#portland-events

#portland-events

The third Wednesday or Thursday evening of each month, comic book shop Books with Pictures ( 1401 SE Division St) hosts this open-invite book club devoted to a wide variety of graphic novels-from the Bitter Root series, about a family of sympathetic monster hunters during the Harlem Renaissance, to an illustrated retelling of the 1872 queer vampire murder mystery Carmilla. Sometimes artists and writers join to talk about their latest work.

The Blazers hit a rough patch at the end of January, into February. Perhaps this past weekend's return of sophomore phenom Scoot Henderson will bring about a welcome change. That, and Deni Avdija unplugging for a week to heal his ailing back, completely ignorant to any glowing endorsements received from genocidal world leaders (god this has been a rugged season to be a Blazer fan).

It's the last week of 2025, and all those other Do This, Do That events are so last year. Here's a fresh roundup to round out your week, including events featuring complicated comedians, hot vampires, and honky tonk opportunities. Plus, New Year's matcha and a journaling session set you up for self-actualized success in 2026-but before that, there's plenty to do on New Year's Eve. Cue the Peanuts gang singing " Auld Lang Syne"!

That's right: the Portland Mercury's Holiday Drink Week returns for another glorious marathon of festive booze magic! From December 1 through December 7, the city's best bartenders are shaking, stirring, and summoning up brand new, holiday-themed cocktails- and they're only $10 each! We've once again teamed up with some of Portland's finest bars and restaurants-plus our spirited pals at Jim Beam and Travel Portland -to deliver a week-long sleigh ride of delicious, limited-edition cocktails!

This week, new reads proliferate in many local venues and varieties: Portland Book Festival posts up at the art museum, Cover to Cover brings readings to lit-friendly locations on both sides of the river, and the Zine Symposium keeps things DIY and a little radical. Plus, Shay Mirk chats nonfiction comics at Literary Arts, and the new Ursula K. Le Guin exhibition at Oregon Contemporary features her very cool purse.

Warmish days be damned, because Christian Girl Autumn has officially begun. This week offers many reasons to head indoors, like Spike Lee's Kurosawa-inspired film Highest 2 Lowest, Amanda Lepore's club kid glamour, and '70s art rockers Sparks. Plus, Freddie Robins installs knitted horses at Cooley Gallery, and the storytelling show Be Gay, Do Crime centers icons of queer rebellion. Read on, and don't forget your coat.

I don't want to alarm you, but autumn is almost here, people. September 15-21 is the last week before the equinox, and fortunately for us, Portland has plenty of creative and apparently candlelit events planned. On the docket are astral jazz, Sasha Fishman's slime sculptures, and vampire baseball set to a live orchestra. Plus, you'll find the latest from some locals, including novelist Leni Zumas, certified baddie Wynne, and Gaia lovers Making Earth Cool. Here's what not to miss.

The Waterfront Blues Festival's lineup is growing, featuring local talents like LaRhonda Steele and ZZ Ward, promising a vibrant experience for blues music lovers.

Ludwig van Beethoven's lush Symphony No. 6, also known as the Pastoral Symphony, paints a musical picture of the Austrian countryside, making it an ideal spring soundtrack.