Starlight Parade
As a new Portlander, Iâm stoked to finally go to the coolest parade in the state: the beautifully lit Starlight Parade. Glowing floats will roll through downtown Portland at dusk, lighting and delighting the streets of adoring fans. Over 100 groups are set to participate, so get ready to cheer till your voice is hoarse. KELLY KENOYER
Sat 9 pm, Downtown, free, all ages
Old Town Music Showcase
Portland's music scene would be a hell of a lot quieter if it wasn't for Old Town Music providing its artists with all their equipment, and to celebrate turning 22, Rontoms hosts this free showcase for the many bands whose members are/were also employees.
Sun 8 pm, Rontoms, free
Shadowlands, North by North, There Is No Mountain
As Portland continues to transform into a wasteland of sparkly high-rises, itâs comforting to know there are still a few dark corners left where mutants gather to perform black-clad musical rituals. Shadowlands deftly navigates the new wave and post-punk undergrounds of yore to create something equally compelling. MARK LORE
Sat 9 pm, The Fixin' To, free
In the Cooky Jar
Of all the dance nights in town, In the Cooky Jar is likely the only one where you can dance to Rufus Thomas and Little Johnny Taylor underneath black-and-white photos of old dead white dudes. SANTI ELIJAH HOLLEY
Fri 9 pm, Eagles Lodge (F.O.E.#3256), $5 w/ food donation, $7 w/out
Stop Making Sense: A Talking Heads Celebration
Ben Tactic and Nathan Detroit spearhead a Saturday night dance party celebrating the music and influence of the Talking Heads.
Sat 9 pm, Holocene, $5-10
The Estranged, Dark/Light, Arteries, Ad-Noids
The Estranged's 2014 self-titled LP was one of the best local punk records released that year. It's a dark album that, like the best dark albums, never renounces its poppier essence and draws from a breadth of influencesâlead singer Mark Herman's post-punk-inspired vocals, the slide guitar that unexpectedly adorns the intro to first track "Forever Been Erased," the '77 pure punk velocityâwithout ever feeling calculated. MORGAN TROPER
Fri 9 pm, The Fixin' To, $7
Rose Festival CityFair
If youâre a Portland newbie, then allow me to introduce you to one of the biggest Portland shebangs of the year: the annual Rose Festival and CityFair. The Rose Fest features nearly a monthâs worth of special events including parades, fun runs, concerts, and dragon boat racesâall to celebrate the awesomeness of Portland. And CityFair is the hub around which all this bacchanalia revolves. In a way, itâs the way Portland ushers in summerâoh, AND THEY SERVE ELEPHANT EARS. (Jeez, way to bury the lede!) Thereâs going to be a lot of fun to be had in the next few months, and CityFair is Portlandâs welcome wagon. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
Fri-Sun 11 am, Tom McCall Waterfront Park, $8, all ages
Sugar Town: Fruit Cocktail
Do the twist at this all-vinyl dance party with sounds curated by DJ Larsupreme and DJ Action Slacks. This âflaming, furious queerious dance partyâ will kick off Pride month by raising money for Ori Gallery, a radical art space amplifying the voices of queer and trans artists of color. And be sure to âdress in your candy-color best.â
Sat 9 pm, The Spare Room, $10
Ron Artis II & the Truth
The Hawaii-hailing band and Pickathon 2017 stand-out brings their soul, funk, blues, and jazz sounds back through town for a headlining show at the Jack London Revue.
Sun 9 pm, Jack London Revue, $10
Bridge Club
Another installment of Portland's preeminent all-day queer dance party, with headliner DJ Jordee from San Francisco, and support from resident jocks Orographic, Troubled Youth, Pocket Rock-It, Casual Aztec, and Hold My Hand.
Sun 3 pm, Produce Row Cafe, $10
Don't forget to check out our Things To Do calendar for even more things to do!