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FRIDAY

COMEDY

Everything In Between with Danelle Porter Past Event Like List
This diversified comedy showcase offers an alternative to the all-too-typical white male lineups. Join in on the refreshing laughs at cinema lounge The 4th Wall, where Everything In Between will serve up jokes from top-tier femme, trans, queer, and BIPOC comics.
(The 4th Wall PDX, Buckman, $10)

COMMUNITY

SOLVE's Oregon Spring Cleanup Past Event Like List
Environment-focused nonprofit SOLVE will continue its over 50-year-old Earth Day tradition, facilitating cleanup projects across the state to help keep Oregon spic and span for generations to come. On April 19-22, SOLVE will host cleanup assignments across the city for those of varying ages and abilities, so now's the time to pick a project and get involved.
(Various locations, free)

LIVE MUSIC

Works on Paper Presents: How to Read a Book with Robert Blatt Past Event Like List
Portland-based composer Robert Blatt will be joined by sound artist John Dombroski, experimental musician Caspar Sonnet, and poet James Yeary for a performance of his new work How to Read a Book, which explores experimental approaches to reading using "an assemblage of interwoven intermedia activities engaging language, sound, transcription, projection, and movement."
(Passages Bookshop, Northeast Portland, $10-20 suggested donation)

READINGS & TALKS

Chloé Cooper Jones in Conversation With Lydia Kiesling, Kimberly King Parsons, and Casey Parks
Past Event Like List Chloé Cooper Jones—Pulitzer Prize finalist and brilliant philosophy professor—will chat about her "gorgeous, vividly alive" memoir Easy Beauty, in which she reflects on life with a rare congenital condition called sacral agenesis. Lydia Kiesling, author of The Golden State, Kimberly King Parsons, author of National Book Award-nominated Black Light, and Casey Parks, journalist and author of the memoir Diary of a Misfit, will join Cooper Jones in conversation. (Lit nerds, this lineup's for you.)
(Powell's City of Books, Pearl District, free)

Slam Olympics Past Event Like List
National Poetry Month will get a little sillier at Slam Olympics. The series of challenges will see 12 local poets (Brianna Renae, Ty Brack, and others) pen new pieces off the cuff, pull prompts out of a hat, recite work while eating chili peppers, and more. The event will also be a fundraiser for the Bigfoot Regional Poetry Slam, which will be held the first weekend in June.
(ADX, Buckman, $10-$15)

SATURDAY

COMEDY

Forgotten Fantasies: Saturday Takeover Past Event Like List
For this smoky edition of Forgotten Fantasies, a slapstick roundup of local reefer lovers will take to the stage to riff on anti-cannabis classic Reefer Madness. Before the main event, a curated selection of anti-drug PSAs and vintage TV clips will bring the giggles.
(The 4th Wall PDX, Buckman, $5)

COMMUNITY

Urban League Spring Wellness Fair Past Event Like List
This wellness-focused spring fair might inspire you to turn over a new leaf. The Portland Farmers Market and Urban League of Portland have joined heads, aiming to bring resources to marginalized community members in an accessible space. Drop by to snag fresh produce and baked goods, find a calm moment with yoga and meditation demos, and learn more about local do-gooders like Bikes for Humanity PDX and Rae Selling Berry Seed Bank. Master gardeners will be on-site to chat about spring blooms, foraging strategies, conservation efforts, and more.
(PSU Farmers Market, South Park Blocks, free)

EARTH DAY

Earth Day Celebration with Portland Fruit Tree Project Past Event Like List
This Earth Day shindig invites visitors to chill beneath the urban canopy of Rossi Farms, a fifth-generation farmstead tucked within the Parkrose neighborhood. The "mini-pig meet-up" starts promptly at noon and sounds like a must-see; stick around afterward for permaculture chats, folk songs, puppetry, and a raffle, or treat yourself to a ticketed vegetarian dinner to show your support for local agriculture.
(Rossi Farms, Parkrose, Sliding Scale, free activities with entry price)

Learning Gardens Laboratory Earth Day Festival
Past Event Like List Head to the Learning Gardens Laboratory to learn more about PSU's 12-acre greenspace and its mission toward promoting regenerative agriculture, civic engagement, and ecological design. This festival will let curious minds get a glimpse at an environmental science lab, plus there will be activities for Earthlings of all ages, including live music, food, a plant sale, book sale, clothing swap, and raffle.
(Learning Gardens Laboratory, Brentwood-Darlington, free)

FILM

Sunrise
Past Event Like List F.W. Murnau, whose eerie 1922 classic Nosferatu was once described by Werner Herzog as "the greatest German film," also directed a "pre-talkie" flick you may never have heard of. Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans unveils a love triangle between a country couple and a city-slicking vamp. The Oscar-winning film will be set to a live original score by Dean Lemire, who will play the Hollywood's Mighty Wurlitzer organ.
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, $10-$12)

The Long Goodbye in 35mm
Past Event Like List Elliott Gould stars as LA gumshoe Philip Marlowe in Altman's mumbling, elegiac satire, which also happens to be my favorite film in which cat food serves as a plot point. Those who appreciate quirky architecture and a "go girl give us nothing," Tony Bourdain-esque vibe will appreciate the quintessential '73 stoner noir, screened here in moody 35mm. LINDSAY COSTELLO
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, $8-$10)

LIVE MUSIC

Breathing with Trees Past Event Like List
Honor the big ol' sphere that gives us life with an Earth Day celebration featuring music, songs, and poems that highlight the gift of trees. The long-running (and appropriately named) freak folk band Tree People will take the stage alongside local poet Igor Bjorn Brezhnevand his New Name Band, genre-blending prog-folk ensemble Bug Toast, Americana duo Alexa Wiley with Bret Malmquist, electronic rock artist Jake Soffer, and singer-songwriter Ellie Hartman. Plus, feast your eyes on original art, projections, and photos of nature-themed works during the performances.
(Alberta Abbey, King, $10-$15)

Record Store Day at Music Millennium with Timothy James Past Event Like List
Claiming the title of the oldest record store in the PNW, the long-running shop clearly knows what they're doing. With a huge inventory of both new and used media, Music Millennium is also famous for its special in-store performances and signings. In celebration of the 15th annual Record Store Day, the shop will offer free coffee and muffins to folks waiting in line bright and early to score RSD-exclusive releases. Once they open the floodgates at 8 am, customers will receive free swag like a gift bag and a limited edition poster while supplies last. As the shopping winds down, pop singer-songwriter Timothy James will set up for a free in-store performance and signing (at 5 pm).
(Music Millennium, Kerns, free)

The Aquadolls Past Event Like List
California trio the Aquadolls will illuminate the stage with their sun-kissed psych-rock jams like "Take Me Away" (a cover from the iconic fictional band Pink Slip in 2003’s Freaky Friday) and "Communicationissexy/Idkhow2communicate" alongside kindred indie rock outfits Jakki & the Pink Smudge and the Departures for an all-around nostalgic night.
(Hawthorne Theatre Lounge, Hawthorne District, $15)

READINGS & TALKS

Reading Rocking Rainbow Tour with Movie Club and Atomic Momma Past Event Like List
Venice Beach-based writer/drummer Jessamyn Violet will support her debut book, Secret Rules to Being a Rockstar, which is described as an "LGBTQ+ rock novel set in the '90s Hollywood music scene." Violet will be joined by acclaimed Portland novelist Emme Lund (The Boy With a Bird in His Chest) for an interactive discussion about growing up queer in the '90s. Following the discussion and book signing, she will take a seat behind her drum kit to perform with her band, the instrumental rock duo Movie Club. The night will close out with a set from the local psych-rock band Atomic Momma.
(Turn! Turn! Turn!, Humboldt, $10)

SHOPPING

Earth Day Market Past Event Like List
Triskelee Farm, a small working farm in West Linn, will praise Mother Earth with beer on tap, local makers hawking eco-friendly products, bites from Tony's Fresh Fruit and Mexican Food, and snuggle sessions with baby goats and lambs. (Triskelee Farm, Free)

Record Store Day 2023
Past Event Like List Whether you're looking for special RSD releases, or just want to support your local record store, drag yourself out of bed bright and early this Record Store Day as shops around Portland fill up with vinyl-hungry shoppers. Participation varies store-to-store, but expect sales and exclusive merch, extended hours, in-store performances, and other special events.
(Various locations)

SUNDAY

EARTH DAY

"Move for Mother Earth" Multimodal Scavenger Hunt
Past Event Like List Those who prefer to celebrate Earth Day with a side of Nancy Drew-style investigative work should grab their phone and a friend and head to the Lloyd Center Marshall's for the Move for Mother Earth scavenger hunt. Earthy clues can be found at check points throughout the city, and participants 16 and over can score free BIKETOWN use while they scavenge. Once you're done sleuthing, head back to Lloyd to cross the finish line and attend the opening reception of the Oregon Active Transportation Summit.
(Lloyd Center, Lloyd District, free)

LIVE MUSIC

Sunday Sessions: Silvertongue with New Body Electric Past Event Like List
Every Sunday, East Burnside bar Rontoms throws a free live show called “Sunday Sessions,” featuring performances by local musicians in a hipster-chic environment. The next installment, on April 23, showcases indie-rock quintet Silvertongue. Pulling from disparate influences like Young the Giant, the Black Keys, and Phoebe Bridgers, the band’s vulnerable singer-songwriter folk catalog—best sampled on their 2022 album Arboretum—travels from alt-rock to beach-bound pop. Hope for highlights, like the radio-ready “Monster” and the tranquil “Peach Rings.” Adding to the appeal is Utah-to-Portland duo New Body Electric, who’ll get the party started with funk- and disco-infused electro-pop. Comprising singer-songwriter Aaron Peterson (who you might find on guitar, synths, and trumpet) and multi-instrumentalist Evan Smoker, this group now performs as a five piece. We’re excited to hear live versions of the group’s latest single, “Running Out On a Feeling” and the delightful, catchy track “Awake, Animal 4 U,” from their 2017 EP, Color Balm. JENNI MOORE
(Rontoms, Buckman, free)

VISUAL ART

Miller Family Museum Free Day
Past Event Like List Stop by the Portland Art Museum for free on Miller Family Free Day to catch up on their current exhibitions, including The HeART of Portland, which showcases visual art, dance, theater, and musical talents from across Portland Public Schools. While you're there, scope out Hito Steyerl's augmented reality "garden" and a real Botticelli, too. (It's a good idea to score your ticket online in advance, but a limited number of tickets will be available for walk-ups.) 
(Portland Art Museum, South Park Blocks, free)

MULTI-DAY

FILM

Beau is Afraid
Past Event Like List The trailer for Ari Aster's new "sweatbox of anxieties" brings up more questions than answers, but perhaps it's better that way. The director of Midsommar and Hereditary, whose style leans more toward existential dread than jump scares, has a gift for the unexpected (and deliciously depraved). From what we can tell, Beau is Afraid follows a paranoid man's voyage home to visit his mother. We suggest taking the journey with him, but bring road snacks—the film is three hours long.
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, $8-$10, Friday-Sunday)

Happy Birthday John Waters! Past Event Like List
John Waters will drop by Portland for his spoken word show End of the Worldon April 22, but...it's sold out. Never fear, though—this birthday celebration for the beloved filth king will pull out all the stops, with screenings of his most grotesque film feats, including Polyester, Cecil B. Demented, Serial Mom, and more.
(Clinton Street Theater, Hosford-Abernethy, $8, Friday-Sunday)

Pi: New 4K Restoration
Past Event Like List "Something's going on. It has to do with that number." This screening of Darren Aronofsky's demented, surreal '98 thriller Pi brings eerie new dimension to the film, which has been restored in 4K to emphasize its grainy, high-contrast effect.
(Cinema 21, Nob Hill, $9-$11, Friday-Saturday)

FOOD & DRINK

Portland Pizza Week 2023 Past Event Like List
The Portland Mercury's Pizza Week is making its long-awaited return, giving pizza lovers the chance to get special slices from some of Portland's finest purveyors of pizza pies... for a mere three dollars each! That's right: Each slice is just THREE MEASLY DOLLARS or, at participating venues, a WHOLE PIE for $20. (You heard correctly: Once again this year certain Pizza Week participants may also be offering $20 whole pies along with slices—or whole pies alone!) Pizza Week is presented by Jim Beam, Tetra Cannabis, and EverOut Portland (that's us!), along with Feed the Mass—a simply terrific nonprofit that works to eliminate food waste while helping feed our city's most vulnerable neighbors. (They offer education programs too, so check 'em out here!) Thanks to these stellar partners, the Mercury is proud to present what might be our greatest Pizza Week lineup ever—one that features wildly creative slices from a whopping 36 (!!) Portland locations, available across the city and lovingly crafted by your favorite pizza masterminds. WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
(Various locations, $3-$20, Friday-Sunday)

PERFORMANCE

American Girl Past Event Like List
Trans playwright Mikki Gillette, whose production The Queers sold out at Fuse Theatre Ensemble in 2022, will return with American Girl. Through extensive interviews with those closest to her, the production unveils the harrowing story of trans teen Nikki Kuhnhausen, who was killed in a hate crime in Vancouver, Washington in 2019.
(Back Door Theater, Sunnyside, Pay-what-you-can, Friday-Sunday)

VISUAL ART

Brianna Spencer: Can You Get Me Something from The Store? Past Event Like List
San Diego-born artist Brianna Spencer draws from California culture and street art in her widely exhibited illustrative work. Her solo exhibition at Chefas Projects, Can You Get Me Something From the Store?, expands on these themes with boldly rendered forms and vibrantly painted scenes exploring motherhood.
(Chefas Projects, Central Eastside, free, Friday-Saturday; closing)

Gina M. Contreras: Continued Comfort Past Event Like List
Fresno-born artist Gina M. Contreras uses self-portraiture to dig into her Chicana upbringing, her admiration of lowbrow culture, and her embrace of body acceptance. Her solo exhibition, Continued Comfort, is a must-see—Contreras was recently featured in New American Paintings.
(Chefas Projects, Central Eastside, free, Friday-Saturday; closing)

The HeART of Portland
Past Event Like List Showcasing visual art, dance, theater, and musical talents from across Portland Public Schools, The HeART of Portland includes a youth art exhibition and performances. The event marks the launch of PPS's new Master Arts Education Plan, which aims to increase equitable access to "high-quality arts education in dance, music, theatre, and visual arts for all students."
(Portland Art Museum, South Park Blocks, free, Friday-Sunday; closing)

home school: Omens of Capacity Past Event Like List
Victoria Anne Reis and manuel arturo abreu of home school will present the final exhibition of their curatorial residency at Oregon Contemporary. Omens of Capacity features Jackie Abhulimen's Hellenic-inspired contemplative space, Bridgette Hickey's floating prayer sculpture, Ariana Nuala's video on quilombo leader Malunguinho, and more to reflect on "omens of capacity that were latent, unrealized, within the clash of cultures and movements of peoples.”
(Oregon Contemporary, Kenton, free, Friday-Sunday; opening)

Making Earth Cool Past Event Like List
Do-good Gaia lovers Making Earth Cool will bring some environmental joie de vivre to Parallax Art Center this spring with two months of earthy activities staged within an "immersive handmade setting." As part of their artist residency program, visitors will be invited to participate in repair workshops, educational storytelling, and calls to action informed by Indigenous and youth-led activist groups. On Earth Day, they’ll continue the festivities with animal mask-making, live music, and more at Scott Elementary School, followed by an after-party at Parallax.
(Parallax Art Center, Pearl District, free, Friday-Saturday)

Salomée Souag: Fruit of My Past
Past Event Like List Swiss-born artist Salomée Souag honors her Peruvian and Algerian ancestors in her symbol-driven murals and designs, creating works that aim to shed shame and promote healing. In her solo exhibition Fruit of My Past, Souag embraces an intimate, fluid approach, combining dreamy canvas works (we're reminded of Agnes Pelton's transcendental compositions) and soft sculptures that reclaim vulnerability in the face of toxicity and external pressures.
(Nationale, Buckman, free, Friday-Sunday)