MUSIC FESTIVALS

Good in the Hood Multicultural Music, Arts, & Food Festival

The annual Good in the Hood festival is one of the most diverse and fun music, arts, and food events in Portland—full stop! So support this critically important three-day event that offers tons of hip-hop, gospel, and funk as well as delicious food, a parade, kid activities, and enough positive vibes to fill a weary planet. June 22-24, noon, King School Park, free

Waterfront Blues Festival

The Waterfront Blues Festival is a Fourth of July tradition, a weekend-long gathering on the river to celebrate all styles of American music (not just the blues). With performers like Robert Randolph and the Family Band, the Mavericks, George Thorogood, Commander Cody, and countless others performing under the sun, it’s the best way to be reminded that our crazy, conflicted country has birthed some pretty wonderful music. July 4-7, noon, Tom McCall Waterfront Park, $30 & up, all ages

PDX Pop Now!

The beloved all-ages music festival returns to AudioCinema under the Hawthorne Bridge for its 15th installment. There’ll be outdoor stages, a street fair, food carts, a beer garden, and the time-honored tradition of Rigksetball—a 32-band basketball tournament where the hoop’s attached to a tour van. Stay tuned for more details, including a full artist line-up, and if you’re looking to volunteer and get involved in helping the non-profit organization, visit pdxpopnow.com/volunteer/ for details. July 21 & 22, noon, AudioCinema, free, all ages

Northwest String Summit

Camp out for a family-friendly weekend full of the finest singer/songwriter, folk, and Americana music in the country. Featuring performances from Yonder Mountain String Band and Greensky Bluegrass performing for three out of the four nights, Fruition, Mandolin Orange, the Dustbowl Revival, the Steep Canyon Rangers, Yak Attack, and many more. July 19-22, Horning’s Hideout, $139-1000

Wild Hare Countryfest

If you’re gonna have an honest-to-Waylon country music festival, it better damn well be out in the country, and for this sweaty, hot, dusty, and probably half-drunk-at-all-times weekend, Pat’s Acres plays hosts to some of the Northwest’s best stompers, twangers, and shitkickers to grab up a guitar and get to singin’. Featuring sets from Whiskey Meyers, William Clark Green, Greg Payne & the Piedmont Boys, Randy Rogers, Shane Smith, and more. Jul 20 & 21; Fri 6 pm, Sat 4 pm, Pat’s Acres Racing Complex, $48-229

Pickathon

There are so many reasons to love Pickathon—its location on Happy Valley’s gorgeous Pendarvis Farm, its postcard-worthy view of Mount Hood, its reusable silverware, its hammock village, but most of all, its music. This year’s lineup features veterans like Built to Spill and Broken Social Scene alongside promising artists like Colter Wall, making his Pickathon debut. Aug 3-5, Pendarvis Farm, $160-320, all ages

PIG Fest 3

The third annual Portland Industrial Gothic Fest promises to be a noise-filled, machine-pressed weekend’s worth of thunderous melody finely ground beneath the most exquisite of boots, featuring some of the region’s best independent bands. Aug 10-12, 7 pm, Paris Theater, $15

Montavilla Jazz Festival

It makes sense that in order to hear local jazz musicians pushing the envelope, you have to venture to the edge of the city’s envelope, as the Portland Metro Arts Center hosts artists such as Randy Porter, Nancy King, Dmitri Matheny, Darrell Grant, Nicole Glover, Farnell Newton, and more for two days of improvisational adventure. Aug 18 & 19, 1:30 pm, Portland Metro Arts Center

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FOOD & DRINK

Portland Fruit Beer Festival

Burnside Brewing Co. takes over hosting duties for this year’s celebration of humanity’s genius decision to add fruit to beer, with more than 30 different beers and ciders to sip on, local food vendors providing ice cream, pizza, bratwurst and other delicious nosh, live music from local DJs, and gluten-free options. June 8-10; Fri 4 pm, Sat & Sun 11 am; Burnside Brewing Co., $20-25

Portland Scandinavian Midsummer Festival

A summer solstice celebration, Norwegian-style, featuring live music, food, a beer garden, a maypole raising, and of course, dancing around that maypole.June 9, 11 am, Oaks Amusement Park, $7-17, all ages

Tequila and Margarita Summer Festival

If ever you wanted to discover who in Portland really does make the best margarita, this festival aims to provide the answer, with local bars and spirit-makers offering up their twist on the classic drink, and your tastebuds will help decide the winner. June 16, 4:30 pm, Ecotrust Building, $15-85

Oregon Cider Week 2018

This year’s celebration of taking apples and pears and making them alcoholic and drinkable is still called “Cider Week,” but for the fruit-flavored purposes of this sprawling festival, “week” has been redefined to encompass 11 days, with a variety of events across the city, featuring more than 150 different ciders from around the world. Visit nwcider.com to stay updated on the full list of locations and events. June 21-July 1, various locations

The Portland Mercury’s Wing Week

Portland Mercury’s Wing Week is returning! Stay tuned for more info on which Portland restaurants will offer a half-dozen specially made wings for a mere $5! Brought to you by Jim Beam and Tsingtao. Jun 25-30, various locations

Saké Fest PDX

Why should beer and cider get all the fun? A festival with more than 100 saké varieties, paired with some of Portland’s finest foods, including contributions from SHO, Bamboo Sushi, Burnside Brewing, Zilla, Ranger Chocolate, and more. June 27, 5:30 pm, Oregon Convention Center, $45-78

Tea Fest PDX

A holiday for anyone who really, really loves the smell, the taste, and the rituals behind making that perfect cup of tea, whether you’re a newcomer to the larger tea universe or whether you’ve been exploring it for years. Includes live music, food, classes, workshops, yoga, tai chi, and more. July 21, 9:30 am, World Forestry Center & Museum, $10

VegOut! Portland Vegan Beer & Food Festival

The VegOut Vegan Beer & Food Festival brings the inaugural installment of their two-day celebration of vegan cuisine to Holladay Park, with live entertainment, educational speakers, chef demonstrations, fitness classes, and more than 100 vendors. July 21 & 22; Sat 10 am, Sun 11 am, Holladay Park, $20-45, all ages

Oregon Brewers Festival

The Northwest tradition returns to the Waterfront to serve more than 80,000 customers some of the finest beer the world will ever drink. Visit oregonbrewfest.com for a list of brewers. July 26-29, noon, Tom McCall Waterfront Park, free

Portland Hot Sauce Expo

Good hot sauce makes life just a little bit better, doesn't it? If you think so, head to the hottest show in Portland for the Portland Hot Sauce Expo, where you'll enjoy food and sauce samples, craft beer, and some of the most insane eating challenges known to mankind. Aug 4-5; Sat 10 am, Sun 11 am; Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), $7-60

Second Annual Portland Radler Festival

Radler is what you call a cocktail made using fruit soda... and beer. Which sounds weird at first, but if there's a whole damned festival dedicated to the drink it can't be all bad, right? In fact, they're pretty delicious when you do 'em right, and so Stormbreaker dedicates this fine summer day to the return of a wholly-refreshing beer fest, with shade tents, live music, and radlers from over 20 local breweries and cideries for sipping. Aug 11, noon, Stormbreaker Brewing

The Portland Mercury's Burger Week

Burger enthusiasts, assemble! On August 13-18, the city of Portland will once again become the burger capital of the world during the Portland Mercury’s Burger Week. Stay tuned for a complete list of participating restaurants, along with detailed looks at their tasty $5 offerings. Aug 13-18, various locations, $5

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COMEDY & IMPROV

On Cinema at the Cinema LIVE

Tim Heidecker and Gregg Turkington bring their very successful (and very ridiculous) satire of film podcasts and podcasters to Portland, with a set of secret special guests in tow. June 15, 8 pm, Revolution Hall, $30

Kathy Griffin

Once upon a time, she was simply a ginger D-lister. But through sheer force of will and a thoroughly amazing ability to talk shit non-stop, Kathy Griffin has become a two-time Emmy winner, a New York Times bestseller, and a Grammy nominee. June 17, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, $35.50-125, all ages

The Portland Sketch Comedy Festival

For the second straight year, the Siren Theater transforms into a sketch comedy mecca for three days, with performances from hilarious sketch acts from all over the country, as well as homegrown sketch genius right here in Portland. Each show is $12, but you can nab yourself an all-show pass and get access to every last sketch for $85. July 12-14, Siren Theater, $12-85

Bill Burr

There's been a succession of comedians over the decades who have made their bones on taking the microphone and being a hilarious contrarian. The latest iconoclast to pick up that mantle is Boston's Bill Burr, who kills crowds whenever he plays, whether they want to be killed or not. July 14, 7 & 10 pm, Keller Auditorium, $45

Eugene Mirman

The beloved comedian and actor who portrayed Yvgeny Mirminsky on Adult Swim's Delocated and Eugene on Flight of the Conchords takes a break from voicing Gene Belcher on Bob’s Burgers and brings his stand-up out to Portland for a one-night stand at the Aladdin Theater. Aug 9, 8 pm, Aladdin Theater, $25

Jimmy Pardo

It takes no small amount of chutzpah to name your podcast Never Not Funny, and it takes a ton of skill to consistently live up to that. Jimmy Pardo delivers all those things at a blistering rate of speed; this isn’t so much stand-up as it is a mile-a-minute conversation with a crowd happy to ride his comedy roller-coaster. Aug 16-18; Thurs 8 pm, Fri-Sat 7:30 pm & 10 pm; Helium Comedy Club, $17-33

Iliza Shlesinger

Fresh off the release of her acclaimed essay collection Girl Logic, the Texas-born and raised comedian and 2008 Last Comic Standing winner brings her “Elder Millennial” show through Portland ahead of a forthcoming Netflix special. Aug 24, 7:30 pm, Revolution Hall, $30

Penn & Teller

When they first started, Penn & Teller were the punk upstarts in a wing of the entertainment industry that was fairly staid in its superficial glossiness. And as the decades have gone on, they've essentially become the establishment they set out to overturn, without sacrificing their irreverence and style. Sept 14, 7:30 pm, Keller Auditorium, $45-65

Aparna Nancherla

If you're single, a woman of color, understand the unique hilarity of living in New York, have experienced depression, or know the doom that ensues when you encounter supermodels on the street, you'll probably relate to Aparna Nancherla's everywoman stand-up material. She's already been through some of the high-profile comedy circuit (Conan, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and Inside Amy Schumer), and her comedy’s more than deserving of that spotlight. Sept 21, 8 pm, Aladdin Theater, $20-70, all ages

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THEATER & STORYTELLING

Faust

Lyric Opera of Chicago and Portland Opera present a new production of Gounod's Faust brought to life with help from sculptor and artist John Frame. Sung in French with English text projected above the stage. June 8-16, Fri-Sat 7:30 pm, Sun 2 pm; Keller Auditorium, $35-250

Road House: The Play!

This revival of Bad Reputation's Road House: The Play! boils the ’80s trash classic down to its most potent elements, adds music, and a lot of mockery—channeling the glistening majesty of Swayze to brilliant comedic effect. And it stars Portland’s favoritest funny people, to boot. (SPOILER: The boot probably has a knife in it.) June 8-23, Fri & Sat 8 pm, Siren Theater, $18-22

Tribute to Ursula K. Le Guin

The Le Guin family and Literary Arts pay respects to one of great fantasy and science fiction writers of our time, with tributes coming in from Margaret Atwood (by video), Molly Gloss, Walidah Imarisha, Jonathan Lethem, Kelly Link, China Miéville, and Daniel José Older. Andrea Schulz, Le Guin's editor at Viking Books, and Julie Phillips, Le Guin's biographer, will also be on hand to share stories along with rare documentary footage and photos from her life. June 13, 7:30 pm, Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, free w/RSVP

SLANT: Live Queer Storytelling

Sister Britt hosts the latest installment of the much-loved storytelling series, featuring guests Mitch Mitchell, Kronda Adair, and more. June 14, 7 pm, Mississippi Studios, $13-15

Juneteenth Celebration

Juneteenth is the day Union soldiers brought Texas the news that the enslaved were now free, and the North Portland Library celebrates that key date in American history with stories, monologues, singing, and more from members of the PassinArt theater company. June 17, 3 pm, North Portland Library, free, all ages

Evil Dead: The Musical

Back in Portland with more splatter than a Gallagher concert,

Evil Dead: The Musical transforms Sam Raimi’s classic film—about a uber-chinned jackass fighting evil spirits in a cabin—into a sweetly silly musical. June 22-July 8, Thurs-Sat 7 pm, Sun 2 pm, Funhouse Lounge, $18

Dear Sugar's Summer Party

Dear Sugar Radio's Cheryl Strayed and Steve Almond return to the Revolution Hall stage for a summer party featuring special guests, live questions, and music from Portland's own Wonderly. June 30, 8 pm, Revolution Hall, $25-28