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Jump to: Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Multi-Day

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FRIDAY

FILM

Violet Hex Presents: The Hunger with Bauhaus and Bowie Pre-Film Drag Show Past Event Like List
For a film that is sapphic sexiness personified, look no further than The Hunger—the '83 goth horror follows Catherine Deneuve as a ravenous vamp torn between two extraordinary hotties, played by David Bowie and Susan Sarandon. (I'd have a hard time choosing, too.) Cult cinema vixen Violet Hex will host this glam screening, which boasts an extra-special pre-film drag show on a Bauhaus and Bowie theme, appearances by Dria Doré, Kafka X, and Obsidienne Obsurd, and a vinyl set by DJ Narcissus. LC
(Clinton Street Theater, Hosford-Abernethy, $16)

LIVE MUSIC

Music in The Garden Past Event Like List
Each Friday in October, Louis Lim will soundtrack your stroll through Lan Su's tranquil pathways with traditional Chinese music played on the erhu (a two-stringed vertical instrument) and the ruan quin (a long-necked, 13-fret string instrument). In my opinion, gardens such as Lan Su Chinese Garden are highly underutilized in autumn. Don't miss the opportunity to catch the trees just as the leaves start to turn—beautiful! AV
(Lan Su Chinese Garden, Old Town-Chinatown, Free with garden admission)

PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE

Video Dance Attack: Studio 54 Past Event Like List
Portland’s longest-running video dance night is digging into the archives for a special Studio 54 edition featuring classic disco of the '70s and '80s as well as a few new disco cuts. Be sure to dress to impress! Studio 54 was known for its iconic guests and fashion—I recommend looking to Grace Jones for some inspiration. AV
(Polaris Hall, Humboldt, $15)

SATURDAY

FESTIVALS

Portland Argentinian Festival Past Event Like List
Immerse yourself in the rich tapestry of Argentinian culture at this vibrant celebration. Fuel up on delicious Argentinian food from local food carts, enjoy music and dance performances, and more. Trying to fit in? Wear blue and white (definitely not Brazil's yellow and green), and talk about how much you love Lionel Messi. SL
(The Den, Buckman, $0-$10)

FILM

Mandy Past Event Like List
The electrified, freaked-out world of Mandy is challenging to describe, but picture a giallo flick set to a drone metal soundtrack featuring a demonic biker gang, and you're maybe 10% of the way there. Misunderstood king Nicolas Cage is at the absolute top of his game here. He plays an '80s-era Pacific Northwest logger-turned-chainsaw-wielding-revenge-hound, and director Panos Cosmatos's phantasmagoric vision is the visual equivalent of a lucid dream. Just trust me on this one. Come prepared for the kind of ultraviolence of a "disintegrating rock opera"—seriously, there are several scenes that'll drop your jaw with their visceral terror—but watch it anyway. LC
(Clinton Street Theater, Hosford-Abernethy, $8)

Queer Voices of Ukraine Past Event Like List
Angelika Ustymenko, the genderqueer artist, activist, filmmaker, and "driving force" behind the Rebel Queers collective, created Ukrainian Queer Fighters for Freedom, a documentary series made in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine. As queer Ukrainian folks—many without military training—flocked to volunteer for the resistance, Angelika began documenting their reflections, and the results are unsurprisingly powerful. Trans artist and activist elliott miskovicz, the only US-based writer featured in the Queer Ukraine: LGBTQi+ Voices during Wartime anthology, will facilitate this event, which includes a Rebel Queers film screening and a reading from the anthology by Dvijka Collective. LC
(IPRC, Buckman, free)

PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE

Bewitched: Endora's Witch-Go Disco-tech Past Event Like List
All-vinyl DJs Action Slacks and Wildman James will summon your deadliest dance moves at this witchy Halloween sock-hop. Shake, rattle, and roll your bag o' bones to a rare mix of hex-cellent holiday jams from the '50s-'70s. Costumes and "wicked looks" are highly encouraged! AV
(The World Famous Kenton Club, Kenton, $10-20 (pay what you wish))

Dye Dye's 3rd Annual Halloween Party Past Event Like List
It's October, which means Halloween parties are kickin' off! Foster-Powell salon Dye Dye's third annual scary-season soirée will feature karaoke, costume contests (for humans and pets), prizes, and a raffle. Unlimited IPA will be providing adult beverages, and all proceeds will be donated to Glencoe Elementary's Gender & Sexuality Alliances Program. Costumes are highly encouraged, but we get it if you're still working on your masterpiece; Halloween is three weeks away, after all. SL
(Dye Dye My Darling Salon, Foster-Powell, free)

PERFORMANCE

Yaji – A Literati Gathering Past Event Like List
How often do you bear witness to artistic mastery? If you're anything like me, your answer is probably something like, "Umm, I don't know. Sometimes, I guess?" Enter Lan Su's Yaji (雅集) program, which offers an unusual opportunity to interact with and observe the craft of true art experts. The "literati gathering" will feature local Chinese calligraphers, musicians, and artists who will create a joint artwork on-site inspired by a potted chrysanthemum. (Lan Su says she's an "iconic autumn bloom." Love that for her!) Best part? The program's free with admission to the garden. LC
(Lan Su Chinese Garden, Old Town-Chinatown, Free with $0-14 admission)

VISUAL ART

First Saturday Open House Past Event Like List
Artsy mainstay Oregon Contemporary will throw another open house on Saturday evening, celebrating the closing of Te Moana Meridian with a live panel discussion with artist Sam Hamilton, historian and Reed professor Dr. Radhika Natarajan, designer Bogosi Sekhukhuni, and University of Oregon professor Dr. Daniel Rosenberg. (Portland Mercury contributor Ashley Gifford described Te Moana Meridian as "present[ing] ideas about a new center of the world.") Make it a thought-provoking evening before grabbing drinks in the quaint Kenton neighborhood—the wood-paneled Kenton Club is just a block away. LC
(Oregon Contemporary, Kenton, free)

SUNDAY

FILM

Cat People Past Event Like List
I'm not sure what I was anticipating when I decided to watch Cat People one fateful night last October, but the film transcended my expectations. Say what you will about its director, Paul Schrader (and there's, uh, a lot to say—I'm a diehard fan of this Twitter account that tracks the cinema auteur's unhinged Facebook posts), but the dude knows how to tell a story. In this one, Nastassja Kinski (who went on to reject Schrader's romantic advances in the coolest, bitchiest way possible) stars as a pouty lady with a feline family secret. Expect an almost gratuitous number of sex scenes and sets in a weird old New Orleans zoo. LC
(Clinton Street Theater, Hosford-Abernethy, $8)

FOOD & DRINK

90 Day Sundaé Past Event Like List
If you, like me, are already an aficionado of trashy reality TV television, 90 Day Fiancé needs no introduction. For the uninitiated, the TLC series chronicles the trials and tribulations of long-distance couples who have three months before a visa expiration date to decide whether or not their union should end in nuptial bliss, leading to hilariously unhinged results. (As Marie Kondo once said, "I'm so excited because I love mess.") Ice Queen owner Rebecca Smith is a fellow fan of the franchise, and to celebrate, she's screening each episode of the 10th season with a projector on Sunday nights, complemented by a menu of themed specials with some cheeky references sure to delight devoted viewers: "Big Ed's Past-Life Regression Shamrock Shake" (vanilla soft serve whipped with oat milk, mint, and chocolate chips), "K-1 Miso" (swirls of soft serve topped with house-made miso caramel, almonds, and pretzels), "Jovi Juice" (a tropical beverage), and "Meemaw's Seksi Strawberry Surprise" ("We don't want to have to jump an orange bitch but you're gonna have to pull up to find out what this one is"). Settle in with some plant-based treats and get ready for some delicious garbage. JB
(Ice Queen, Hosford-Abernethy)

READINGS & TALKS

Ross Gay Past Event Like List
How often are you delighted? Occasionally? Never?! Sounds like a job for Ross Gay. The spirit lifter, lauded poet, and author of The Book of Delights, will visit Portland on the heels of a new publication—The Book of (More) Delights. The fresh collection of genre-defying pieces, written over the course of a single year, is a sweet addition to the writer's feel-good oeuvre; he chats all things delightful, from tiny dogs to fig trees to nostalgic song-blasting to rejecting scannable QR code menus. It's only corny if you say it is. We say: Get into it. LC
(Powell's City of Books, Pearl District, free)

SPORTS & RECREATION

Trail Blazers Fan's Fest Past Event Like List
The Portland Trail Blazers return for their first preseason game on October 10, but if you're anything like us, you can't wait that long for basketball. Head to the annual Fan's Fest two days before to see our rookies debut, check out the new basketball court, and lament Dame’s departure with fellow fans. There will be Rip City merch, games, giveaways, food, and player appearances. Best of all, it's totally free! SL
(Moda Center, Lloyd District, free)

MULTI-DAY

FALL

Bella Organic Pumpkin Patch & Corn Maze Past Event Like List
Every fall, Bella Organic Farms makes a statement with their corn maze, and this year they're targeting gun violence with "a simple message of love from a simple farmer.” Enjoy a hot cup of apple cider over a game of trivia about the maze, and compete with your family and friends inside the maze to win a Clue-inspired puzzle. Starting October 1, you can hitch a free hayride over to the pumpkin patch to pick out your own gourd for carving, painting, or simply placing on your porch for max autumnal vibes. If you're a thrill seeker, stop by after dark on Fridays and Saturdays to experience their haunted corn maze. SL
(Bella Organic Pumpkin Patch & Winery, Sauvie Island, $0-$12, Friday-Sunday)

The MAiZE at the Pumpkin Patch Past Event Like List
Shout "It's corn!!!" while exploring almost two miles of pathways through the famous MAiZE on Sauvie Island. This premier destination for fall enthusiasts pays homage to its quarter century of business with this year's "25 years" design. The maze has two parts: warm up with the "easy" section before tackling the more difficult part, and don't forget your boots—it can get muddy out there. SL
(The Pumpkin Patch, Sauvie Island, $0-$10, Friday-Sunday)

FESTIVALS

Portland Greek Festival Past Event Like List
Opa! Celebrate 70 years of the largest Greek festival on the West Coast by immersing yourself in all things Greek. Check out traditional folk dance and musical performances, browse goods from craft and jewelry vendors, and enjoy an array of delicious food. Stock up on sweets like loukoumades (honey-drenched deep-fried dough balls), melomakarona (an orange and cinnamon cookie dipped in honey and sprinkled with nuts), pasta flora (a butter cookie with apricot filling), and bougatsa (custard-filled phyllo dough). Savory options include souvlaki, spanakopita, and more, and everything pairs well with Greek wine, beer, or a variety of non-alcoholic options. SL
(Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church, Kerns, $5, Friday-Sunday)

FILM

Dumb Money Past Event Like List
You're either going to be completely jazzed to see a film about the David-and-Goliath GameStop short squeeze of 2021, in which users of the subreddit r/wallstreetbets initiated a short squeeze on GameStop stocks and collapsed the investment firm Melvin Capital, or it's going to sound mind-numbingly dull. Those of you in the first camp will be pleased to know that Ben Mezrich’s book The Antisocial Network has been adapted into a film, so you'll get to witness a ragtag team of amateur investors and internet denizens topple Wall Street on a big screen. Even better, Dumb Money stars a cast of dudes born to play Redditors and hedge fund psychos, including Paul Dano, Pete Davidson, Vincent D'Onofrio, Sebastian Stan, and Nick Offerman. Bring your favorite finance bro. LC
(Cinema 21, Northwest Portland, $9-$11, Friday-Sunday)

Sticker Movie: Portland World Premiere Past Event Like List
If you've ever read former Stranger staff writer Jas Keimig's column Sticker Patrol, you're already well aware that stickers tend to act as the collective voice of the people. ("Life sux," said one astute sticker that Keimig captured back in March. I agree.) Sticker Movie "celebrates sticker culture worldwide," sticking together the stories of slap taggers, artists, and other decal enthusiasts. All screenings are followed by a Q&A with the documentary's filmmakers, and now's a great time to patronize the independent Cinemagic Theater, which has some expansions planned. LC
(Cinemagic, Buckman, $7-$9, Friday-Sunday)

Stop Making Sense Remind Like List
Calling it now: If you've seen Stop Making Sense, it's probably your favorite concert film. It's jangly and arty and all of the other words one might use to describe Talking Heads's catalog, and David wears the suit. Not feeling the Byrne? Listen, I know watching a concert movie for a band you don't listen to sounds like hell, but this one might be an exception. If you haven't seen it yet, anticipate looking back on the experience with a funny fondness later, like a good birthday party or the first time you smoked weed. Jonathan Demme (yes, the guy who went on to make The Silence of the Lambs) recorded all of the concert footage over the course of three days at Hollywood's Pantages Theatre in 1983, during the height of the Heads' visionary fame. It's screening in a new restoration, so prep for a "once in a lifetime" experience. LC
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, $10-$12, Friday-Sunday)

FOOD & DRINK

Portland Mercury's Wing Week 2023 Past Event Like List
What, dear reader, was the greatest week of your life? Think back on that moment. Treasure its beautiful memory. Then THROW IT IN THE TRASH, because the Portland Mercury’s Portland Wing Week is about to make every other week you’ve ever experienced look like GARBAGE. That’s right: From Monday, October 2 to Sunday, October 8, the Portland Mercury’s Portland Wing Week returns withone-of-a-kind chicken wings available at some of Portland’s favorite bars and restaurants! Even better? Each order of wings will only cost you a mere $8! PORTLAND MERCURY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF WM. STEVEN HUMPHREY
(Various locations, $8, Friday-Sunday)

LIVE MUSIC

Louie Louie 24 Hour Marathon Past Event Like List
I can't think of very many songs that I would choose to hear on a 24-hour loop, but there are certainly worse choices than the Kingsmen's 1963 party classic "Louie Louie." In honor of the song's 60th anniversary, dozens of musicians will attempt to perform a continuous 24-hour rendition of the song. And the best part? The iconic Portland-born garage rock band will be there in the flesh! The Kingsmen will open and close the marathon with a performance of—you guessed it—"Louie Louie." AV
(Afru Gallery, Buckman, Free with suggested donation to AFRU Gallery, Saturday-Sunday)

PDX Pop Now! 2023 Past Event Like List
PDX Pop Now! is your annual reminder of the vibrant music scene that exists within our city. The donation-based, all-ages festival is back for its 20th year with a week-long schedule of local musicians performing across multiple Portland venues. Highlights from this year's lineup include Brazilian folk-rock troubadour Johnny Franco, dream pop quartet Pool Boys, and community-minded rapper Bocha. Peep the festival's Instagram for last-minute adds to the already stacked lineup of local talent. AV
(Various locations, free, Friday-Sunday)

PERFORMANCE

Will Rawls: [siccer] Past Event Like List
You might've seen Will Rawls's work recently—the New York-based artist has popped up with installations and exhibitions at Adams and Ollman and the Henry Art Gallery in Seattle over the last few years. As a choreographer, performance artist, curator, and writer, Rawls's work is wide-reaching, and [siccer] is no exception. It's part-live performance, part-stop-motion animation, and its title references the Latin adverb sic (you typically see it used in brackets to denote an “error” when quoting someone, underscoring the perceived inaccuracy of their speech). To Rawls, "[sic] is a useful metaphor for how the language and gestures of Black bodies are captured, quoted or misquoted, and circulated to appear strange in various media." As a writer, I'm excited to see how Rawls interrogates the limits of citation. LC
(PICA, Eliot, $0-$10, Friday-Sunday)

SHOPPING

Portland Night Market Past Event Like List
Stroll beneath twinkling lights while browsing over 175 vendor booths selling food, drink, clothing, accessories, flowers, home goods, beauty products, arts and crafts, and more. Hit up the bar and outdoor food carts for sustenance while you shop. JW
(100 SE Alder, Buckman, free, Friday-Saturday)

VISUAL ART

28th Anniversary Show Past Event Like List
If you haven't dropped by Froelick in a while, now's a great time—the gallery will celebrate its 28th(!) anniversary in downtown Portland with an exhibition featuring all of its represented artists, including Benny Fountain, Tom Prochaska, Gwen Davidson, and Laurie Danial. It's a solid way to catch up on what the local and further-flung artists have been up to lately—personally, I'm looking forward to closer looks at works by some of my favorite painters, including Andrew Alba, Holly Osborne, and dog lover Emma Gerigscott. LC
(Froelick Gallery, Pearl District, free, Friday-Saturday)

Amjad Faur: A Spell for Letting Go Past Event Like List
Amjad Faur's precise, elaborately assembled photographs are created with a large-format camera, subverting the immediacy of iPhone snapshots and digital manipulation in favor of unedited, deliberate looking. (Each of his images can take weeks or months to create.) As a descendant of Scottish American and Palestinian heritage, Faur investigates his dual identities through varying, and sometimes unexpected themes: Renaissance paintings, Middle Eastern geo-political conflicts, "objects of armor and violence," fantasy art, Victorian Spiritualism, and more. Viewing his photographs as a form of spell-casting, Faur leans into the complexity of the process; the images seen in A Spell for Letting Go include traditional chainmail woven by the artist. LC
(PDX CONTEMPORARY ART, Slabtown, free, Friday-Saturday)

Assembly Past Event Like List
This group exhibition explores, among other values, "ideas of identity, representation, inclusion, citizenship, labor, landscape, cityscape, ecology, trade, regionalism and globalism." If that sounds like a ton of ground to cover, you're right—but since Assembly is staged across three downtown Portland venues and features 13 artists, including consistently slick creatives like Vo Vo, Lisa Jarrett, and Sara Siestreem, I think it'll accomplish its goals. I recommend checking out the three-pronged show's installments at PNCA, where you'll find Jeremy Okai Davis’s heavy-hitting portraits and Adriene Cruz’s vibrant textiles, and Stelo Arts, where you'll find Judith Wyss's curious miniature dioramas and Jessica Jackson Hutchins's bulbous forms.LC
(Various locations, free, Friday-Sunday; closing)

The Life and Art of Bue Jack Kee: From Obscurity to Acclaim Past Event Like List
Developed in partnership with the Kee family, the Hallie Ford Museum, and private collectors, The Life and Art of Bue Jack Kee: From Obscurity to Acclaim weaves the little-known tale of Bue Kee, a Portland-born Chinese American artist who studied at the Museum Art School (now known as PNCA) and whose work "captures an intimate view of Portland Chinatown and the beauty of the Pacific Northwest." Kee was awarded the school's inaugural Carey Award in 1929 and produced ceramic centerpieces for Timberline Lodge and Tongue Point Naval Air Station as part of the WPA's Federal Art Project. Dig further into Kee's uniquely Oregonian career at this exhibition, which includes "a dazzling array of watercolors, paintings, lithographs, drawings, and ceramics." LC
(Portland Chinatown Museum, Old Town-Chinatown, $0-$8, Friday-Sunday; closing)

Rodrigo Valenzuela: Garabatos Past Event Like List
The moody, gestural imagery of Rodrigo Valenzuela’s Garabatos was inspired by his research on the subcultures of Latin America’s music scene in the authoritarian aftermath of Operation Condor, a CIA-led initiative that organized South American military regimes to neutralize socialist agendas. Installed in PNCA's 511 gallery, the artist's new series of black and white photographs was developed from archival imagery, documentaries, and magazines, with a "vocabulary of gestures" translated into eerie sculptures. When photographed, the sculptures became representatives of a guttural, class-informed lexicon. LC
(PNCA, Pearl District, free, Friday-Saturday; closing)

Wild Peninsula: Color and Sound in North Portland Past Event Like List
If you've ever bopped around St. Johns, you may have noticed the neighborhood's plentiful "edge-of-wild spaces." Longtime residents Carolyn Hazel Drake, Michael Brooks, and Eric Jordan have taken note of them, too, finding resonance with the peninsula's landscape and exploring areas like the Baltimore Woods, Chimney Park, Smith & Bybee Wetlands, the Columbia Slough, and the St. Johns Prairie on daily walks. In Wild Peninsula: Color and Sound in North Portland, the trio reflects on the "strange interplay of nature, industry, preservation, disuse, and restoration" in the area through woven tapestries, soundscapes, and hand-appliqued textiles. LC
(Carnation Contemporary, Kenton, free, Saturday-Sunday; opening)