It’s that stage of summer when we burst cherry tomatoes in our mouths, try to get a cross-breeze going, and say things like “I’m trying to get to the river after work today.” Dig in now, because the season is fleeting. Our suggests: The Portland Mercury’s Burger Week returns, and with it comes $10 burgers of beefy, veggie, and vegan varieties. The Perseid meteor shower darts across dark skies on August 12, and OMSI will set up scopes at L.L. Stub and Rooster Rock State Park. Plus, a wide range of repertory film screenings—a candy-colored French musical, a Hannibal Lecter thriller—are on the docket.
MONDAY, AUGUST 10
The Portland Mercury‘s Burger Week 2026
Get ready to loosen that belt, because the Portland Mercury’s Burger Week is back and beefier than ever. From August 10-16, an epic lineup of Portland-area places will be slinging one-of-a-kind burgers for just $10 each. Vegans and veggies, we’ve got burgs for you, too! Snag a free mobile pass to help you CHOMP across town and check in at Burger Week locations for a chance to win prizes from the Mercury! So how do you begin to tackle such a meaty endeavor? Take a look at this year’s map of all the mighty burger spots. (Various locations, through Aug 16, $10 per burger, more info) MERCURY STAFF
Month of Mann
There’s never a better opportunity to bro out than with a Michael Mann film. He’s been responsible for some of the best cinematic forays into sleek, atmospheric neo-noir—Collateral (2004), Heat (1995), Manhunter (1986)—each neon-lit and meticulous, full of impeccable suits and criminals staring into the middle distance. If you, too, are a sucker for chilly, methodical crime dramas, it’s worth returning to the source. Hollywood Theatre has you covered all month, starting on August 10 with screenings of Manhunter (featuring Brian Cox’s icy Hannibal Lecter) and The Jericho Mile (1979), a rarely screened sports thriller. (Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy, select dates and times through Aug 27, more info) LINDSAY COSTELLO
Also worth it:
Man Man, Mississippi Studios, more info
Frontman Honus Honus (Ryan Kattner) and his long-running experimental rock band bring their singular sound to the excellent speakers of Mississippi Studios.
TUESDAY, AUGUST 11
Donkey Skin
It’s not easy—perhaps even inadvisable—to take a story about a guy who wants to marry his daughter and interpret it through whimsical color and lighthearted song. Yet Jacques Demy attempts it in Donkey Skin (1970), and it’s fine, actually! Fairy tales are supposed to be a little unhinged, and Demy demonstrates an innate understanding of this by skirting the French New Wave’s stylish black-and-white ambiguity in favor of pink chiffon, painted blue horses, and a pervert king who commands his realm from a giant cat throne. There’s a lot happening here. That’s why it’s fun. (Academy Theater, 7818 SE Stark, select dates and times through Aug 13, $7-$9.50, more info, not rated) LC
Comedy Bang! Bang! Ground Beefing Tour 2026
If you love improvised comedy by some of the masters of the genre, allow me to direct you to the warped, wild minds of Comedy Bang! Bang!, hosted by Scott Aukerman. Originating in 2009, this hilarious podcast features a talk show format where all the guests are fellow improvisers who fake their way through the interviews, which always spiral off topic and (usually) out of control. In this special live version, Aukerman is joined by delightful comedian-actor Paul F. Tompkins and a rotating gang of “all-stars” who bring a one-of-a-kind show you never knew could exist—and will never see again. (Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark, 7 pm & 9:45 pm, $46.98-$211.02, more info, all ages) WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 12
Cat Power: The Greatest Tour
Though Cat Power made music for over a decade before releasing The Greatest, her seventh album was her breakthrough, bringing her smoky vocals and vulnerable songwriting into the general public’s consciousness. It was also her first album to feature only original songs, no covers, and made her the first woman to win the Shortlist Music Prize, which was bestowed annually on the best US-released album that had sold fewer than 500,000 copies at the time of nomination. Cat Power, whose given name is Chan Marshall, recorded The Greatest with veteran Memphis musicians who contributed to its polished and soulful tone. The legendary singer-songwriter returns to Revolution Hall, where she played two nights back in February, to continue her tour celebrating the record’s 20th anniversary by playing it in full. (Revolution Hall, 1300 SE Stark, 8 pm, $75.98, more info, all ages) SHANNON LUBETICH
OMSI Star Party
Light pollution be damned—you can scope out your fair share of planets and stars, the moon, and other celestial sights from the darkness of L.L. Stub Stewart State Park, where Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) will host another special lunar viewing this summer. Rose City Astronomers and reps from Oregon Parks and Recreation will be on site, and astronomy nerds of all ages and experience levels can gaze their awe-filled little hearts out through “telescopes and binoculars of all sizes.” On August 12, parties at both L.L. Stub and Rooster Rock State Park will scope the spectacular Perseid meteor shower. (L.L. Stub Stewart State Park, Buxton, and Rooster Rock State Park, Corbett, 8 pm-12 am, $10/vehicle, more info, all ages) LC
THURSDAY, AUGUST 13
The War & Treaty
Infectiousness rarely arrives feeling quite as effortless as husband-wife duo the War & Treaty. The alchemy created by Michael and Tanya Trotter when they share a stage together is remarkable enough that they’d be worth seeing even if they weren’t also a deliriously fun soul act worthy of the cult following they’ve amassed since 2018’s Healing Tide. We’re not sure how their raucous burst of unbridled joy will translate out on Sauvie Island’s Topaz Farms, but there are few settings more idyllic in the Portland Metro Area to catch a band. (Topaz Farms, 17100 NW Sauvie Island, 6:30 pm, $35-$40, more info, 16+) HOLLY HAZELWOOD
Also worth it:
Phoebe Bridgers Lost Weekend Planetarium Experience, OMSI, more info
Fans of Phoebe Bridgers crane their necks skyward and watch either stars (4k dome show) or lasers (laser show) at these five live listening shows, celebrating the release of Bridgers’ third studio album Lost Weekend. It’s not surprising that these parties all sold out because the planetarium rules.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 14
Queer Screams
The 2026 Queer Screams festival (stylized as Queer Scre4ms, we see you) pinned both a prom theme and some major names to its fourth year. Not only is OG Carrie (1976) mean girl Nancy Allen a special guest at a 50th anniversary celebration of the queer horror prom classic, but beloved TV writer Bryan Fuller hosts a showing of his directorial debut Dust Bunny (2025). Come for the big names, stay for the shorts—that’s where you’ll find the next auteur that just gets you. (Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton, various showtimes, $15-$25, $75 weekend pass, more info) SUZETTE SMITH
Rockstar Energy Open
I think skateboarding is about as close to wizardry as it gets. How do they make it look like the board is sticking to their feet when they jump in the air? How do they make the board flip around in like three different directions and land back on it without breaking an ankle? Fundamentally, how do they stand on the board without it rolling out from under them? (That’s the part I’ve never figured out myself.) Now in its third year, this free waterfront festival includes men’s and women’s street and park competitions, live music, art, and skate gear for sale. I imagine there’ll be plenty of Rockstar available to drink, too. (Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 98 SW Naito, FREE, more info, all ages) KATHERINE CHEW HAMILTON
Lee H. Tillman: Live at the Siren
One of the Mercury’s favorite stand-up comedians is stepping up with an entire hour of brand-spankin’ new funny stuff. One of the driest, funniest wits in town, Lee knocked the audience dead at the Mercury’s 2025 Geniuses of Comedy show, was also voted one of the WW’s “Funniest Five,” and is a regular at Helium Comedy Club, where you may have seen him open for such luminaries as Kyle Kinane, Baron Vaughn, Jackie Kashian, and Shane Torres. If you love impeccable timing, sharp observations, unexpected twists ‘n’ turns, along with a sense of humor drier than a cat’s tongue, get ready for Lee Tillman! (Siren Theater, 3913 N Mississippi, 7:30 pm, $20, more info, all ages) WSH
Passion Pit
I’m devoted enough to Passion Pit to tell you that every single show from them I’ve ever seen has been an incredibly fun, life-affirming experience. But I’m also dialed-in enough to report that frontman Michael Angelakos has played solo shows of dubious quality in the last year and a half. We can’t fault the helium-voiced angel for working it out onstage, but recent reports suggest that the group’s tour in support of their new EP, Pretty Penny (a sequel to 2007’s Chunk of Change, natch), has invigorated Angelakos anew. Maybe, if we’re really lucky, Passion Pit’ll bless Portland with some songs from the painfully-slept-on Tremendous Sea of Love, but we’re not holding our breath. (Roseland Theater, 8 NW 6th, 8 pm, $47-$69, more info, all ages) HH
Also worth it:
O-Bon, the Spirit Festival, Portland Japanese Garden, more info
Head to the garden at dusk to pay tribute to the departed as part of this Buddhist tradition, which has been led by Reverend Zuigaku Kodachi for nearly fifty years.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 15
PDX Adult Soapbox Derby
Equal parts DIY art show, action-packed race, and neighborhood party, the soapbox derby is an occasion every Portlander needs to experience at least once. The cars are a sight to behold—last year, there was a Popemobile, a giant hot dog, a massive Narcan syringe, and an ear of corn with the rider wearing a helmet resembling a pat of butter. You can see the racers prepare at the top of Tabor at what’s called the Pits, or set up your picnic blanket and watch the cars hit their top speeds of up to 50 miles per hour on the big downhill, known as the Alley of Blood. (Don’t sit too close, or else.) Food vendors and a drum corps performance really bring the festivities to life. (Mt. Tabor Park, SE 60th and Salmon, 10 am-4 pm, more info, FREE, all ages) KCH
The Princess Bride at Irving Park
One does not simply watch The Princess Bride once and call it a day. Inconceivable, you warthog-faced buffoon! But what if you could watch The Princess Bride with all the vibes of a drive-in movie, except it’s free, and it involves a lot more fresh air and way less fossil fuel? As you wish—it’s part of a series of free movie screenings, concerts, and events that Portland Parks and Rec is putting on this summer. (Irving Park, 707 NE Fremont, 7:30 pm, FREE, more info, all ages) KCH
The Bird Days of Summer
The Bird Alliance of Oregon’s summer-long flock of events flits into August with birding hikes, art workshops, and other “super beginner-friendly” birding experiences planned. Several excursions are already full, but for the adventurous, the August 15 star safari beneath Malheur National Wildlife Refuge’s dark skies will no doubt be magnificent. (Various locations and times, FREE, more info, all ages) LINDSAY COSTELLO
Also worth it:
PDX Yard Share, various locations, more info
Your neighbors plan to cut down on food waste and share their garden bounties with fresh fruits, vegetables, flowers, and eggs—all free—heaped on tables and in boxes at residences across town. Participants can find givers’ locations on an interactive map.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 16
Plaid Pantry 100 Century Ride
Plaid Pantry is the holy grail of Portland convenience stores, and this self-paced DIY 100-mile bike ride aims to visit all 53 local stores in a uniquely silly undertaking. Snag a route sheet and gather a relay team or take on the challenge solo. Start any time after 12:01 am; you’ll still be able to get early morning drinks and chow since Plaid is conveniently open 24 hours. When you’re done, gather with fellow riders in Laurelhurst Park at 7 pm for a celebration that will include prizes and the pantry staple, SNACKS. (Various locations, starts at 12:01 am, more info) BRI BREY
Burden of Dreams
Werner Herzog—who coined the phrase “the poet must not avert his eyes” when discussing the Kardashians and openly talks shit about chickens—possesses a level of insight into extremity and the human condition that makes him one of our most obsessive modern philosophers. And there’s no better example of Herzog’s obsessiveness than his behavior on his own film sets. 1982’s Fitzcarraldo, in particular, became the stuff of cinematic legend with grueling filming conditions along the Peruvian and Brazilian Amazon and real danger when Herzog attempted to haul a 320-ton steamboat over a mountain. It’s totally understandable that Herzog’s friend, the cinéma vérité director Les Blank, would be like, hey, let me document that. The result is Burden of Dreams (1992), his documentary following the sweaty, bizarre madness of Fitzcarraldo’s production. (5th Avenue Cinema, 510 SW Hall, Aug 14-16, $7, free for PSU students, faculty, and alumni, more info, not rated) LC
Also worth it:
Coffee Brunch, Kann, more info
Kann rarely serves brunch, so this one is bound to be special: walk-in only, serving dishes like shrimp and grits, biscuits and gravy, and coffee cake alongside a special blend of coffee from Deadstock’s Ian Williams.
Summer Fantasy Rewind, Whitsell Auditorium, more info
On select afternoons in August, duck into Portland Art Museum’s Whitsell Auditorium for dream-world films like The Man Who Fell to Earth and Fantastic Planet. On August 16, the theater screens Jim Henson cult fave Labyrinth.
Modular on the Spot, Pier Park, more info
Presented by Synth Library Portland, this recurring quadraphonic set brings modular synth musicians to parks across the city. On August 16, Lewis Guignard, Zachary Egge, amoja, vyger, CRBN, and Francisco Botello will wrangle their hardware.
Looking for even more events happening this week? Head on over to EverOut!
