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EverOut

Your Guide to the Biggest Summer 2022 Festivals Around Portland

by EverOut Staff • Thursday at 4:20 pm

Gear up for Pickathons four-day festival in the woods.
Gear up for Pickathon's four-day festival in the woods.
Now that summer is officially upon us, festival season is back in full force. It’s time to make the most of it by celebrating anything and everything under the sun. Whether it’s beer, a particular music genre, or a cultural celebration, get out there and fest with the best at events from Oregon Brewers Festival to Pickathon and from the 24th Annual Elephant Garlic Festival to Pedalpalooza. 

ARTS


Portland Horror Film Festival 2022
Get your spook on at this horror festival of fresh shorts and feature-length films to die for. With in-person screenings and virtual options, it's kinda like Halloween in June—you'll find monsters, hauntings, creepy killers, and more, with offerings from BIPOC, women, and queer filmmakers.
Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District (June 29-July 3)

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Food and Drink • EverOut

20 Patios in Portland to Visit This Summer

by EverOut Staff • Thursday at 2:26 pm

The time is finally ripe to lounge on a patio, like the one at Mediterranean Exploration Company.
The time is finally ripe to lounge on a patio, like the one at Mediterranean Exploration Company. Mediterranean Exploration Company

It's certainly been a gloomy spring, dominated by a record-breaking rainfall, but the clouds have parted at last. This occasion definitely calls for parking yourself on a patio, preferably while sipping the cold beverage of your choice. We've rounded up some worthy options here, from Revolution Hall's rooftop to the hype-worthy Hinterland Bar and Food Carts. For more ideas, check out our food and drink guide.

ROOFTOP PATIOS


Departure
The pan-Asian restaurant located above The Nines is known for its swanky, modern rooftop patio, which provides panoramic views of the city. The bar also boasts the largest saké list in Portland.
Downtown
Pickup, dine-in

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Sponsored

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News • Transportation

Portland is Poised to Rejoin the Rose Quarter I-5 Project—With Conditions

by Isabella Garcia • Thursday at 1:17 pm

An aerial view of the I-5 corridor through the Rose Quarter.
The Rose Quarter Interstate 5 corridor. Oregon Department of Transportation

The city of Portland is poised to officially rejoin the Rose Quarter Interstate 5 project after walking away in 2020 due to a lack of trust in the Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) partnership. While the Portland City Council’s trust in ODOT has not been fully restored, the city is leveraging its essential participation in the project to add restorative justice values to the freeway design, which originally displaced Portland’s Black community.

“The Black community bore the burdens of this highway and the city’s failed urban renewal efforts in this area,” Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty said during a city council meeting Wednesday. “If ODOT breaks their promises again, this agreement makes it clear that the city will walk away.”

The Rose Quarter Improvement Project (RQIP) is the state transportation department’s plan to address congestion on the I-5 corridor by adding additional merging lanes to the section of the freeway that runs through the Rose Quarter. After significant advocacy efforts from the community surrounding the project area in the early 2010s, ODOT agreed to also use the project as a way to return land to the Albina neighborhood—the historically Black neighborhood that was partially razed to build the original I-5 corridor in the 1960s. The original construction of the interstate destroyed 300 Black-owned homes and businesses, taking approximately $1 billion in modern day wealth away from those families.

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Movies & TV • Queer Guide 2022

Portland Queer Icons Jumping from Stage to the Screen: Jinkx Monsoon, House of Ada, and More!

by Andrew Jankowski • Thursday at 1:00 pm

House of Ada on Legendary
House of Ada on Legendary JOHN JOHNSON / HBO MAX

There's no denying the city has acquired a weird reputation. Where once Portland was a place people visited to sup on vegan delights and buy bird-adorned keepsakes, it has—for the past few years—gained a different notoriety.

But our girl's character is primed for a comeback, thanks partially to her most glamorous nightlife performers showing her best side—their best side. Portland icons made TV moves this year, sashaying across LED screens in record numbers.
Local stars Jinkx Monsoon, Flawless Shade, Jayla Rose, Kaina Martinez, and the House of Ada competed with peers from across the nation—and beyond—for global recognition and cash money. Some have been household names for more than a decade, while others are finally basking in the limelight after years of hard work behind the scenes.

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News • Cops • City Hall

City Attorneys Ask to Dismiss Lawsuit Because Protester Didn't Know Which Officer Injured Him

by Alex Zielinski • Thursday at 11:25 am

A PPB officer during one of Portlands 2020 racial justice protests.
A PPB officer during one of Portland's 2020 racial justice protests. MATHIEU LEWIS-ROLLAND

Portland city attorneys are asking a federal judge to throw out a use-of-force lawsuit against the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) because the plaintiff can't identify which PPB officer shot him with a munition from behind during a 2020 protest.

Portlander Dexter Pearce was participating in a racial justice protest on July 4, 2020 in Southwest Portland when, as was custom during most nightly protests, PPB officers ordered the crowd to disperse. According to Pearce's lawsuit, Pearce complied with these orders and began walking away from the crowd and officers.

"Then, without warning, a Portland Police Bureau officer shot Mr. Pearce in the back of his calf with an impact munition," reads the lawsuit. "Plaintiff was not facing the officer at the time he was shot. The shot took him by surprise."

The lawsuit identifies the officer as "John Doe 1," since Pearce did not know which heavily armored officer had shot him. This incident took place after a city policy allowed PPB officers to remove their nametag from their uniforms, replacing it with a lengthy number to intentionally keep protesters from identifying officers. It claims the officer did not attempt to arrest Pearce, and that Pearce wasn't committing a crime at the time he was shot.

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EverOut

Where to Go for Sandwich Week in Your Neighborhood

by EverOut Staff • Thursday at 11:00 am

Find out which of these is closest to you here!
Find out which of these is closest to you here!

In case you haven't heard, the Mercury's Sandwich Week is officially underway. There are only four more days left to try the delicious, only-eight-dollar sandies made especially for this week (and some places are closed on Sunday!), so now's the time to get on it!

If you're pressed for time and looking for something close by, we've also made lists of all of the sandwiches you can try in each part of the city.

Check out our lists of sandwiches in Northwest, North, Northeast, East, Southwest, and Southeast. Of course, you can also check out our Sandwich Week map!

We've also got lists of just the sandwiches made with chicken, beef, and pork, plus a whole list of vegetarian / vegan options!

You can also check out Sandwich Week lists made by EverOut users, and if you're interested in a chance to win CASH, make your own!

What are you waiting for?

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Pop Quiz PDX

POP QUIZ PDX: Sassy-Ass Trivia About Local Scandals, Monkeypox, and Sword-Fighting Skeletons!

by Wm. Steven Humphrey • Thursday at 10:00 am

See ya later, assholes! The new POP QUIZ PDX is here!
"See ya later, assholes! The new POP QUIZ PDX is here!" Bohdan Skrypnyk / iStock / Getty Images Plus

HEY, BRAINY BOTTOM! It's time once again to put that brainy-brain to the test with this week's edition of POP QUIZ PDX—our weekly, local, sassy-ass trivia quiz. And this week, we've got a lot of questions about all the latest cop scandals, monkeypox, and sword-fighting pirate skeletons! (Yes, that's a "thing" in Oregon.) Also, guess what? You can enter to win FREE PIZZA from our friends at the always delicious Atlas Pizza, just for taking the quiz and signing up for our brainy newsletters! (Pizza: the ultimate brain food!)

But before we continue... HOW DID YOU DO ON THE PREVIOUS QUIZ? Arrrghh, me maties, ye did GREAT! It's very heartening to learn that practically everyone in Portland thinks Dolly Parton poops actual lemon drops.

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OKAY, TIME FOR A NEW QUIZ! Take this week's quiz below, take our previous pop quizzes here, and come back next week for a brand spankin' new quiz! (Having a tough time answering this quiz? It's probably because you aren't getting Mercury newsletters! HINT! HINT!) Now crank up that cerebellum, because it's time to get BRAINY!

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Good Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Sweeps in Seaside, More TriMet Service Reductions, and a Beautiful Dog Named Trumpet

by Isabella Garcia • Thursday at 8:32 am

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

A bloodhound sits with its handler next to a best in show trophy.
Trumpet, the winner of the 146th Annual Westminster Kennel Club Dog show, in all his glory. Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images

Good morning, Portland! Let’s jump right into the latest happenings.

In local news:

• Seaside has started sweeping homeless campers, despite the action’s questionable legality. The beach town doesn’t have any shelters for homeless people, which means that legal precedent prohibits the city from forcing homeless people to move because the city isn’t providing any alternatives. But, a new city ordinance skirts that issue by allowing people to camp at a nearby natural area nightly as long as they are gone by 8 am the following morning. Residents are calling the sweeps a success, but it appears that the homeless people formerly in Seaside have just moved to other beachside towns that also don’t have any supportive services or affordable housing.

• Big bummer: Due to an ongoing driver shortage, TriMet will cancel two bus lines and reduce service on eight more starting in September. The agency is struggling with a historic driver shortage that’s already caused service reductions and hundreds of spontaneously canceled buses and MAX trains.

• Anybody in the market for a derelict Boeing 747?

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Good Afternoon, News!

Good Afternoon, News: Driver Shortages Lead to Bus Route Cuts, DOJ Subpoenas Fake Electors, and City Settles with Twerker (Twerkist?)

by Wm. Steven Humphrey • Wednesday at 4:44 pm

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

City pays protester $75,000 after riot cops falsely arrest her... for twerking.
City pays protester $75,000 after riot cops falsely arrest her... for twerking. Mathieu Lewis-Rolland

GOOD AFTERNOON, PORTLAND! First things first... have you SEEN the drool-worthy photos of all the sandwiches in the Mercury's SANDWICH WEEK? Tell you what, take one look and kiss your diet goodbye, 'cuz you're gonna wanna DEMOLISH every single one! But hurry, Sandwich Week ends this Sunday. (Now that's some news you can use!) Here's some more NEWS YOU CAN USE.

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• OOF! TriMet's hiring woes have gotten so bad, the agency reports they'll be reducing or canceling service on ten bus lines (!!) in September. WHAT HAPPENED? Our Isabella Garcia explains it all for you.

• Welp, the cops have done it again! The city has paid a whopping $75,000 (of YOUR tax money) to pay off a Black woman who was falsely arrested during a 2019 Black Lives Matter march. What grievous crime did she commit? TWERKING IN THE CROSSWALK in front of a truckload of riot cops to the NWA song, "Fuck Tha Police." (I say throw in a Nobel Prize!)

• It's gonna be a HOT ONE this weekend with temps soaring up to the 90s—and Multnomah County is already prepping cooling centers for those most vulnerable to the heat.

• Move over, Sandwich Week!

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Music

Dundee Lodge Campout Is Like a Smaller, Weirder DIY Pickathon

by Suzette Smith • Wednesday at 2:57 pm

Dundee Campout 2021
Dundee Campout 2021 courtesy of dundee campout

In August 2021, going to shows still seemed like a risky proposition. But the Dundee Lodge Campout—a small music and art festival located on a farm in Gaston, Oregon—looked like a fairly safe bet. Presented entirely outdoors with plenty of room for art projects, camping, and nearby swimming, Dundee amassed a crowd of 450 casually hip-looking attendees and their free-spirited children.

There was a beer barn with quality local brews, indie vendors slinging Neo-Neapolitan-style pizza, and a small stage that musicians set up and performed on at a fairly tight clip. One band member carried his bass drum over his head, through the buzzy crowd.

Some groups seemed kind of awkward in the light of day. Others—like Sad Horse—fully committed and rocked the crowd from a foot off the ground. Dundee has a strong Luddite, lo-fi feeling—with a definite lack of cell service—like Pickathon in its early years.

"I think it's fair to compare us to Pickathon," Erik Trexel, the festival's co-founder, told the Mercury. "That's probably the closest to what we're doing. We're a little rougher around the edges—sticking to a more DIY ethic—and we can't grow much bigger than we currently are."

Though Dundee was new to this writer last year, the 2022 incarnation—which takes place Friday August 19 and Saturday August 20—will be its fourth fest and the organizing team's most ambitious one yet.

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News • Transportation

TriMet to Reduce or Cancel 10 Bus Lines This Fall

by Isabella Garcia • Wednesday at 2:07 pm

A TriMet bus with a sign saying TriMet is hiring
TriMet will cancel or reduce service on 10 bus lines in September due to a historic driver shortage. TriMet

TriMet will reduce or cancel service on ten bus lines in September as the agency’s historic bus operator shortage continues to worsen, the agency announced Wednesday. While TriMet has aimed to strategically reduce its service to lessen the impacts of the shortage, the reductions include the agency’s most popular bus lines that serve low-income communities within the city.

“The trickle-down effects of our operator shortage can cause frustration despite our best efforts,” a Wednesday press release stated. “In short: it’s been a challenge to hire and train enough operators to replace those lost to retirement and attrition.”

TriMet has struggled to staff its bus and MAX routes due to the pandemic-induced labor shortage. In January 2022, TriMet reduced service on 20 of its 84 bus lines because of a lack of drivers available to staff all of the routes. While the agency initially intended the reduction to be temporary, staffing issues have only worsened over the past six months.

According to TriMet spokesperson Tia York, the transit agency is at least 45 operators short for its current reduced service levels, with drivers continuing to leave due to retirement, exiting the industry, or promotion to other critical agency positions.

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Music • Queer Guide 2022

Portrait of Gay Glamour: Logan Lynn Wears Gold as a Sign of Good Health

by Andrew Jankowski • Wednesday at 12:00 pm

Cover of JD Samsons remix of Logan Lynns Rich & Beautiful.
Cover of JD Samson's remix of Logan Lynn's "Rich & Beautiful." KILL ROCK STARS

At the February 2020 Grammys, Logan Lynn walked the red carpet in Gucci black leather and gold Tiffany crosses the size of your palm. He'd been wearing the brand's luxury looks for two years at that point, and would continue to do so—even rocking a Tiffany wrap necklace on the otherwise stark cover of New Money, his first album with Olympia indie label Kill Rock Stars.

"Repping Gucci / dripping Tiffany / And his baby was alright / Yeah, his baby was alright," Lynn sings on the album's first single "Rich and Beautiful." The music video sees Lynn spooning his rescue chihuahua, Pretty Baby, in a high-rise loft with a view, surrounded by enough Jonathan Adler decor to be a showroom, some tastefully placed Tom Ford candles, and a full Gucci wardrobe for himself and his pet.
Depending on your circle, designer fashion is often criticized as a superficial interest of an illusory world. But Lynn rejects these ideas.

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Savage Love

Savage Love: Pride and Preference

by Dan Savage • Wednesday at 11:00 am

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Joe Newton

I’m taking a week off, so this week’s “Savage Love” is a reprint of a column that was originally published on January 13, 2016. I hope everyone has a happy and safe Pride. Please be careful out there. — Dan


As a queer man of color—I'm Asian—I feel wounded whenever I am exposed to gay men in New York City, Toronto, or any city where white gay men dominate. Gay men, mostly whites and Asians, reject me because of my race and no one admits to their sexual racism. I understand that sexual attraction is subconscious for many people. But it is unfair for a gay Asian like myself to be constantly marginalized and rejected. I fight for gay rights, too. I believe in equality, too. I had the same pain of being gay in high school and the same fears when coming out, too. Why is there no acceptance, no space, no welcome for me in this white-painted gay community? I'm six-foot-one, 160 pounds, fit, and very good-looking. What can I do? I might as well be a sexless monk.

Enraged Dude Details Infuriating Experience

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Food and Drink

Sandwich Week Is NOW! Take a Look at These Delicious Sandies!

by Wm. Steven Humphrey • Wednesday at 10:02 am

Pork Belly Banh Mi: Migration Brewerys entry for SANDWICH WEEK!
Pork Belly Banh Mi: Migration Brewery's entry for SANDWICH WEEK! Migration Brewery

IT'S A FACT: The pinnacle of human ingenuity is undoubtedly THE SANDWICH. And at long last, it's time to celebrate humankind's greatest feat with DC Structures presents the Portland Mercury's Sandwich Week! And if you love sandwiches, you are gonna lose your damn mind, because starting RIGHT NOW and through Sunday June 26, Portlanders will be feasting on delectable, original sandwiches built by 30 of the city's most creative sandwich makers... and if that's not enough, each of those sammies can be had for a mere $8! Are you dreaming? NO, YOU ARE NOT!

The Mercury's Sandwich Week is not only a perfect excuse to shove a delicious sandy (or 10... or 20) into your mouth, but it's also a great way to support and introduce yourselves to local restaurants who might not be on your radar. (Check out our Sandwich Week map to plot your sandwich-eating path!) AND it also helps the Mercury continue the top-notch investigative reporting and arts/entertainment coverage you rely on every day. SO THANK YOU FOR THAT!

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Check in at portlandsandwichweek.com to see ALL the pics and descriptions of this year's one-of-a-kind sandwich creations—but check out a few right now just to whet that whistle!

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Good Morning, News!

Good Morning, News: Oregon Wage Bump, How Jan 6 Started Here, and Very Proper Dogs Competing Properly

by Suzette Smith • Wednesday at 8:56 am

The Mercury provides news and fun every single day—but your help is essential. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and arts coverage, please consider making a small monthly contribution, because without you, there is no us. Thanks for your support!

A Bulldog waits to compete in the Toy, Terrier, and Non-Sporting dogs event during the annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show.
A Bulldog waits to compete in the Toy, Terrier, and Non-Sporting dogs event during the annual Westminster Kennel Club dog show. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images

Good Morning, Portland! We're looking at a high of 76 degrees today, and I know what you're thinking: Thank goodness, because Portlanders CANNOT DEAL with anything 80 or over. It's not like we moved here for the sunshine. Now let's get at the news!

IN LOCAL NEWS:

• In the words of the are-they-goofy-are-they-serious alternative rockers They Might Be Giants, "Minimum Wage! HYAH!" Oregon's minimum wage is set to bump again, starting July 1. A seven-tiered minimum wage bump process was set in motion in 2016, when the legislature created a plan to increase the statewide requirements. Portland will increase its base wage to $14.50, while rural Oregon workers raise to a minimum of $12.50. This will be the seventh and last planned bump.

• Saying this to the readership of the Mercury is very likely stressing a point to those already in the know, but doesn't being at the center of the largest criminal investigation in US history make people think that the Proud Boys are probably a little more than a "drinking club?" Oregon Public Broadcasting's Jonathan Levinson has a long form piece, drawing to together the ways the Pacific Northwest was a testing ground for the Jan 6 insurrection.

• Oh, yes. Actually, I would like some cherry blossom trees in from of the downtown library. Thank you.

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