Do This, Do That: Queer Events Until Pride and Beyond

Portland's Pride season is loooooong. And this new list of parties, art shows, bike rides, history exhibits—and more—is similarly shaped 😉. The parade may be in July, but we're queer all year round.

Ongoing:

Outliers and Outlaws
Community & Activism

Did you know Eugene was once dubbed a "lesbian mecca"? Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education's latest exhibition, Outliers and Outlaws, explores the vibrant Jewish-lesbian Baleboostehs community that flourished in Eugene from the ’60s through the ’90s. The exhibition spotlights the stories of 83 women who were pivotal in the movement, and includes some pretty powerful moments, like the 1992 Freedom Seder. (It was organized around opposition to the state's anti-gay Ballot Measure 9.) Go forth to learn about the often-overlooked chapter of local history and the badass women who shaped it. (Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, 724 NW Davis, through Mon Oct 27, ojmche.org) LINDSAY COSTELLO

“We Were All Living a Dream”: Reflections on Twentieth-Century Lesbian Feminism through the Photography of Donna Pollach
Community & Activism

Artist-photographer Donna Pollach found her longtime subjects in Portland's feminist lesbian crowd—she began capturing images of the community back in the ’70s, and continued the practice for over 30 years. Her photographs tell the story of women who "worked together to deconstruct and redefine conventional ideas and expectations of womanhood, family, motherhood, and relationships." It's empowering, complicated work that feels both intimate and revolutionary. (Oregon Historical Society, 1200 SW Park, through Sun March 29, 2026, ohs.org) LC

Lavender League
Community & Activism

Though the season has already started, there’re still plenty of chances to bicycle kick with the best queer soccer players in Portland! Even if you didn’t sign up to join a team, the league is always looking for substitute players—get at them to be added to their Signal and put in rotation. Launching in spring 2024, Lavender League has built a safer space centering queer femmes, gender nonconforming people, and trans communities looking to explore soccer, something that was sorely missing in the fabric of queer community looking building in Portland. Thanks to them, dozens of soccer players that didn’t feel comfortable or safe playing in other leagues now have a space to shout, “gooooooooooooooooal,” while running around the pitch with their shirts over their heads. (Clinton City Park, all ages and skill levels, lavenderleaguepdx.org) NOLAN PARKER

Thursday, June 26

Gays Getting Wet Ride
Community & Activism

You deserve to swim, even if you aren’t gay (the flyer says “allies tolerated”) but especially if you are gay. Meet up at 6 pm, ride somewhere wet, be sweaty, get wet, rinse, and repeat. There’s more than one of these rides on the Pedalpalooza calendar, planned by someone who identifies as having a unicorn floatie. Gays could be getting wet in your area. (Colonel Summers Park, SE Belmont and 20th, 6:30 pm, shift2bikes.org, all ages) SUZETTE SMITH

Queer & Trans Yoga
Community & Activism

So you’ve been throwin’ ass at Judy, Twirl, and Let Her Cook, and now your neck, your back, your kundalini, and your crack are all sore… What now? Why, queer and trans yoga at Bhakti Yoga Movement Center of course. Yoga, even if you’re not into its associated spiritual practices, is so powerfully restoring and calming, it should be covered by insurance. Plus, how else are you going to uncoil the snake at the bottom of your spine and open your kundalini? This is Pride after all! BYMC offers two queer and trans classes a week—even outside of Pride season—making them a community favorite for actually creating spaces year-round for gays and the dolls. (Queer & Trans Yoga at Bhakti Yoga Movement Center, 2500 SE 26th, Tues 7 pm, Thurs 8:15 pm, thebymc.com) NP

Love Lies Bleeding
Arts & Culture

“Finally!” my partner wrote to me after seeing Love Lies Bleeding at a packed, over-the-top jubilant late night screening, “our gays are doing the burying!” It did feel good. This was just a movie, shamelessly out to entertain, turn on, or (at the very least) gross out. Rose Glass, the film’s director and co-writer, says that the origin of Love Lies Bleeding was just the idea of a “strong female character.” How strong could a female character get? What if you added muscles? And more muscles? What if a female character met another female character, and the second offered to shoot steroids directly into the first’s left butt cheek? She’s even stronger on the big screen. (Clinton Street, 2522 SE Clinton, 7 pm, cstpdx.com) HR SMITH

Welcome to the C*ntry Club
Music & Nightlife

We’re not seeing a ton of Pride dance parties at Holocene this year, but this one is guaranteed to get very hot, sweaty, and deeply cunty. Portland’s very own DJ Sappho spins eclectic country-adjacent tracks by the likes of Beyoncé, Dolly Parton, and Sabrina Carpenter that you can shuffle and turn to. Expect predominantly bangers and stand in awe of how Sappho will surprise. (Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, 9 pm, whatthedance.com, 21+) SS

Friday, June 27

M3GAN 2.0

Arts & Culture

How did a psychopathic robot dressed like a little girl become a queer icon? Many have pondered this question needlessly. M3GAN is FIERCE, and M3GAN doesn’t want to be in the CLOSET. She’s so self-aware that the first film M3GAN (2022) also became sentient and soon evolved into campy bloodshed. Will 2.0 live up to the bloody, backbiting heights (maybe we just projected our queerness onto M3GAN?)? Returning director Gerard Johnstone and screenwriter Akela Cooper invite us to judge. (various theaters) SS

Saturday, June 28

Summer Slut Halfway 2 PDX Pride Crash Out Lock In
Music & Nightlife

Sometimes Klip Klop parties sound like something from the famously extravagant and bizarre New York club scene, or is she making fun of that? Hosted by B3ntl3y, Bolivia Carmichaels, Katya, and Silhouette, the Summer Slut promises a Pride-season dance party of “steamy go-gos, scandalous drag, pulsating beats, and enough sweaty bodies to steam your sunglasses.” Pay structures are based on your outfit. (CC Slaughters, 219 NW Davis, FREE before 9 pm, $10 after, linktr.ee/klipklopproductions, 21+) SS

The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Arts & Culture

The longest-running weekly showing of The Rocky Horror Picture Show in the world happens every Saturday night at Clinton Street Theater. The hosts change by weekend: On the first and third, Clinton Street Cabaret provides a full shadowcast. Sinophelia on the second and Thom Hilton on the fourth offer “scaled back” versions, still with props and callbacks. Your fellow attendees dress up like their favorite characters and throw vulgar lines, toilet paper, and confetti. At a specific moment, inter-audience proposals (with candy rings) are appropriate. “Twenty minutes after meeting a room full of strangers [and telling them] you’re allowed to act like this,” Hilton says, “they’re all screaming and being despicable, trashy, and gross." (Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton, 10 pm or 11 pm depending, cstpdx.com) L PARKER

Sunday, June 29

Beaverton Pride in the Park
Community & Activism

Homos are everywhere, including Beaverton! Working at the Beaverton City Library, it was fun to take part in their Pride celebrations every year—seeing their smaller Pride celebration and what that means to the queer communities of Beaverton is something special. Even if you’re one of those “I don’t celebrate Pride because I’m queer all year around” gays, visibility matters, especially in suburban and rural places. Anywho, this year’s Pride in the Park will feature appearances by Poison Waters, Superknova, and the WannaBe 52s, along with their yearly Pride parade. (Beaverton City Park, 11 am, all ages) NP

Oaks Park: Pride Rides
Community & Activism

A few weeks ago the Mercury staff took a field trip to Oaks Park for their Gay Skate night—it was truly so inspiring and nourishing seeing the rink filled to the brim with people from all over the gay alphabet cutting laps and twirling for their lives. There were fags and dykes who had clearly been skating their entire lives, furries with their tails out, PLUR gays getting their rave on, dolls as good as Olympic figure skaters, and so many more. The fabulous queen Bolivia Carmichaels was behind the decks spinning music and emceeing the whole dang thing, can you even? The fourth annual Pride Rides will, I imagine, will be similar to their monthly Gay Skate, but will feature a bunch of gay extras in the rink and all over the amusement park! (Oaks Park, 7805 SE Oaks Park Way, 12 pm, all ages) NP

Expansive Love Book Launch
Arts & Culture

Relationship anarchy refers to a practice that is enticing in theory, but takes work to actually implement. It’s a simple idea, really—prioritize all types of relationships, not just romantic ones. But if you’ve ever been down bad, you’ve likely neglected a friendship or seven. Tuck Malloy, a queer relationship anarchist, sex educator, and prolific Instagrammer, has written a book on working toward an ethical community of friends and lovers alike. Expansive Love: A Practical Guide to Relationship Anarchy guides readers through intimate relationship-building; expect a mix of useful tools and philosophical-sexological context. (She Bop, 909 N Beech, 7:30 pm, sheboptheshop.com, 18+) LC

Underground Orange
Arts & Culture

Queer director à la mode Michael Taylor Jackson’s Underground Orange follows an American backpacker’s arrival in Buenos Aires, where he seeks the resting place of a pirate, falls victim to pickpockets, and crashes in a graveyard for the night. What follows involves a group of polyamorous anarchists who have a lot on their plate: They plan to kidnap the US Ambassador to Argentina, and they’ve written a play that aims to hold Henry Kissinger accountable for his crimes. The genre-bending 2024 film was executive produced by Godfrey Reggio, the director of the kaleidoscopic 1982 tone poem Koyaanisqatsi. (Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton, 7 pm, cstpdx.com, all ages) LC

Wednesday, July 2

Peachy Springs Bingo Residency
Drag & Performance

FUCK, that went FAST. This event was about to be the last scheduled bingo night for Portland’s premiere hard-working, foul-mouthed bingo-hostin’ drag queen Peachy Springs, and the conclusion of her Tomorrow Theater residency. But they’ve extended her shows through August! Swoop up a seat at this or one of the August shows while you can! (Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division, 7 pm, tomorrowtheater.org, all ages) SS

Saturday, July 5

Bijoux Cone
Music & Nightlife

When she’s not touring the world with Gossip or down in Brazil playing solo sets and DJing, Bijoux Cone can be found casing the streets of Portland, making some of the city’s best music. Her most recent LP, Love Is Trash, is one of my favorite albums of the last five years—it’s real, it’s camp, it’s stoned, it’s pure summer! Bijoux, if you’re reading this can you please put out another record? We miss you! Portland’s Pool Boys will be delivering their dreamy, surfy harmonies in the middle slot, while Brooklyn’s Ghost Piss open this mother up with their indie electro-pop à la the Blow and Nouvelle Vague. (Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9 pm, mississippistudios.com, 21+) NP

Saturday, July 12

LGBTQ+ Outdoors: Elk Meadows Hike
Community & Activism

It’s so important to celebrate Mother during Pride, Mother Earth that is. Hiking is mad queer: you’re throwing lewks on the trail, getting hot and sweaty, and you can flag your preferences without the straights knowing. OMG, should we start using the hanky code while hiking?? And wow, this LGBTQ+ Outdoors-coordinated hike might be just the event to launch this revolutionary idea. The hike will take you through flowering meadows and old growth forest up to Elk Meadows—the iconic Mt. Hood saying, “Hey, girl,” if the weather’s money shot the big pay out on this hike. The hike is all ages, free (with a $10 suggested donation), and dogs are allowed (on leash)! All this with a bunch of queers? Yes please! (Elk Meadows Trail Head, 10 am, lgbtqoutdoors.com, all ages) NP

Sabor a Mí Block Party
Community & Activism

Ever been to a party with vegan Mexican food, a deadlift demonstration, and a cumbia dance lesson? Vegan taqueria Mis Tacones and nonprofit Gym Space Equity are coming together to maximize their joint slay, throwing a Pride Block Party with all the above and more. Fuel up with food and cocktail specials from Mis Tacones before DJs Father Fannie and Espina Letal start holding it down for you on the dance floor. All afternoon, the block will be lined with vendors and organizations like Ice Queen PDX, Orange & Blossom Patisserie, De La Rosa Vintage, Green Acres Farm Sanctuary, and more. (NE 17th & Killingsworth, all ages mistaconespdx.com) JANEY WONG

Thursday, July 17

All About My Mother
Arts & Culture

Tomorrow Theater’s Summer of ‘99 series imagines a time when “doomscrolling” would have sounded kinda cool and “social media” meant watching media socially, aka going to the movies with your friends. Try it out at this screening of All About My Mother, Pedro Almodóvar’s Oscar-snagging melodrama following the stories of a grieving mother, a trans sex worker, and a pregnant, HIV-positive nun. The film’s pinkish-red color story and its cast—including a young Penélope Cruz—are nearly impossible to look away from. The Summer of ‘99 series was curated in partnership with art/magazine space Chess Club and avant-garde boutique Stand Up Comedy, so the taste level is high and the film’s fashion is notable. (Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division, 7 pm, tomorrowtheater.org, all ages) LC

Portland Pickles Pride Night
Community & Activism

Baseball is pretty entertaining: The players are usually hot, and it’s so chic that Portland’s collegiate team opted for a giant green dildo as their mascot. On July 17, the Portland Pickles celebrate us homos, raising money for some very good causes in Western Oregon including Momentum Alliance, New Avenues for Youth, Q Center, and TransPonder. The Pickles also always have lit merch, and that’s pretty gay… (Walker Stadium, 7:05 pm, portlandpicklesbaseball.com, all ages) NP

ROY G. BIV’s Queer Comedy Show

Drag & Performance

A queer comedy show that regularly sold out Crush Bar, ROY G. BIV pops up at the Siren for this Pride one-off. If they sell out, maybe this could be a thing, comedy fans. Stand-up hosts Delaney Malone, Rachelle Cochran, and Ash Allen welcome other comedians Brendan Creecy, Grew Grizzly, Devi Kirsch, and Juno Men for super funny femme energy, “sliding into your summer like a well-lubed pride float.” (Siren Theater, 3913 N Mississippi, 8 pm, sirentheater.com, 21+) SS

Friday, July 18

Rebound presents Zodiac Rainbow Kiki Ball 2
Music & Nightlife

You may remember Rebound PDX as the monthly kiki that popped up in a clandestine techno club beneath a rehabbed bank downtown—was there ever a more ballroom thing? She was living and thriving, giving face in the shadow of collapsed capitalist might. When that club moved on, Rebound did something even more typical of ball culture: successfully moved and rebuilt. Distinct from drag in a plethora of ways, ballroom culture was pioneered and popularized by trans and queer communities of color in ’80s East Coast and Midwest cities. Portland’s scene is small but strong. At Zodiac Rainbow Kiki Ball 2, your Zodiac sign is your house, and further lewk directions dictate: earth signs wear camo, fire signs are in animal print, water is in denim, and air should figure out something metallic. (The Get Down, 680 SE 6th, 9 pm, reboundpdx.com, 21+) SS

Saturday, July 19

Judy on Duty
Music & Nightlife

Someone once told me that you either go to Judy on Duty to start something or to finish something. Honestly? Too real. A cornerstone of queer nights out since way back in 2014, going to Judy feels like participating in an age-old queer rite: pulling a little look, bumping into at least two of your exes, yapping outside in a circle of your friends instead of dancing, then waking up the next morning in a group text discussing who kissed whom. (White Owl Social Club, 1305 SE 8th, 8 pm, 21+) JENNA FLETCHER

Sunday, July 20

Portland Pride Parade
Drag & Performance

The Portland Pride Parade is a big rainbow-y extravaganza of heartwarming queerness, allyship, and people in booty shorts gyrating to bass on slowly ambling floats. (I like watching angels gyrate; this is known about me.) While it’s true that a significant portion of those marching are allies in branded swag provided by their corporate employers, there’s also local nonprofits, mascots, dykes on bikes, and the two-day Waterfront Festival in Tom McCall Park. (Downtown, festival is 12-8 pm on Sat and 11:30-6pm on Sun, parade starts at 11 am on Sun, more info at portlandpride.org) SS

Twirl: A PDX Queer Disco
Music & Nightlife

As of the print date for this issue, Twirl has yet to announce who will be DJing and which queens will be performing at their July extravaganza. What they have announced is exciting though: This Twirl will be taking place July 20 at the newly opened Green Anchors—an outdoor venue nestled beneath the St. Johns Bridge. It’s a seven-acre “eco-park with green and creative tendencies,” whatever that means. Regardless, it’ll be fun to cut shapes in a new outdoor venue! (Green Anchors, 8940 N Bradford, 3 pm, 21+) NP

Chai & Roses Pride Party
Music & Nightlife

The first time I went to a tea dance, I tried to wear a bonnet, and my friend was like “...no.” Plenty of tea dances are indiscernible from any other DJ party—. But of the tried and true things to do on Portland’s parade weekend, this Sunday Tea Dance may have the most interesting vibes—and it’ll certainly have the best jams. Co-hosted with PDX Queer Asians, Chai & Roses boasts DJ Suavecito and DJ Anjali on the decks with Blossom Drearie and Chiffon Chérie taking additional shifts. Not every tea party sticks to the convention of snacks, but this girl did with small batch desi pastries from Chaiwallah PDX. (Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison, 7 pm, holocene.org, 21+) SS

Saturday, July 26

Kate Berlant
Arts & Culture

I’m going to consciously resist referring to Kate Berlant as my “Roman Empire,” but I will admit that she comes to my mind maybe, like, eight times a day. This is because Kate Berlant is a genius. Her career sounds deceptively straightforward—she co-hosts the Berlant & Novak podcast alongside fellow comedic savant Jacqueline Novak (Get on Your Knees), and in 2022 she delivered a very chic comedy special in black-and-white (Cinnamon in the Wind, directed by Bo Burnham). Plus, she and her partner, Naomi McPherson of MUNA, look hot together. But Berlant’s secret to comedy high art is more complicated than all of this. Her meta-wit stares directly at itself, investigating not what she witnesses, but her need to be witnessed. (Aladdin Theater, 3107 SE Milwaukie, 7 pm, aladdin-theater.com, all ages) LC

Sunday, July 27

Pat Regan
Drag & Performance

A longtime comedy favorite in queer and gay circles, Pat Regan has been making homos laugh the world over on his podcast Seek Treatment along with writing for Hacks and regular appearances on Seek Treatment’s sister pod Las Culturistas. Sitting first row at one of his sold out Mississippi Studios shows in 2022, Regan did some crowd work on me solidifying a several year crush I had on the man at the time. This time around, I’m gonna tell him I love him and see where it goes. (Mississippi Studios, 3939 N Mississippi, 9 pm, mississippistudios.com, 21+) NP

Monday, July 28

Indigo Girls / Melissa Etheridge
Music & Nightlife

Not that they ever stopped touring or ever fully fell out of vogue, but it does feel like a whole new generation has been introduced to the gals thanks to the Barbie movie. Needless to say, the Indigo Girls have been holding it down for a long time and are absolutely our queer elders, should be celebrated if nothing else because of that. Same goes for Melissa Etheridge, though I think she might have a bit more crossover appeal with a few of her radio anthems from the early ’90s. Looking to sing at the top of your lungs in a sea of lesbians? This is your Woodstock. (Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey, Troutdale, 6 pm, all ages) NP

August 1-3

Queer Screams Film Festival
Arts & Culture

Suppose somebody wanders up to you and says, “Hey! What scares you?!” If you can see yourself responding, “The heteronormativity embedded in the fabric of Hollywood filmmaking,” then perhaps consider shrieking alongside others at this year’s Queer Screams Film Festival. The annual fest will curate LGBTQ+ horror shorts, screenings of scream-heavy classics (Bride of Chucky and Seed of Chucky this year), and a chat with Chucky franchise creator Don Mancini. Post up across the street at Dots for a horror-themed afterparty, too. (Clinton Street Theater, 2522 SE Clinton, Fri Aug 1-Sun Aug 3, cstpdx.com, all ages) LC