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! Good morning, Portland! Ignore what Punxsutawney Phil predicted earlier this week because […]
c3Fundable — Yes
Posted inEverOut
Where to Eat for Valentine’s Day 2026
Heart-Shaped Desserts, Tasting Menus, and More
Whatever your Valentine’s Day plans may be, we’ve gathered a bouquet of swoon-worthy options around town, with tasting menus at Mis Tacones and OK Omens, plus sweet treats from Gluten Free Gem. For more ideas, check out our food and drink guide. AdelledaLove is in the air at Vtopian’s sibling restaurant, which has a three-course […]
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: Housing Bureau Finds More Unspent Funds, Local Movie Theater in Trouble (Kinda) for Melania Jokes, and Why You Shouldn’t Trust the Government’s Story
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! Good morning, Portland. It’s going to be unseasonably warm today and for […]
Posted inOpinion
Remembering Judith Arcana
Portland’s own underground abortionist-turned-poet was a legend. She was also my friend.
In 2017, Judith Arcana sent a postcard to the old Mercury offices in Old Town/Chinatown. I was the arts editor at the time—it was my first real journalism job—and after many stories covering local theater (I still think about the plays I saw at Shaking the Tree) and books (a reading at Powell’s followed by […]
Posted inDo This, Do That
The Mercury’s Do This, Do That: Your Top Events for February 2-8
Heated Rivalry, surreal ceramics, and a Minneapolis fundraiser with wontons.
What’s up, February? The annual Portland Winter Light Festival illuminates the city this week, with glowy mood-enhancers like a “cosmic” cuttlefish and touch-sensitive light installations. Topping the list of “dudes you have heard of” are Chuck Klosterman and Todd Barry, both of whom will swing by to share their stuff—a new football-themed book and new […]
Posted inThe Trail Blazers
Blazers and Beyond
A guide to Portland’s major men’s teams: Trail Blazers, Rip City Remix, PSU Vikings, and UP Pilots
Cameron Crowell
Posted inGood Morning, News!
Good Morning, News: ICE Gasses Children, Trump Threatens Eugene, and Democrat Flips Red Senate Seat in Texas
If you’re reading this, you probably know the value of the Mercury’s news reporting, arts and culture coverage, event calendar, and the bevy of events we host throughout the year. The work we do helps our city shine, but we can’t do it without your support. If you believe Portland benefits from smart, local journalism and […]
Posted inNews
Portland Officials Condemn ICE After Federal Agents Tear Gas Peaceful Protesters and Children
Saturday’s rally and march led by local labor unions against ICE drew thousands of participants. The disproportionate federal response to a peaceful protest has rattled the city.
Thousands of local union members and supporters gathered in Portland’s South Waterfront Saturday afternoon for an anti-ICE demonstration hosted by Oregon labor leaders. The family-friendly event turned chaotic after federal agents met the peaceful crowd with repeated rounds of tear gas as they marched outside Portland’s Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility. The disproportionate federal […]
Posted inNewsblast!
YOUR SUNDAY READING LIST: Stopping the ICE Creep, Beloved Restaurant Closes, and a BANGER of a Pickathon Lineup!
GOOD MORNING, SUNDAY! It’s the perfect time to catch up on some of the great reporting and stories the Mercury churned out this week! (PRO TIP: If you despise being “the last to know,” then be one of the first to know by signing up for Mercury newsletters! All the latest stories shipped directly to […]
Posted inEverOut
The Best Things To Do in Portland This Month: February 2026
Portland Winter Light Festival, Cardi B, and More
February may be the shortest month of the year, but there’s no shortage of exceptional things to do. In addition to big dates like Black History Month, Lunar New Year, and Valentine’s Day, there’s the usual array of concerts, major author appearances, food and drink events, and more. Find all of February’s highlights below, with events […]
Posted inBooks
Hurricane Envy Has Something to Do with You
Sara Jaffe’s short story collection digs deep into queer parenting, the rise of the music algorithm, and the many shapes of adulthood.
In Sara Jaffe’s short story “Today’s Problems,” the narrator keeps a living document of national and international headlines—police violence, Israel’s potential annexation of Jerusalem—alongside intimate anxieties, like their own kid’s possible ringworm. The combined list functions as a reminder that “today’s problems” aren’t abstract forces. They express themselves in the strange frictions of everyday life. […]
Posted inEverOut
The Best Bang for Your Buck Events in Portland This Weekend: Jan 30–Feb 1, 2026
ICE OUT, Wiener Week, and More Cheap & Easy Events Under $20
We’ve got the makings of a busy weekend with cheap and easy picks from ICE OUT! Justice for Alex Pretti, Renee Good, and all others murdered by ICE to Labor Says ICE Out and from The Portland Mercury’s Wiener Week to a Howl at the Moon gathering. For more ideas, check out our top picks of […]