The Essentials

13 Things to See and Do in Portland: February 2020

Guitar-strumming drag queens, explosive volcano art, and festivals galore.

01/21/2020 By Conner Reed

The Essentials

13 Things to See and Do in Portland: January 2020

Hedwig and Beckett hit the stage, the folk festival returns, and a beloved local painter showcases new work

12/31/2019 By Conner Reed

The Essentials

12 Things to See and Do in Portland: December 2019

John Waters hits the Aladdin, Milagro rewrites Dickens, and NW Dance Project fills your winter cup.

11/26/2019 By Conner Reed

The Essentials

13 Things to See and Do in Portland: November 2019

Carla Rossi clowns around, Sleater-Kinney shreds at the Crystal, and national treasure Nicole Byer hits Helium.

10/23/2019 By Conner Reed, Fiona McCann, and Rebecca Jacobson

The Essentials

12 Things to See and Do in Portland: October 2019

Ta-Nehisi Coates in town, OBT roars into its 30th anniversary season, Teicher levels up on tap dance, and All Jane brings the laughs.

09/23/2019 By Rebecca Jacobson and Fiona McCann

The Essentials

13 Things to See and Do in Portland: August 2019

Pickathon returns to Pendarvis Farm, Michelle Wolf plays Helium, Lost Lander drops a new album, and Lents hosts its fifth annual Chicken Beauty Contest.

07/24/2019 By Rebecca Jacobson

Essentials

12 Things to See and Do in Portland: July 2019

Pussy Riot masks, sandwich sculptures, Rodrigo y Gabriela, and sketch comedy galore—here’s what you can’t miss this month.

06/25/2019 By Rebecca Jacobson

The Essentials

13 Things to See and Do in Portland: June 2019

Anderson .Paak plays Edgefield, the Portland Art Museum travels back to turn-of-the-century Paris, and Melissa Villaseñor brings her crackerjack impressions to Helium.

05/28/2019 By Rebecca Jacobson

The Essentials

13 Things to See and Do in Portland: May 2019

Shannon Shaw plays Mississippi Studios, Hannah Gadsby comes to the Newmark, Pure Bathing Culture drops a new record, and a mermaid lands in Coos Bay.

04/23/2019 By Rebecca Jacobson

The Essentials

12 Things to See and Do in Portland: April 2019

Laika unleashes Missing Link, Ranky Tanky plays the Newmark, and a world-premiere play about Sacajawea comes to Portland Center Stage.

03/26/2019 By Rebecca Jacobson and Fiona McCann

The Essentials

12 Things to See and Do in Portland: March 2019

Noname plays the Crystal, Tiffany Haddish comes to the Keller, and twisty plays take the stage at Artists Rep and Third Rail.

02/26/2019 By Rebecca Jacobson and Fiona McCann

The Essentials

13 Things to See and Do in Portland: February 2019

The PDX Jazz Fest sweeps the city, Beijing Dance Theater makes its Portland debut, Shane Torres returns to Helium, and Jennifer Egan hits the Schnitz.

01/29/2019 By Rebecca Jacobson and Fiona McCann

The Essentials

13 Things to See and Do in Portland: December 2018

Alela Diane plays the Old Church, Natasha Leggero and Moshe Kasher hit Helium, and NW Dance Project draws inspiration from fables and fairy tales.

11/20/2018 By Rebecca Jacobson and Fiona McCann

The Essentials

11 Things to See and Do in Portland: November 2018

Tom Hanks and Abbi Jacobson come to town, Tank and the Bangas play the Roseland, and the Oregon Symphony mashes up Tchaikovsky and Drake.

10/17/2018 By Rebecca Jacobson and Fiona McCann

The Essentials

13 Things to See and Do in Portland: October 2018

Kamasi Washington plays the Crystal, Rebecca Traister hits Powell's, Oregon Ballet Theatre tackles aquatic romance, and Pop-Up Magazine returns to Revolution Hall.

09/11/2018 By Rebecca Jacobson and Fiona McCann

The Essentials

13 Things to See and Do in Portland: August 2018

What's on deck this month? Junk sculptures, heterodox hip-hop, and a Parisian comedy of manners by a Canadian living in North Portland.

07/17/2018 By Rebecca Jacobson and Fiona McCann

The Essentials

12 Things to See and Do in Portland: July 2018

Jazz in the Chinese Garden, outdoor movies galore, a sketch comedy bonanza, and the beautiful portraits of Borderland—summer’s got plenty in store.

06/19/2018 By Rebecca Jacobson and Fiona McCann

The Essentials

13 Things to See and Do in Portland: June 2018

Pop star Frankie Simone drops her debut EP, Soweto Kinch plays genre-crossing jazz, and Masha Gessen talks straight about Trump and Putin.

05/22/2018 By Rebecca Jacobson and Fiona McCann

The Essentials

13 Things to See and Do in Portland: May 2018

From an exploration of black hair to a poetic tribute to Janet Jackson and nacho cheese, here's what you can't miss this month.

04/24/2018 By Rebecca Jacobson and Fiona McCann

The Essentials

12 Things to Do and See in Portland: April 2018

Soul'd Out brings the likes of Erykah Badu and Wyclef Jean to town, Portlander Anis Mojgani drops new poetry, and young composers reimagine the music of Elliott Smith.

03/27/2018 By Rebecca Jacobson and Fiona McCann