Performing Arts❯Dance

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.”

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.

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.

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.

As the trailblazers of progressive Irish dance, Trinity Irish Dance Company has spent 35 years redefining the art form through the vision of Founding Artistic Director Mark Howard. This family-friendly program, featuring live music from the company’s own folk-rock band, draws from new and classic Trinity repertoire. Highlights will include the Portland/Northwest premieres of “Pasture Bedtime, Bleating Hearts,” a whimsical work by Portland’s own Ashley Roland and Jamey Hampton of BodyVox; “Séseacht,” choreographed by renowned tap dancer Michelle Dorrance in collaboration with the company; and “The Sash,” choreographed by Mark Howard, Chelsea Hoy, and Stephanie Martinez. Trinity has sold out stages across Europe, Asia, and North America — a tradition kept restlessly alive through their distinct artistry.

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.

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.

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.

Celebrating 20 years of cinema, culture, and community—a very special milestone celebrating two decades of building bridges between Latin America and Portland through film.

Over these 20 years, the stories have made audiences laugh, reflect, and feel deeply, while offering new perspectives on identity, collective memory, and cultural diversity. What began as a dream has grown into a vibrant community of filmmakers, artists, volunteers, sponsors, and audience members who believe in the power of cinema to bring the community closer together.

This year features the generous collaboration of musician and composer José Manuel Aguilera, who has authorized the use of his song "Confabulario"—from the album *Tinta negra y roja*—as the official theme for this anniversary edition. The official poster for the twentieth edition was designed by Gilberto Martínez and inspired by the work of renowned graphic artist Joel Rendón. Its visual power and rich symbolism reflect the creative spirit and cultural diversity that have defined the festival over the past two decades.

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.”

The Pacific University Dance Department presents the annual Autumn Choreographers Concert, a full-length dance concert performed by the pre-professional Pacific Dance Ensemble.

Shows on Thursday and Friday at 7:30 p.m. Show on Saturday at 2 p.m.

Ticket Prices: $9 general admission, free for Pacific students. Online ticket sales only. Purchase tickets at https://www.pacificu.edu/theatretickets.

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.

Nuwave Runway is a celebration of the Pacific Northwest fashion community and the many designers, models, creatives, businesses, nonprofits, and organizations that make it unique. This year’s theme is “Awareness,” focusing on increasing visibility of the fashion industry in the PNW and highlighting communities and talent that deserve more recognition.

The evening will begin with a pre-show dinner social at 6:00 p.m., followed by the fashion show at 7:00 p.m., featuring over nine designers from across the Pacific Northwest, showcasing their unique designs and perspectives on the runway.
Throughout the show, designers will have an opportunity to introduce themselves, share the stories and inspiration behind their designs, and talk about who they are. Select sponsors will also have the opportunity to speak about their fashion-related business or nonprofit, helping connect the audience with organizations contributing to the growth of the PNW fashion community. The dress code is to wear anything fun and fashionable in your own way.

Get ready to set sail with Portland’s own Haus of DeVille for a night of Diabolical Drag and Buccaneer Burlesque. Presenting “DeVilles of the Caribbean” At Portland’s own Peacock PDX.

Nautical-themed performances by
Valerie DeVille
Anna Nymph
Theoddra B. MonStar
Xo Skeleton
Prince Peanut Butter
and Princess Jelly!

Featuring Acts inspired by The Goonies, Cutthroat Island, One Piece, Disneyland’s own Pirates of the Caribbean ride and much, much more. Perhaps even a mermaid or two. So stow your weapons and bring your treasure chests for the performers to pillage your tips. Follow the treasure map to the QR code and claim your tickets for $13. Otherwise, it be $15 at the door on the night of the show, mateys. Join the crew, or walk the plank.

21+

Join Blueprint for a trip into two worlds: distinguished masterpieces and Disney. Featuring the Topaz ensemble, the first half includes both classic and modern classical standards, including…

• Purcell’s Hear My Prayer
• Gjeilo’s Sancus
• Allegri’s Miserere Mei, Deus
• Mealor’s Locus Iste

The second half is a fully choreographed half with new arrangements of animated favorites, both old and new, including selections from:

• The Hunchback of Notre Dame
• Anastasia
• Aladdin
• Frozen
• Mulan
• and featuring a mashup of songs from five different films.

So take a trip through both the classical and the Disney classic with Blueprint for a solemn and yet magic-making good time.

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.

Derek Hough Dance for the Holidays is a joyous celebration of the most festive time of the year! With jingle bells and sleigh bells, holiday carols and cheer, Hough’s latest dance spectacular is a show-stopping event for the whole family. Fans will be thrilled and delighted as Hough and his cast of phenomenal dancers bring your favorite holiday tunes to life through dance, from the well-sung classics to modern pop hits, with the incredible choreography, exciting stage production and dance mastery audiences have come to expect. Creative team and Emmy winners, Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo, also known as NappyTabs (Jennifer Lopez’s ‘All I Have’, Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour, Grammys), co-create, direct and supervise choreography for the tour.

This immersive tasting experience celebrates the creativity, craftsmanship, and intersection between artists and winemakers. Enjoy wines from 50 Willamette Valley wineries alongside engaging artistic experiences, seasonal culinary offerings, and opportunities for discovery throughout the evening.

• Tastings from more than 50 premier Willamette Valley wineries
• Pinot-friendly grazing boards and seasonal bites
• Five featured artists and winery pairings
• Live art demonstrations
• Hands-on interactive experiences throughout the event
• Opportunities to connect with featured artists and winemakers
• Access to artwork from the Portland Art Museum’s Rental Sales Gallery, with opportunities to purchase or rent pieces for your home

Portland’s Singing Christmas Tree is back to bring the magic of Christmas to audiences of all ages. Get ready for an unforgettable Christmas experience! Our spectacular 90-minute show is packed with excitement, featuring an immersive nativity, a special visit from Santa and his dancing elves, and a non-stop extravaganza of music, dance, and pageantry that will kickstart your holiday season with joy and wonder.

Special Guest Performers: We’re thrilled to have renowned talents such as Georgene Rice, Timothy Greenidge, and Courtney Temple join us, adding their magic to the festivities.

Incredible Choir: Our adult and youth choirs, along with these guest stars, will serenade you with beloved classics and new favorites, filling the air with the spirit of Christmas.

New Show, New Songs: While our show is steeped in tradition, we’re excited to bring you fresh elements and new songs that will make this year’s celebration even more memorable by joining us for this magical event that captures the true spirit of Christmas.

Pacific Northwest’s Premier Christmas Event: We’re not just a show; we’re a cherished tradition in the Pacific Northwest. Families have been making us a part of their holiday season for over six decades.

Saturday November 28 – 2 PM
Saturday November 28 – 6 PM
Sunday November 29 – 2 PM
Sunday November 29 – 6 PM
Friday December 4 – 7 PM
Saturday December 5 – 2 PM
Saturday December 5 – 6 PM
Sunday December 6 – 2 PM
Sunday December 6 – 6 pm

Blue $48-$55
Red $38-$45
Green $28-$35
ALL TICKETING FEES INCLUDED IN PRICES

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.

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.

Join the Farewell Weekend at Darcelle XV Plaza. See the entire flock gathered together for the first—and final—time before the sculptures head to auction in support of OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital.

Adornment is often reserved for the aristocracy. The common person is expected to wear plain colors and utilitarian shapes meant for labor; clothes that blend in. In Loose Threads and Raw Edges, the GMS Collective explores adornment as a form of identity. The exhibition celebrates our artists’ love of color, texture, and responsiveness to material. These creations are meant to be seen and felt. They are the antithesis of the erasure that many artists experience in this capitalist society.

First and foremost, the GMS artists create for themselves. In a world obsessed with production, efficiency, and exploitation, it is a solace to experience art made to fulfill individual creative impulses rather than be commodified. This exhibition asks, “How can I make the most creative impact with the least amount of environmental impact?” In the hands of the GMS artists, simple threads, notions, and trims are alchemized through countless hours of experimentation. Gold spun from rubbish. Discarded textiles are treated like jewels, meticulously assembled into garments and tapestries fit for royalty — creating a kingdom of one’s own.

Funded in part by the Regional Arts & Culture Council and the Arts Access Fund.

Show Opening: Thursday, September 3, 2026, 5:30–7:30 p.m.
Gather:Make:Shelter Group Exhibition

The 4th Annual MOST Pageant

Saturday, November 7th

Doors 6pm, Show 7pm

Tickets $20 in advance, $25 at the door

The MOST Pageant returns in thanks to our sponsors The Property Weirdos, Outrage Onstage, Demand Drag, Greg Lemix, and more!

9 extraordinary drag and burlesque entertainers will push their artistry to the limits, as they compete for fame and fortune ($500 and bookings and 2 drink tickets!) The contestant who brings the most extreme, bold, extravagant, avant-garde, out of this world, over the top, never before seen, mind blowing package will win the title of The MOST! This year’s contestants were chosen for their exemplification and commitment to mostness in their approaches to fashion, performance and living art. An esteemed panel of judges will be evaluating each contestant on their creativity and presentation to determine who will take the crown. Come ready to cheer and tip your favorite performers!

Who will be The MOST?

Anna Karenema

Baby LeStrange

Boujee Cherry

Harlow Quinzel

HOTTBOXX9000

Max Little

Seven

The Artist Formerly Known As Given

Tomboy

Saturday, November 28 at 11am

Sunday, November 29 at 11am

Sunday, November 29 at 2:30pm (Sensory Friendly Performance)

Saturday, December 5 at 11am & 2:30pm

Sunday, December 6 at 11:00am

Saturday, December 12 at 11am & 2:30pm

Sunday, December 13 at 11am & 2:30pm

Saturday, December 19 at 11am & 2:30pm

Sunday, December 20 at 11am & 2:30pm

Tuesday, December 22 at 11am

Wednesday, December 23 at 11am

Saturday, December 26 at 11am & 2:30pm

Sunday, December 27 at 11am & 2:30pm

Tuesday, December 29 at 11am

Wednesday, December 30 at 11am

Saturday, January 2 at 11am & 2:30pm

Sunday, January 3 at 11am & 2:30pm

Join Portland Japanese Garden and experience the awe-inspiring artistry of NUNO, the iconic Japanese textile design studio. Featuring vibrant and compelling fabrics produced across eight specific regions of Japan, NUNO’s championing of small-community makers illuminates the breadth and depth of contemporary Japanese textile design. This unforgettable exhibition includes site-specific installations and a hands-on touch wall that will make you rethink your relationship to cloth.

Marigolds y Memorias is 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 to build an altar, 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.

Age Recommendation: All Ages
Estimated Running Time: 1 hour 30 minutes, including one intermission

Ticket Availability:

• Season Packages: Tickets may be secured now when you purchase a Milagro Season Package, offering savings of 12.5% – 20%, depending on the package specified.
  To see package options, please CLICK HERE.
• Group Sales: Groups of 10+ may book now to order.
  Please CLICK HERE to send us an email with your desired performance date/time, the number of tickets you are seeking.
  Your order will not be processed until after we have confirmed with you. Someone will respond to your email within approximately 72 hours.
• Single Tickets: On sale beginning Friday, August 21, 2026

Single Tickets:
Adults – $32
Seniors 50+ – $28
Students – $24

SHOW TIMES:

Anish Kapoor: Dissolving Margins, from the Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation, is a bold and expansive exploration of nearly four decades of Kapoor’s printmaking practice and marks the artist’s first retrospective survey dedicated to this collaborative and technical practice. This exhibition presents an immense catalog of the artist’s printmaking–over 150 prints spanning from his earliest experiments to his most recent work.

Visit the exhibition, meet the curator, and enjoy light refreshments on the evening of October 22, 5 p.m.

For lovers of the strange, unusual and bizarre, the Oddities and Curiosities Expo showcases hand-selected vendors, dealers, artists and small businesses from all over the country with all things weird. You’ll find items such as taxidermy, preserved specimens, original artwork, horror/Halloween-inspired pieces, antiques, handcrafted oddities, quack medical devices, creepy clothing, odd jewelry, animal skulls/bones, funeral collectibles, and more. There is something weird for everyone. All items you see at the shows are legal to own and sustainably sourced.

Art in the Burbs was purposefully and creatively designed to weave local artists with student artists. During the show, 20% of each artist’s sales will be retained to benefit The Foundation for Tigard Tualatin Schools’ Art in the Burbs Grant program. Grants are awarded to each of the district’s schools to use only in their arts programs – writing, music, fine art, and performing arts. The Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization.

Art in the Burbs provides a financial vehicle to enrich students’ lives through the arts. Click the button below to see how proceeds from last year’s show were used at your local school.

As the trailblazers of progressive Irish dance, Trinity Irish Dance Company has spent 35 years redefining the art form through the vision of Founding Artistic Director Mark Howard. This family-friendly program, featuring live music from the company’s own folk-rock band, draws from new and classic Trinity repertoire. Highlights will include the Portland/Northwest premieres of “Pasture Bedtime, Bleating Hearts,” a whimsical work by Portland’s own Ashley Roland and Jamey Hampton of BodyVox; “Séseacht,” choreographed by renowned tap dancer Michelle Dorrance in collaboration with the company; and “The Sash,” choreographed by Mark Howard, Chelsea Hoy, and Stephanie Martinez. Trinity has sold out stages across Europe, Asia, and North America—a tradition kept restlessly alive through their distinct artistry.

The Understudies, Portland’s hottest new musical improv group, is debuting their one-hour fully improvised musical, The Understudies: A Fully Improvised Musical. It’s curtain time, but the musical’s principal cast has all mysteriously fallen ill! Can the Understudies fill in and perform a show they’ve never even heard of, much less practiced? Come enjoy a fully improvised musical comedy filled with drama, epic songs, joy, dance, and a heaping helping of laughs.

21Ten Theatre is a cozy 40-seat black box theater in Southeast Portland, providing an up close and personal experience with some of Portland's most talented performance artists.

The Understudies are Sean Arlo (Dropped Notes, Curious Comedy), Whitney Kemper (Mouth Stuff, Kickstand Comedy, Curious Comedy), Lydia Manning (Slydia, Bike Play, Kickstand Comedy), Heather Riggs (Mouth Stuff, Kickstand Comedy), Megan Monroe (Kickstand Comedy, Curious Comedy), Wren Reynolds (Kickstand Comedy), Brantley Bacon (pianist extraordinaire, No Soap Radio, Los Mal Hablados), and Bloom Davis (Kickstand Comedy).

Portland artist Eva Wrzesinski spent months visiting Blanchet House’s free café, drawing portraits of 22 guests while learning about their lives. The result is "At Our Table", a portrait exhibition that invites viewers to see people experiencing poverty, homelessness, addiction, and mental health challenges as unique individuals with stories worth hearing.

The event offers an opportunity to view the portraits and interview Wrzesinski and participating café guests about their experiences.

Each portrait includes excerpts from interviews that explore guests’ memories, relationships, challenges, and hopes for the future.

tell ___ ‘hi’ from me showcases the work of 27 self-taught, neurodivergent artists who live and create in Oregon and are members of the Portland-based Progressive Art Studio, North Pole Studio. This diverse collection of contemporary 2D and 3D works reflects honest creative expression and raw innovation. It invites the viewer to deepen their understanding of the Progressive Art Studio movement and artists working within it, both regionally and nationally. tell ___ ‘hi’ from me offers a warm greeting and a long overdue introduction. It speaks to presence, persistence, and belonging: ‘we’ve always been here, won’t you get to know us?’ … ‘it’s time you get to know us’.

Join us during Hillsboro Art Walk to stroll through the gallery and meet the artists. Enjoy hands-on art activities, refreshments, and more!

Heaven’s Gate (2021)
High-definition 3D 8K video with sound, color; 5 min., 45 sec., loop

A lavish and satirical take on the silver-screen spectacle of Hollywood dreams and excesses, Heaven’s Gate both celebrates collective storytelling and satirizes saturated glamour and stereotypes. The continuously looping video ascends through the seven levels of purgatory, each stage its own unique landscape of visual samples lifted from iconic moments in cinematic history.

Anthology (2025)
Photo–montage printed on wallpaper

Anthology mirrors the way we recall films: as iconic moments, cinematic scenes and emotional cues. By intuitively forming associations between set pieces and characters, Marco Brambilla constructs a compelling “memory timeline”, a series of powerful still images that represent narrative fragments, punctuating the rhythm of cinema across genres and eras.

These curated images resonate not because of their plot context but due to their visual and emotional impact. Chosen for their ability to stand apart, they act as pauses or reflections within the flow of a film’s narrative, exploring how singular moments in film can encapsulate entire stories. Characters and scenes become a visual grammar—pauses, interruptions, and exclamations— underscoring the evolving relationship between image, time, and viewer interpretation in cinema history.

Lookout Landscape is an immersive art exhibition by Oregon-based artist and designer David Buckley Borden and a team of collaborators working across forestry, design, and engineering. Inspired by fire lookout towers, trail culture, and backcountry gear, the exhibition invites visitors onto a fabricated “Lookout Trail,” where a series of imaginative scenes—from a trailhead to a weather station, campground, and tool shed—reimagine the visual language of forestry and outdoor culture in the Pacific Northwest.

Blending research, humor, and design, the exhibition explores the complex relationships between people and working forests, with wildfire as an underlying thread. As visitors move through the space, they are encouraged to reflect on how forests are shaped, valued, and cared for, and to consider their own connection to these landscapes.

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.

In her first solo show, Cathy Aster explores the public and private layers women wear at different life stages. Using image transfer and cut-collage techniques, she creates formal and metaphorical transparencies across a series of 14 images. She bathes the scenes in the autumnal glow provided by vintage magazines, then excavates the images for tenderness, risk and danger. She hooks the viewer with nostalgic images, then transforms the image by revealing unseen psychic realms. The women in Aster’s work look away even as they look directly at you; they look directly at you even as they look away.

Cathy Aster is a cut paper collage artist based in Portland, Oregon. After years of experience working in rare book conservation and digital library settings, she spends her time making art and creating community for collage artists. She has shown work at Alberta Street Gallery, Art at the Cave and Taylor Street Kitchen. She is part of the organizing group of the Pacific Northwest Collage Collective.

One Grand Gallery is delighted to welcome back Portland-based Ashley Anson for her second solo exhibition with the gallery. Home Sweet Home expounds on Anson’s fondness for found textiles and materials and processes historically associated with feminine domestic labor. Drawing on traditionally gendered art forms such as quilting and embroidery, she combines textiles with painting and small sculpture to create narratives about the unseen worlds within people’s homes. Home is central to her work, a place that can hold peace, chaos, and danger all at once.

Anson transforms personal family folklore into layered narratives, exploring how stories imagined in childhood are remembered, exaggerated, and reinterpreted across generations. Her work also examines gender roles in art, asking what gives a painting masculine or feminine attributes and whether an artist’s gender can be sensed in the work. By combining the historically male-dominated practice of painting with embroidery and textiles, she challenges conventional distinctions between artistic mediums.

Join the opening reception on Friday, Oct. 30 from 6- 9 p.m. In the spirit of the Halloween season, the opening will transition into a party as the evening approaches. Costumes are strongly encouraged.

Portland Art Museum invites the community to join a Free First Thursday event featuring free museum admission for all. This unique day includes a chance to explore the special exhibitions and PAM’s transformed campus and reinstalled permanent collection galleries.

October’s Free First Thursday features a special free film program presented in conjunction with The Stars We Do Not See: Australian Indigenous Art. The screenings celebrate film and video work by and about Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people, offering another way to explore the stories, histories, and perspectives at the heart of The Stars We Do Not See.

Cliffbanger is musical improv like you’ve never seen—in-your-face, unpredictable, and ridiculously fun! No scripted storylines or predictable arcs—just razor-sharp comedy, top-tier musicianship, and on-the-spot songs (and choreography!) that will make you laugh ’til your stomach hurts. We start with one audience suggestion—and that’s all we need. From there, it’s fast, fearless comedy with catchy songs and harmonies that have no business being that good.

High-energy, unapologetically funny, and unlike anything else. This is musical improv… that hits.

Featuring:
Rachel Rosenthal, Sam De Roest, Emily Larkin, Lauren Van Kurin, Lena Roper — and Mont Chris Hubbard on keys!

Directed by Rachel Rosenthal
Musical Direction by Mont Chris Hubbard

Grief Holiday represents both an artistic experiment and a community commitment: a way to be present with grief and connection through the power of art. By presenting art in a nontraditional venue dedicated to community care, cultural access is expanded beyond typical gallery audiences. This project affirms art’s power to serve urgent human needs while honoring Portland’s diverse communities. Grief Holiday invites participants to step away from daily life and enter an immersive environment designed to support reflection and community in the face of grief. Guests will move through artist-created spaces, soundscapes, ritual installations, visual works, and participatory storytelling, each encouraging different ways of engaging with loss.

Developed by artists Miche McCausey, Kendra Roberts, Alice Christine Walker, and Emily Fusaro the project transforms grief from an isolated burden into a collective experience. The intent is to provide a supportive setting where participants can acknowledge grief openly, share stories, and engage with tools for connection. Unlike traditional exhibitions, Grief Holiday places the audience at the center of the work, blending art, ritual, and community care into an active journey of presence.

The Grief Holiday team was assembled to combine artistic vision with practical expertise. Emily Fusaro is a design strategist, musician, and songwriter; Miche McCausey is a master carpenter, muralist, and certified death doula; Kendra Roberts is an artist, curator and producer with experience managing large-scale public art; and Alice Christine Walker is a photographer and multimedia installation artist. In partnership and individually, we have organized land art exhibitions, curated community-driven shows, and produced immersive experiences in Portland. This blend of independent and collective work ensures we bring both diverse expertise and proven capacity to Grief Holiday.

Due to the sensitive nature of this experience, all participants are encouraged to be mindful and respectful when entering the space.

The venue is ADA-accessible, and the event will include ASL interpretation, bilingual materials, and trauma-informed facilitators. Spaces will accommodate varied sensory needs, with both quiet reflection and participatory areas. Groups of 25 guests will enter on the hour and move through the experience for approximately 1 hour. Participants will encounter multiple immersive spaces designed to honor and process loss. The program offers a rare opportunity to engage with grief collectively in an art-centered setting.

Enjoy Leslie McMillan’s one-of-a-kind handcrafted jewelry and painter bd dombrowsky’s visual explorations of the mischievous silver night and the many insights the capricious muse offers.

Painter bd dombrowsky's visual style is derived from an interest in vintage illustrated books — encyclopedias, primers, comics, and stories — all the simple visual devices used as a culture to educate and socialize. Much of their work is informed by myths and folklore, as they retell old stories and weave them into new ones. Drawing on a background in drama, sculpture and printmaking, bd dombrowsky's goal is to craft a resonant space in which these stories can unfold, drawn from a shared mythos but reimagined by the artist and narrated by the viewer.

Jewelry Artist Leslie McMillan

As a jewelry smith, Leslie McMillan is all over the place. To begin with, they have ADHD, so their mind is manic. Leslie roams from fusing gold on steel to traditional silversmithing to bonding Japanese silver leaf. When working with steel and gold, Leslie is drawn to the truth that you cannot control the outcome. When heated high enough to fuse with the steel, the gold takes on a life of its own and travels where it wants to go. When working with sterling silver and natural stones, Leslie follows a more traditional approach. Creating hand-forged settings and sourcing stones from First Nation lapidary artists are fundamental to the work. No matter the process, Leslie relies on inspiration from the great Pacific Northwest and all its natural beauty to influence the final piece.

Last Thursday Opening Reception, Oct. 29, 6–9 p.m.

One Nation brings together contemporary artists who explore the ideals and contradictions embedded in the American promise. Drawing on the national motto E Pluribus Unum — “Out of Many, One” — the exhibition reflects on how a diverse society strives toward unity while confronting social, political, and cultural divisions.

Across painting, photography, sculpture, textile, and mixed media, the artists consider themes central to American civic life: immigration and belonging, protest and dissent, labor and economic justice, religious freedom, racial inequality, and the enduring power of democratic ideals.

Personal histories and collective memory intersect throughout the exhibition. Portraits of leaders and everyday citizens appear alongside symbolic images of journeys, borders, and shared responsibility. Together, these works ask viewers to consider not only what unites Americans, but also what challenges the nation’s commitment to liberty and justice, and invites reflection on the role individuals and communities play in shaping the country’s future.

Join for a free guided tour on August 16. RSVP here.

More than just movies, this marvel of a theater was built in the heyday of Hollywood glamour, right on the cusp of the modern talking picture era. It has hosted many grand affairs, including Vaudeville acts, live music, book tours, and more. Join and learn the rich history of the Bagdad Theater that continues to dazzle moviegoers even to this day.

This tour may require standing for long periods and using stairs.

Passport holders: This tour is eligible for the Bagdad Theater location stamp and the Attend a History Sponsored Event experience stamp.

Tours are every other Saturday.

PLUS PLUS Bizarre Bazaar is a brand new market bringing together a curated group of artists, publishers, exhibitors, game designers, community organizations, indie distributors, and creative collectives. It is free and open to the public. Stop by to browse and shop artist editions, books, comics, zines, physical media, prints, apparel, games, and more- then stick around to connect with the people who make it all happen!

• Video.Store.Age (indie film distributor)
• Midslumber Media (horror film shop and also books!)
• Cryptic Trinket Studio (animation / stop motion)
• Spencer Garland (VR Artist)
• Hungry Mantis (VR Artist)
• Fumerie Parfumerie (scent+film)
• Mind Marrow (scent + book + film)
• MENOPUNKS (doc + podcast)
• Estella Tse (VR/AR)
• Women In FIlm (film org /collective for women)
• NW Docs (doc org)
• Open Signal (community media center)
• AE PDX (motion design and animation community org)

• LIMINAL Music (record and music shop inspired by japan + more)
• KOOP radio (community radio hub)
• Tape Op Magazine (music recording magazine)

• Buckman Journal (publisher of artists and illustrators)
• Floating World Comics (comics shop)
• Nathan Mckee (paper cut/ layered images and screen prints)
• Sketchy People (illustrators)
• Kory Bing Illustration (risographs, zines, mostly about animals alive and extinct)
• Studio Mantissa (comics)
• S Mirk Comics (queer/nonbinary zines and comics maker/teacher)

• MADRE Linen (artisen linens/hometextiles)
• Mai Ide (the art of mending, sewing and kintsugi)

• Grilka Press (screen printers)
• Broccoli (art magazine)
• Storyboard Books + Art Supplies (book and art supplies for storytellers)
• Selected Stories (book store)
• Microcosm Publishing (beloved indie publisher)
• Sous les pavés la page (secondhand books and periodicals)

• Pink Tiger Games (founder/creator of former XOXO festival, pink tiger is primarily card games)
• PIGSquad (coming with three tables and an interactive projector)

• Nucleus Portland (contemporary art gallery)
• Mardeluna (art prints, apparel, plushies, giant mascot costumes)
• Lil Planets (360 photography art)
• Lauren Johnson Fine Art (cyanotypes, film+digital+watercolor images)
• Indui (fantasy art)
• Art Headliner (has murals all over NE portland that are rad!)
• Hustle Home Decor (electric colored sun catchers and mirror art)
• Swana Rose Center (Southwest Asia +North African art/culture community org)

• Portland Art Museum
• PAM CUT // Center for an Untold Tomorrow
• Kickstarter
• Portland Films and Events

The Chronic Pain Project is holding its next exhibition in the Aubrey R. Watzek Library at Lewis and Clark College. CPP showcases art by anyone with experiences relating to chronic pain. Some of the artists have been creating for decades, and others have only just begun. Through art, these artists make visible what millions live with but few understand.

This exhibition asks one to consider what embodiment means while living with an invisible condition. CPP seeks to shift dominant narratives, educate the broader public, and create community. What does embodiment mean to you? We invite you to consider our theme as you peruse "Embodied Existence."