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

Free Events This Weekend in Portland: September 19–21

September 19th, 2008

Admission is free for all events below. Have a great weekend!

Friday, September 19

• Kidical Mass Family Bike Ride: There are rides in four areas today: downtown Portland, N/NE, SE and Sellwood. All rides will meet at 6:00 pm and will leave promptly at 6:15. Visit the Bike Portland website for the details.

• Hill Country Revue will perform at Music Millennium (3158 E. Burnside) at 5:00 pm. Visit the Music Millennium website for more information.

• Roots and Wisdom (website) will perform at Music Millennium (3158 E. Burnside) at 7:00 pm. Visit the Music Millennium website for more information.

• The Checkered Present (website) will perform at East Burn (1800 E. Burnside St) at 10:00 pm. Visit the East Burn website for more information.

• Matt Brown, Casey Neil and Jaycob Van Auken will perform at Press Club at 8:30 pm. Press Club is located at 2621 SE Clinton St., 503.233.5656.

• Gideon Freudmann (website) will perform at Edgefield at 7:00 pm. Visit the Edgefield website for more information.

• The Old Yellers (website) will perform at Rock Creek Tavern at 9:00 pm. Visit the Rock Creek Tavern website for more information.

• Author Paul Auster will talk about his book “Man in the Dark” at 7:30 pm at Powell’s City of Books on Burnside (1005 W. Burnside). For more information, visit the Powell’s website.

• Rose City Romance Group Event: Meet local romance authors, ask questions, take pictures, and get autographs at Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing (3415 SW Cedar Hills Blvd) at 7:00 pm. For the complete list of authors attending, visit the Powell’s website.

Saturday, September 20

• Fall Fest Northwest: This event includes music, food, and a beer and wine court. For the kids, the Northwest Children’s Theater will do face painting and theater “classes.” Wallace Park (NW 25th Ave & Raleigh St), 11:00 am to 7:00 pm. Visit the event website for more information.

• Cider Pressing and Harvest Celebration: Celebrate fall at Gabriel Park’s Community Demonstration Orchard (SW 41 & Canby), 9:00 am to 12:00 pm. For more information, visit the Portland Parks and Recreation website. 

• Fir Fest at Doug Fir: This is Doug Fir’s semi-annual free outdoor music and art extravaganza, featuring performances by Loch Lomond; Bark, Hide and Horn; Y La Bamba. Also Crafty Wonderland craft bazaar, fashion show and more. 5:00 pm to 10:00 pm on the outdoor Jupiter/Doug Fir patio. Ages 21+. Visit the Doug Fir website for more information.

• DoveLewis Dogtoberfest: This event includes a dog wash, live music and a small street fair. Dog washes are $5 and benefit the DoveLewis Blood Bank. Lucky Labrador Brew Pub (915 SE Hawthorne), 11:00 am to 5:00 pm. Visit the event website for more information.

• Happy Birthday, Hermione: Hermione Granger’s birthday is in September, so help celebrate with wizard crafts, cake, and a showing of “The Wizard Rockumentary,” a documentary about bands making Harry Potter music. Prize for best Hermione look-a-like. Capitol Hill Library (10723 SW Capitol Hwy), 1:30 pm. Visit the Multnomah County Library website for more information.

• Accio Wizard Rockumentary (Harry Potter-related documentary): Northwest Library (2300 NW Thurman St) will also be showing “The Wizard Rockumentary” at 3:00 pm. Harry Potter costumes encouraged. Visit the Multnomah County Library website for more information. 

• Children’s Book Fair: Get free books and enjoy entertainment and activities including book making, button making and art tables. North Portland Library (512 N. Killingsworth St), 11:00 am to 2:00 pm. Visit the Multnomah County Library website for more information.

• Kids Day America: Kids Day America is dedicated to children’s health, safety and environmental awareness. Giveaways, health checks, story-time, safety demonstrations, healthy snacks, play area, eye exams, dental ID exams, and more. Lake Oswego High School Gym (2501 SW Country Club Road), 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Visit the event website for more information.

• Pirates Day in Vancouver: Pirates Day will be a fun-filled day of seeing how the Sea Scouts work and play around the water. The event includes sailboat rides, powerboat rides, water safety lessons, boat maintenance, and more. Ft. Vancouver Terminal 1, 10:00 am to 2:00 pm. Visit the Vancouver website for more information.  

• Medieval Market Day at Beaverton Farmers Market: The market will be filled with knights, ministers, heralds, marshals and more. Come in costume and enjoy games, music and more. The market is located in the parking lot across from the Beaverton City Library. 8:00 am to 1:30 pm. More information can be found at the market’s website or this article.

• GreenWalks: Explore Laurelhurst Park (SE 39th Ave & Stark St) with a guide from Portland Parks & Recreation. 10:00 am to 11:00 am. Appropriate for adults and families. Meet at the Restroom/Maintenance Building facing SE Ankeny, one block south of East Burnside and one block west of SE 39th Ave. Visit the PP&R website for details.

• Ten Toe Guided Walk—Woods & Dickinson Parks Loop: On this four-mile walk, explore two hidden treasures and natural areas that are part of the Fanno Creek Watershed. 9:00 am–11:00 am. Meeting place: SW 43rd, north of Taylors Ferry Rd. Visit the event website for more information. 

• Nature Awareness Walk in Tigard: Explore the wildlife in the Tigard Library wetlands and along the adjacent Fanno Creek Trail. Learn nature awareness techniques that will help you identify wildlife tracks and signs and enrich your experiences in nature. 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm. Visit the Tigard Library website for more information.

• Toadies will perform at Music Millennium (3158 E. Burnside) at 3:00 pm. Visit the Music Millennium website for more information.

• Headhunters will sign CDs at Music Millennium (3158 E. Burnside) at 5:00 pm. Visit the Music Millennium website for more information.

• Brian Copeland Band (website) will perform at East Burn (1800 E Burnside St) at 10:00 pm. Visit the East Burn website for more information.

• When the Broken Bow (aka Ali Ipplito) (website) and Ponyghost (website) will perform at Press Club at 8:30 pm. Press Club is located at 2621 SE Clinton St., 503.233.5656.

• Emily Herring (website) will perform at Edgefield at 7:00 pm. Visit the Edgefield website for more information.

• Floating Glass Balls (website) will perform at Rock Creek Tavern at 9:00 pm. Visit the Rock Creek Tavern website for more information.

• Mud, Sweat and Gears: Metal Cowboy and Family Pedal Canada: Based on Joe Kurmaskie’s latest book “Mud, Sweat and Gears,” this event involves stories, audience participation, demos and more. Learn how you and your family can go car-free or car-less in Oregon. Holgate Library (7905 SE Holgate Blvd), 2:00 pm. Visit the Multnomah County Library website for more information. 

• Explore Vietnamese Medicine, Health, and Wellness—Acupuncture: Come for an acupuncture demonstration with a licensed acupuncture practitioner. Midland Library (805 SE 122nd Ave), 2:00 pm. Visit the Multnomah County Library website for more information. 

• Local author Eowyn Wood will read from her award-winning debut novel, “Naked in the Rain,” at In Other Words Women’s Books and Resources (8 NE Killingsworth St) at 4:00 pm. For more information, visit the In Other Words website.

• Author Robert McDowell will give a talk at the Central Library (801 SW 10th Avenue) at 1:00 pm. McDowell is the author of “Poetry as Spiritual Practice: Reading, Writing, and Using Poetry in Your Daily Rituals, Aspirations and Intentions.” Visit the Multnomah County Library website for more information. 

• “Kid Beowulf” Book Launch: Creator Alexis E. Fajardo will be on hand for autographs, sketches and general feel-good chumminess. A bounty of food and mead will be provided; door prizes will be awarded. Bring the whole clan. Ink & Paper Group (1825 SE 7th Ave), 5:00 pm–8:00 pm (presentation at 6:30 pm). Visit the event website for more information. 

Sunday, September 21

• Portland Opera Preview: The Portland Opera will give a preview of their upcoming production of La Traviata. The lecture/concert covers historical background, composer information and musical selections. Central Library (801 SW 10th Avenue), 2:00 pm. Visit the Multnomah County Library website for more information. 

• Lents Folk Festival: Leonid Nosov and White Rhino will perform at Lents Park (SE 92nd Ave and Holgate) at 3:00 pm.

• “Everything You Wanted to Know About Sex (But Were Afraid to Ask)” will be showing at Press Club at 9:00 pm. Press Club is located at 2621 SE Clinton St., 503.233.5656.

• Tigard Guitar Festival at Tigard Library: This month-long festival includes a variety of events such as concerts, films and workshops. Today, Larry Wilder and Nolan Bronson will play an outdoor concert of bluegrass, folk, Americana roots, gospel and cowboy songs from 6:00 pm to 7:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Author Daphne Beal will talk about her book “In the Land of No Right Angles” at 4:00 pm at Powell’s Books on Hawthorne (3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd). For more information, visit the Powell’s website.

• Author Chuck Klosterman will talk about his book “Downtown Owl” at 7:30 pm at Powell’s City of Books on Burnside (1005 W. Burnside). For more information, visit the Powell’s website.

• Author Jewel Lansing will give a brief introduction to the history of politics in Portland and talk about her book “Portland: People, Politics, and Power, 1851–2001.” Central Library (801 SW 10th Avenue), 1:00 pm. Visit the Multnomah County Library website for more information.

• Legendary “metal cowboy” and author Joe Kurmaskie will talk about his bicycle adventures and his books. Hollywood Library, 2:00 pm. Visit the Multnomah County Library website for more information.

• Lake Grove Village Day: The Lake Grove neighborhood will hold its annual celebration at the West End Building (4101 Kruse Way) from 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm. Free food & drinks and talent show. Visit the event website for more information. 

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, please contact me.

Other articles from Around the Sun:

• January 4, 2009 -- 1/8–1/29: 21 Days of Free Yoga Classes
• January 1, 2009 -- Free Events This Weekend in Portland: Jan 2–4
• December 30, 2008 -- Peacock Lane Photos, Last Day to See Lights Is New Year’s Eve

Entry Filed under: Art, Children, Education, Entertainment, Environment, Events, Food, Free, Frugal living, Kids, Literature, Movies, Music, Portland, Theater