes
Schedule: Meet at 10:30 a.m., we'll roll out at 11:00.
Ride Length: 8-15 miles
Route: Loop ride (returns to start)
Location Details: between Ankeny and Burnside
Audience: General (all ages)

This ride will tour public art and Public Works sites that mimic natural waterways, including the Oregon Convention Center rain garden and the downtown Open Space Sequence. It will be a relaxed paced ride (8-10 mph) along low-stress bikeways, with frequent stops to show off gems of Portland art, architecture and inspiration that represent our connection to the natural world, specifically rivers and streams.

This is a no-drop loop ride perfect for folks new to Portland, new to the bike or just getting back on their wheels. About 8 miles long round trip. Coffee and restroom available at the start location, we'll provide the donuts!.

Bring a friend because no one is left behind! Bring appropriate clothing - you know Portland weather, always interesting, and we'll ride rain or shine.
Free and open to everyone. Made possible with support from the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund.

Free BIKETOWN rides!
We have some free BIKETOWN codes (we pay the cost) available specifically for this ride! To receive a BIKETOWN code, email Timo Forsberg at [email protected].

Contact: portland.gov/bike

Website ↗

THUNOV 26

6:00 PM – 7:30 PM

Clubs & MeetingsLearning & TechArts & MediaCraftsParks & Nature

Salmon Creek Flyfishers Club Meeting

American Legion Post 17614011 N.E. 20th Ave.

Salmon Creek Flyfishers monthly meeting is held at 6 p.m. on the last Thursday of the month except July, August, and December.

Join us to learn about tying flies and fishing. Food is available for purchase. Meet at the American Legion Post 176, located at 14011 N.E. 20th Ave.

For more information, contact [email protected]

🎟️ Tickets ↗

MONNOV 2

10:00 AM – 11:00 AM

+8 dates

💰 $8+Registration requiredHiking & WalkingParks & NatureArts & MediaStorytimesLearning & TechUnder 5

Tree Time Preschool Walks

Hoyt Arboretum4000 Southwest Fairview Boulevard

Come for a story and guided walk on the trails at Hoyt Arboretum. Use your senses to explore the natural surroundings and maybe even get your hands dirty. Staff and trained Arboretum volunteers will introduce you and your family to the plants, trees, insects, mushrooms, and more found at Hoyt Arboretum. Tree Time walks are held on Mondays and Saturdays at 10 am year-round. Tree Time walks are geared to children ages 2 to 6 and their guardians.

Registration is required.

Come for a story and guided walk on the trails at Hoyt Arboretum. Use your senses to explore the natural surroundings and maybe even get your hands dirty. Staff and trained Arboretum volunteers will introduce you and your family to the plants, trees, insects, mushrooms, and more found at Hoyt Arboretum. Tree Time walks are held on Mondays and Saturdays at 10 am year-round. Tree Time walks are geared to children ages 2 to 6 and their guardians.

Registration is required.

🎟️ Tickets ↗

FRINOV 20

3:00 PM – 4:30 PM

All agesArts & MediaParks & NatureWorkshops

Nature Journaling - Mushrooms

Friends of Tryon Creek11321 South Terwilliger Boulevard

Join local author and science illustrator Audrey Sauble to learn about nature journaling at Tryon Creek. Each class will introduce a variety of tools and techniques, and participants will learn to record their nature observations using both art and text. Basic art supplies will be available, but you are welcome to bring your own sketchbook and materials.

Audrey Sauble journal example

Register for this class and others here.

No artistic experience is required. When weather permits, part of the class may be held outside.

All Ages are welcome to attend.

Sliding scale fee $10-20.

Join local author and science illustrator Audrey Sauble to learn about nature journaling at Tryon Creek. Each class will introduce a variety of tools and techniques, and participants will learn to record their nature observations using both art and text. Basic art supplies will be available, but you are welcome to bring your own sketchbook and materials.

Audrey Sauble journal example

Register for this class and others here.

No artistic experience is required. When weather permits, part of the class may be held outside.

All Ages are welcome to attend.

Sliding scale fee $10-20.

Website ↗

🎟️ Tickets ↗

MONNOV 2

10:00 AM – 11:15 AM

+8 dates

Registration requiredHiking & WalkingParks & NatureUnder 5Arts & MediaStorytimesLearning & Tech

Tree Time! Preschool Walk

Hoyt Arboretum4000 SW Fairview Blvd, Portland, OR 97221

Tree Time! preschool walks are a safe and fun way to get outside with your little one. Come join us for a story and guided walk on the trails at Hoyt Arboretum. We will use all of our senses to explore the natural surroundings and maybe even get our hands dirty! Staff and trained Arboretum volunteers will introduce you and your family to the plants, trees, insects, mushrooms, and more found at Hoyt Arboretum. This event is coordinated by Hoyt Arboretum and registration is required through their website. — $8.00

View Listing ↗

MONNOV 23

9:30 AM – 11:00 PM

Hiking & WalkingParks & NatureClubs & MeetingsArts & MediaBooksWellness

Audiobook Walking Club

Camas Public Library625 N.E. Fourth Ave.

The Camas Public Library offers an Audiobook Walking Club on the fourth Monday of the month at 9:30 a.m. Members bring their own audiobooks and meet at a different outdoor location each month. The group will walk for 60 minutes followed by an optional 30 minutes of social time. Walks are weather-dependent.

View Listing ↗

SUNNOV 1

6:00 PM · Doors 5:30 PM

BalletTheaterClassicalArts & Media

PRIMA Ballet Gala

Newmark Theatre1111 SW Broadway

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.

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.

Website ↗

SUNNOV 1

2:30 PM – 4:30 PM

💰 $5 - $25Cultural HeritageWorld MusicClassicalArts & Media

Oregon Koto-Kai's 15th Annual Fall Koto Concert

Lincoln Recital Hall1620 SW Park Ave, Room 75 (Ground Floor / Basement)

On Sunday, November 1st, Oregon Koto-Kai, the *Japanese Koto Music Society of Oregon*, will present its 15th Annual Fall Concert at Lincoln Recital Hall (Room 75). This year’s concert will feature traditional and modern koto ensemble pieces selected to honor the koto mastery and memory of the late Kazue Sawai. The music will be complemented by beautiful art on stage created by local artist Satoko Motouji. Kazue Sawai cofounded the Sawai Koto Institute based in Tokyo, Japan with her husband, koto master and composer Tadao Sawai. Not only was she the instructor and mentor to our Artistic Director, Mitsuki Dazai, but her passion and innovative playing style was an inspiration to our entire group and koto players worldwide. Our program honors that legacy with traditional pieces signature to her repertoire and boundary-pushing compositions from the Sawai catalog.

🎟️ Tickets ↗

SUNNOV 15

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM

Arts & MediaCraftsWorkshopsParks & NatureKids & Family

Science Sunday: Pinecone Bird Feeders

Hillsboro Public Library, Shute Park775 SE 10th Ave

Make life a little easier on our Oregon winter birds with some crafty edible artistry for all ages.

Website ↗

SATNOV 7

11:45 AM – 12:45 PM

Arts & MediaAuthor TalksTalks & Lectures

The Children: Melissa Albert

Newmark Theatre1111 Southwest Broadway

The haunting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Melissa Albert, in which the estranged adult children of a legendary author, written into their dead mother’s beloved fantasy series, must contend with the vine-like creep of legacy, memory, and magic. Interviewed by OPB’s Jess Hazel.

Guinevere Sharpe has two childhoods. In one, she and her brother, Ennis, live in the wooded shadow of their family’s isolated Vermont farmhouse; in the other, the pages of their mother’s world-famous Ninth City books, where their magical adventures have made them household names. In reality, Guinevere’s childhood isn’t the enchanted idyll her mother’s readers imagine: she and Ennis are growing up near-feral, unwashed and underfed, escaping each day to the wild woods they’ve made their playland. As Edith Sharpe’s books explode into epic popularity, the threats of a rural childhood give way to the escalating perils of fame—until the night it all goes up in flames, leaving Edith’s series unfinished and her children the sole survivors.

Now an adult coasting on her mother’s name, Guinevere is mid-promotion for a ghostwritten memoir when her estranged brother, an artist who has until now spurned his family’s legacy, announces an upcoming installation titled, simply, Mother. As rumors swirl around a death connected to his last show, unsettling recollections from Guinevere’s childhood begin to surface. Her public facade starts to crack, forcing her to confront the questions she’s spent the last twenty years running from: What really happened the night of the fire? And what dark history lies behind their mother’s fantasy world?

The Children is wise to the mythic weight childhood memories gather over time, and the way the most beloved stories grow up with us. It’s for anyone who’s ever revisited an old favorite and found its pages cast in a darker light, the line separating magic from reality blurring as we discover the books that once comforted us carry shadows of their own.

The haunting new novel from New York Times bestselling author Melissa Albert, in which the estranged adult children of a legendary author, written into their dead mother’s beloved fantasy series, must contend with the vine-like creep of legacy, memory, and magic. Interviewed by OPB’s Jess Hazel.

Guinevere Sharpe has two childhoods. In one, she and her brother, Ennis, live in the wooded shadow of their family’s isolated Vermont farmhouse; in the other, the pages of their mother’s world-famous Ninth City books, where their magical adventures have made them household names. In reality, Guinevere’s childhood isn’t the enchanted idyll her mother’s readers imagine: she and Ennis are growing up near-feral, unwashed and underfed, escaping each day to the wild woods they’ve made their playland. As Edith Sharpe’s books explode into epic popularity, the threats of a rural childhood give way to the escalating perils of fame—until the night it all goes up in flames, leaving Edith’s series unfinished and her children the sole survivors.

Now an adult coasting on her mother’s name, Guinevere is mid-promotion for a ghostwritten memoir when her estranged brother, an artist who has until now spurned his family’s legacy, announces an upcoming installation titled, simply, Mother. As rumors swirl around a death connected to his last show, unsettling recollections from Guinevere’s childhood begin to surface. Her public facade starts to crack, forcing her to confront the questions she’s spent the last twenty years running from: What really happened the night of the fire? And what dark history lies behind their mother’s fantasy world?

The Children is wise to the mythic weight childhood memories gather over time, and the way the most beloved stories grow up with us. It’s for anyone who’s ever revisited an old favorite and found its pages cast in a darker light, the line separating magic from reality blurring as we discover the books that once comforted us carry shadows of their own.

Website ↗

🎟️ Tickets ↗

SUNNOV 1

2:00 PM – 9:00 PM

💰 $25Arts & MediaFilmTalks & Lectures

Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces + The Return Episodes 1 & 2

Clinton Street Theater2522 SE Clinton St

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.

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.

Website ↗

🎟️ Tickets ↗

WEDNOV 4

7:30 PM – 9:30 PM

💰 $29+ClassicalArts & MediaFilm

Powaqqatsi: Live with The Philip Glass Ensemble

Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall1037 Southwest Broadway

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.

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.

Website ↗

🎟️ Tickets ↗

SUNNOV 1

12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Arts & MediaGalleriesCeramics

Yard Work, by Kim Smith Claudel

Carnation Contemporary8371 North Interstate Avenue

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.

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.

Website ↗

SUNNOV 1

2:00 PM – 4:00 PM

💰 PaidArts & MediaFilmMuseums

What’s Up Doc? (1972) – 35mm

Portland Art Museum1219 SW Park Ave

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.

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.

Website ↗

MONNOV 2

5:30 PM – 7:30 PM

Talks & LecturesArts & MediaAuthor Talks

A Talk by Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath

Sanctuary Hall at First Congregational UCC1126 SW Park Ave

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.

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.

Website ↗

🎟️ Tickets ↗

SUNNOV 1

10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

+20 dates

Arts & MediaMuseumsFilmGalleries

Pipilotti Rist: 4th Floor to Mildness

Portland Art Museum1219 Southwest Park Avenue

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.

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.

🎟️ Tickets ↗

SUNNOV 1

10:00 AM – 12:00 PM

💰 $65+WorkshopsArts & MediaCraftsGalleriesMeditation

Giant Collaborative Neurographic Art

Church of Art1801 Northwest Upshur Street

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.

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.

🎟️ Tickets ↗

WEDNOV 4

6:30 PM

Arts & MediaReadingsAuthor TalksPerforming Arts

Davide De Pierro

Alberta Rose Theatre3000 Northeast Alberta Street

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.

🎟️ Tickets ↗

SUNNOV 1

11:00 AM – 5:00 PM

All agesKids & FamilyArts & MediaFilmGalleriesLGBTQ+

Wildwood Follow the Crows Farewell Weekend

Darcelle XV PlazaMap

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.

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.

View Listing ↗

FRINOV 6

5:00 PM – 8:00 PM

Cultural HeritageDiningArts & MediaAuthor TalksLearning & TechHolidays & Seasonal

Chai Pani at Bollywood Theater: A Diwali Celebration

Bollywood Theater – Alberta2039 Northeast Alberta Street

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.

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.

Website ↗

MONNOV 2

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM

Arts & MediaAuthor TalksTalks & Lectures

Anthea Kreston with Ling Ling Huang

Broadway Books1714 NE Broadway

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.

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.

Website ↗

🎟️ Tickets ↗

SATNOV 7

6:30 PM

IndieFolkArts & MediaPerforming Arts

Anna Tivel, Willy Vlautin and Wonderly

First Congregational Church1126 Southwest Park Avenue

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.

Website ↗

🎟️ Tickets ↗

FRINOV 6

7:00 PM – 10:00 PM

💰 $32IndieFolkClassicalArts & Media

Sight Reading: Musical Dialects with Jimmie Herrod, Nick Jaina, Black Belt Eagle Scout and 45th Parallel Universe

First Congregational United Church of Christ1126 SW Park Ave

Musical Dialects with Jimmie Herrod, Nick Jaina, Black Belt Eagle Scout and 45th Parallel Universe

Music is more than just an aural language – it is a multitude of communication modes and literacies. Sight Reading features world-renowned songwriters translating between dialects in real time: the written language of music (usually expressed on staff), oral / aural traditions and “playing by ear” come together to work with Oregon Symphony musicians as they perform newly-created arrangements of songs by musicians who write their music in a variety of ways.

FRIDAY NOV. 6

Jimmie Herrod

Jimmie Herrod is a singer, songwriter, and performer celebrated for his radiant tone and emotional depth. Hailed by The Seattle Times as “a voice like a beacon of hope,” Herrod brings striking expressivity to performances across stage and screen.

He rose to international prominence as a finalist on America’s Got Talent, where he earned the coveted Golden Buzzer from Sofía Vergara. He later returned to compete on AGT: All-Stars, further expanding his global audience.

Since 2017, Herrod has toured extensively with Pink Martini, performing throughout North America, Europe, and Asia. He is also a frequent guest with major orchestras across the United States and has collaborated with artists including Renée Fleming, Lalah Hathaway, Brian Blade, and Vince Mendoza.

Equally at home across genres, Herrod is known for performances that combine technical precision with warmth, clarity, and a powerful sense of connection.

Katherine Paul

This land runs through Katherine Paul’s blood. And it called to her. In dreams she saw the river, her ancestors, and her home.When the land calls, you listen. And KP found herself far from her ancestral lands during a time of collective trauma, when the world was wounded and in need of healing. In 2020 she made the journey from Portland back to the Skagit River, back to the cedar trees that stand tall and shrouded in fog, back to the tide flats and the mountains, back to Swinomish.

It is a powerful thing to return to our ancestral lands and often times the journey is not easy. Like the salmon through the currents, like the tide as it crawls to shore this is a story of return. It is the call and response. It is the outstretched arms of the people who came before, welcoming her home.The Land, The Water, The Sky is a celebration of lineage and strength. Even in its deepest moments of loneliness and grief, of frustration over a world wrought with colonial violence and pain, the songs remind us that if we slow down, if we listen to the waves and the wind through the trees, we will remember to breathe.

There is a throughline of story in every song, a remembrance of knowledge and teachings, a gratitude of wisdom passed down and carried. There is a reimagining of Sedna who was offered to the sea, and a beautiful rumination on sacrifice and humanity, and what it means to hold the stories that work to teach us something.

Chord progressions born out of moments of sadness and solitude transform into the islands that sit blue along the horizon. The Salish Sea curves along her homelands, and when the singer is close to this water she is reminded of her grandmother, how she looked out at these same islands, and she’s held by spirit and memory.

The Land, The Water, The Sky rises and falls, in darkness and in light, but even in its most melancholy moments it is never despairing. That is the beauty of returning home. When you stand on ancestral lands it is impossible to be alone. You feel the arms and hands that hold you up, unwilling to let you fall into sorrow or abandonment. In her songs Katherine Paul has channeled that feeling of being held. In every note she has written a love letter to indigenous strength and healing.

There is a joy present here, a fierce blissfulness that comes with walking the trails along the river, feeling the sand and the stones beneath her feet. It is the pride and the certainty that comes with knowing her ancestors walked along the same land, dipped their hands into the water, and ran their fingertips along the same bark of cedar trees.

This is a story of hope, as it details the joy of returning. Katherine Paul’s journey home wasn’t made alone, and the songs are crowded with loved ones and relatives, like a really good party. And as the songs walk us through the land it is important we hover over the images and the beauty, the moments that mark this album as site specific. The power of this land is woven throughout, telling the story of narrow waterways, brushstrokes, salmon stinta, and above all healing. Let it take you. Move through the story and see the land through her eyes, because it is a gift, awelcomedsʔabadəb.

**The word “gift” in Lushootseed, the language of the Coast Salish people“

Nick Jaina

Nick Jaina is a Portland-based musician and writer whose work bridges music, literature, and performance. Originally from Sacramento, he has lived and worked in Portland, New York, and New Orleans, shaping a multidisciplinary creative career.

Jaina is the author of the memoir Get It While You Can, a finalist for the Oregon Book Award and now in its third printing. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic, McSweeney’s, and Oregon Humanities.

As a musician, he has released numerous albums under his own name, including 2025’s The Monster Mash, blending literary sensibility with adventurous songwriting. His work often crosses artistic boundaries, reflecting a deep engagement with narrative and form.

He co-founded and served as music director for the New York-based ballet company Satellite, collaborating with dancers from Juilliard School and New York City Ballet, with performances at the Brooklyn Academy of Music.

Jaina has also composed scores for films and documentaries including All Sorts, Cement Suitcase, and Elemental: Reimagine Wildfire.

45th Parallel Universe

45th Parallel Universe is a collective of musicians dedicated to celebrating great chamber music through intimate, imaginative performances. Comprised primarily of musicians from the Oregon Symphony, the ensemble brings exceptional artistry and a spirit of collaboration to every project.

Since 2009, 45th Parallel has blurred boundaries between old and new, classical and contemporary, bluegrass and jazz, fiddle and folk. Their programming reflects Portland’s vibrant creative community, drawing together diverse audiences through unexpected and thoughtfully curated musical experiences.

Known for its “360-degree” approach to programming, the ensemble seamlessly weaves Bach and Beethoven alongside adventurous repertoire and cross-genre collaborations. These projects often feature artists from a wide range of traditions, embracing the richness and diversity of the region.

At its core, 45th Parallel Universe believes in music as a powerful and shared human experience—one that is both timeless and ever-evolving.