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Do This, Do That
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The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: Your Top Events for September 15-21

Your end-of-summer plans include healing jazz, slime sculptures, and a trippy Hungarian film.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Lindsay Costello and Mercury Staff

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 […]

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The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: September 8-14

Scope fancy puppets, eat fancy tomatoes, and swap clothes with a stranger—in that order.
Avatar photo Lindsay Costello

Hiiii, your schedule for the week is here! The city’s events are delightfully chaotic this week, with everything from exhibitions exploring trans care and textiles to performances by several legends: Jinkx Monsoon, Karen Slack, and handmade puppets. Plus, a sustainable feast flips off food waste, and the world’s sexist film festival is back in town. […]

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The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: September 1–7

This week: ambient drone, lowriders, and a gay carnival. Plus garlic. Lots of garlic.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Lindsay Costello and Mercury Staff

Summer’s winding to a close, but don’t even think about hibernating. This week, the city will keep your cup full and the loneliness (and vampires) at bay with a fresh hop beer fest serving whiffs of harvest heaven and festivals of the garlic-loving, rich-people-hating, and poetry-celebrating varieties. The Time-Based Art Festival gets going, too, and comedian […]

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The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: August 25–31

This week: Lodestars of Portland’s grunge-pop and soul history, plus a tropical sundae.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Lindsay Costello and Mercury Staff

Good news for those who deserve a little treat. This week serves layered sundaes, State Fair elephant ears, and a lilting farewell set by consummate indie-poppers Tennis. For something heartier, catch cool jazz at wine and cheese bar Négociant or a performance by Ural Thomas, the King of Portland Soul. Indulge accordingly. Monday, August 25 […]

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The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: August 18–24

This week: Ethereal indie, cinema with snacks, and more art at Lloyd Center.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Lindsay Costello and Mercury Staff

In the words of contemplative poet Mary Oliver, “August of another summer, and once again/I am drinking the sun.” Are you drinking the sun yet? There are a number of methods with which to achieve this, but all of them require going outside. Luckily for you, there are many reasons to leave home this week, […]

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The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: August 11–17

Four comedians and an Afrobeat legend take the stage this week, as do burgers.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Lindsay Costello and Mercury Staff

If your dream is to eat a burger every day this week, we say go for it. But there are some pretty chill cultural supplements to this week’s noshing, too. Femi Kuti will bring Afrobeat grooves to Revolution Hall with his Positive Force crew, and the PDX Adult Soapbox Derby puts art on wheels, then […]

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The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: August 4–10

This week: pugs, hot sauce, and two of the buzziest names in indie rock.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Lindsay Costello and Mercury Staff

If last week’s Do This, Do That left you with a bit of a cultural hangover, firstly: I understand. It’s not easy eating pizza and watching ’90s comedies and partying in the summer sunshine. That said, you’ve got more work to do this week. On the roster are archival films, a hushed evening reading party […]

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The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: July 28–August 3

From wild cherry pizza to ’70s sci-fi, this week’s events are a summer fever dream.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Lindsay Costello and Mercury Staff

I don’t want to jinx it or anything, but this week’s round-up seems…kind of perfect? Portland has splashy river parties, French sci-fi deep cuts, neo-Neapolitan pizza topped with cherries (yes, really), and a big ol’ birthday bash for your favorite alt-weekly (that’s us!!!) on the docket. Oh, and ya know, Pickathon. Whether you’re gallery-hopping or […]

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Do This, Do That: How to Have a Súper Ultra Tropi-Tóxic Summer

The Mercury‘s event picks for July 21-27: Bike rides and hot shows! Power, ponies, and booty bangers!
Avatar photo Mercury Staff

Good afternoon, my lieges. Your suggested itinerary for this week is as follows: Emo bike ride—I have your least waterproof mascara at the ready—or an Oasis book without Oasis at the forefront of its story. Perhaps I can interest you in a comp drop or a sketch fest? A World Naked Bike Ride or a […]

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The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: July 14–20

How often can you view a shark dissection and listen to ambient music in a sun-dappled garden in the same week?
Avatar photoAvatar photo Lindsay Costello and Mercury Staff

We’re back! This week, the Crystal Ballroom becomes a portal for both shark innards and Y2K-era heartbreak—who knew such a mash-up was possible? A Ghanian highlife legend and Pattie Gonia’s environmental drag will keep things particularly sparkly, too, and Moment’s garden gathering of experimental musicians offers a soothing sonic balm. But before that, Ari Aster’s […]

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The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: July 7–13

Outdoor parties, an AANHPI market, and a dog-friendly bike ride signal that summer is alive and kicking.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Lindsay Costello and Mercury Staff

If you’re anything like us, you spend the non-summer seasons of the year wistfully planning everything you’re going to do once July swings around. Coast trips, reading All Fours outside, lounging at a rooftop bar with a cute little beverage—it’s all valid. But here is a hard truth you might not be fully appreciating yet: […]

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The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: June 30–July 6

This week: Wu-Tang Clan, ceviche, queer cinema, and a friendly reminder not to traumatize dogs.
Avatar photoAvatar photo Lindsay Costello and Mercury Staff

One of your most important missions this week is to find a copy of the Mercury‘s 2025 Queer Guide, but that’ll take you what, a few minutes? That leaves you with roughly 10,076 minutes to fill. Read on for why you should spend at least a few of them listening to hip-hop revolutionaries, watching comedy sets […]

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