Around the Sun: A Blog About Saving Money in Portland, Oregon, and beyond

Free Events This Weekend in Portland: Feb 15–17

February 15th, 2008

Admission is free for all of the events listed here.

Hope you all have a great President’s Day weekend!  

Friday, February 15

• Portland Jazz Festival is offering a ton of free jazz shows around the city. Too many to list. Go to the Portland Jazz Festival website to see the complete schedule. Unless otherwise noted, performances are free and open to the public. Also, note that PDX Jazz Pavilion is Pioneer Courthouse Square.

• The Slants will perform at Music Millennium at 6:00 pm. For more information, visit the Music Millennium website.

• Canoe will perform at Borders in Beaverton at 7:00 pm. Visit the Borders website for more information.  

• Paul Barkett will be playing at Borders in Vancouver at 7:00 pm. For more information, visit the Borders website.

• Jimmy Bivens will be playing at Edgefield at 7:00 pm. Ages 21 and older. For more information, visit the Edgefield website.

• Dusty York Trio will perform at Someday Lounge at 5:00 pm. Visit the Someday Lounge website for more information.

• Pete Krebs Gypsy Jazz Trio will perform at Press Club at 8:30 pm. Press Club is located at 2621 SE Clinton St., 503.233.5656. 

• Mature Rock Vixen will perform at Rock Creek Tavern at 9:00 pm. All ages until 10:00 pm. For details, go to the Rock Creek Tavern website.

• The film Ezra will be showing at Hollywood Theatre at 7:00 pm. This event is part of the 18th Annual Cascade Festival of African Films. All CFAF films are free and open to the public.

• Twisted, a yarn and craft shop on NE Broadway, will be showing the ’80s flick Nine to Five at 6:00 pm. Every Friday, they’ll be showing a different ’80s film. For more information, visit the Twisted website.

• Natalie Goldberg will talk about her book Old Friend from Far Away at 7:30 pm at Powell’s City of Books on Burnside. For more information, visit the Powell’s website.

Saturday, February 16

• Portland Jazz Festival is offering a ton of free jazz shows around the city. Too many to list. Go to the Portland Jazz Festival website to see the complete schedule. Unless otherwise noted, performances are free and open to the public. Also, note that PDX Jazz Pavilion is Pioneer Courthouse Square.

• 18th Annual Cascade Festival of African Films presents the family film The Red Glasses. Kennedy School, 2:00 pm. Visit africanfilmfestival.org for more information.

• The Legend of the Sky Kingdom, a family film, will be showing at Kennedy School at 3:00 pm. This is also part of the 18th Annual Cascade Festival of African Films. Visit africanfilmfestival.org for more information.

• Masaï: The Rain Warriors will be showing at PCC Cascade Moriarty Bldg. 104 at 7:30 pm. Visit africanfilmfestival.org for more information.

• 15th Annual McMenamins’ Hillsdale Brewfest is happening all day at Hillsdale Brewery & Public House starting at 11:00 am. Sample 20 different beers and vote for your favorite to represent McMenamins at the 21st Annual Oregon Brewers Festival in July. Admission is free and open to all ages (until 10:00 pm), but you’ll have to pay to try the beer. “Revelry and merriment” is also promised. For more information, visit the McMenamins website.

• Kimya Dawson will perform at Music Millennium at 3:00 pm. For more information, visit the Music Millennium website.

• Will Coca will perform at Borders in Gresham at 7:00 pm. Visit the Borders website for more information.

• Floating Pointe will be playing at Edgefield at 7:00 pm. Ages 21 and older. For more information, visit the Edgefield website.

• Quick and Easy Boys will perform at Rock Creek Tavern at 9:00 pm. All ages until 10:00 pm. For details, visit the Rock Creek Tavern website.

• The Henry IV will perform at Press Club at 8:30 pm. Press Club is located at 2621 SE Clinton St., 503.233.5656.  

• Amazing African Animals: The Oregon Zoo invites families to learn how Africa’s smaller animals defend themselves. Capitol Hill Library, 1:30 pm. For more information, visit the Multnomah County Library website.

• Symphony Storytime at the Central Library, 2:00 pm–3:00 pm: Enjoy music, storytime and hands-on crafts. A member of the Oregon Symphony will play and discuss orchestral music. Free tickets for seating will be available 30 minutes prior to the program. For more information, visit the Multnomah County Library website.

• Russian Film Series at Midland Library will show The Rider Named Death/Vsadnik po imeni smert (Russian with English subtitles) at 2:00 pm. A brief discussion will follow the screening. Visit the Multnomah County Library website for more information.

• I Heart Cupcakes: At this family event, decorate a cupcake and learn what it takes to be a pastry chef. Northwest Library, 2:00 pm. For more information, visit the Multnomah County Library website.

• Author Karen Karbo will talk about her career in writing. Central Library, 1:00 pm. For more information, visit the Multnomah County Library website.

• Readings on Love—a lo Latino: Enjoy an evening of readings of original work (some in English and some in Spanish) by members of Los Porteños writing group, as well as readings of love-inspired poetry by Lorca, Sabines, Castillo and others. Milagro Theatre, 5:00 pm. For more information, visit the Milagro Theatre website.

• Tears of Joy Theatre will perform two tales of Anansi the Spider at Hillsdale Library at 11:00 am. Free tickets for this puppet play will be available 30 minutes prior to the program. For more information, visit the Multnomah County Library website.

• Chinese New Year Celebration at Three Creeks Community Library in Vancouver at 2:00 pm: Enjoy stories, crafts, a performance by children of Salmon Creek Chinese School and a parade. For more information, visit the Fort Vancouver Library website.

• Swap gently used children’s toys at the Gift of Giving Toy Exchange & Sale. Go to ReadySetMom for the details 

• PDXSwap Children’s Clothing Swap is happening at Milagros Boutique at 11:00 am. Click here for more information.

Sunday, February 17

• Portland Jazz Festival is offering a ton of free jazz shows around the city. Too many to list. Go to the Portland Jazz Festival website to see the complete schedule. Unless otherwise noted, performances are free and open to the public. Also, note that PDX Jazz Pavilion is Pioneer Courthouse Square.

• Macadam will perform at Music Millennium at 5:00 pm. For more information, visit the Music Millennium website.

• The Everybodyfields will be playing at Kennedy School at 7:00 pm. All ages. Visit the Kennedy School website for more detail.

• Mary Flower will perform at Edgefield at 5:00 pm. For details, visit the Edgefield website.

• Jazz experts Howard Mandel and Lloyd Peterson will discuss their books at Borders in downtown Portland at noon. Mandel is the author of Miles, Ornette, Cecil: Jazz Beyond Jazz and Peterson is the author of Music and the Creative Spirit. For more information, visit the Borders website.

• The Church of Craft is having its monthly craft class/get-together at the Central Library from 12:30 pm–3:30 pm. This month’s class is Artist Trading Recipe Cards. Seating is limited to 70 people, and is available on a first-come, first-served basis. For the list of supplies you’ll need to bring and more information, visit the Multnomah County Library website.

• Performers from Staged! will give a preview of Les Miserables at the Central Library at 1:00 pm. For more information, visit the Multnomah County Library website.

• Lunar New Year Celebration at Midland Library from 1:30 pm–5:00 pm: Experience traditional dance, music, games, food and crafts from China, Vietnam and Korea. Performers include Lee Family Association Lion Dance Team, Orchids and Bamboo Quartet, Van Lang School Dancers, Vovinam Martial Arts, and Woodstock Elementary School Dancers. For more information, visit the Multnomah County Library website.  

• It’s the Hotel deLuxe’s Sunday Movie Night. 7,500 Miles to Redemption will be playing. The Screening Room, located off the hotel lobby, opens at 6:00 pm; the movie begins at 6:30 pm. RSVP to 503.219.2093. For more information, visit the Hotel deLuxe website.

• Night of the Hunter will be showing at Press Club at 8:00 pm. Press Club is located at 2621 SE Clinton St., 503.233.5656.  

• Swap gently used children’s toys at the Gift of Giving Toy Exchange & Sale. Go to ReadySetMom for the details 

• Cindy Williams Gutiérrez will give a free lecture titled “In Search of Mysticism and Duende: Yeats and Lorca as Poet-Dramatists,” following the matinee performance of the play Bodas de sangre at the Milagro Theatre. The presentation will be in English and will explore such questions as: How did Yeats’ and Lorca’s relationships with women and politics shape their lives and their art? How can Yeats’ obsession with mysticism and Lorca’s quest for “duende” ignite our passion for poetry and drama? For more information, visit the Milagro Theatre website.

If you know of any other free events happening this weekend, please write a comment about it. If you’d like me to include an event in a future round-up, feel free to contact me.

Other articles from Around the Sun:

• August 14, 2007 -- “…making a big fuss out of an adult shopping in a junior’s section”
• October 9, 2008 -- Around the Sun Turns Two
• December 28, 2008 -- How to Get a Discount From Comcast: Ask for It

Entry Filed under: Books, Children, Classes, Education, Entertainment, Events, Free, Frugal living, Kids, Literature, Movies, Music, Portland, Swap, Theater