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

Free Events This Weekend in Portland: Apr 3–5

April 2nd, 2009

Wow, can you believe it’s the first weekend of April? On Sunday, admission to OMSI is just $2.

Admission is free for all events below. For more concerts, visit Concert Co-op.

Have a great weekend!

Friday, April 3

• Free Admission All Day at Portland Children’s Museum: Admission to the museum is free from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. 4015 SW Canyon Road. For more information, visit the event website.

• First Friday Art Openings: Check the Central Eastside Arts District website for a list of open galleries. In addition, Artful Goods, Tilde, and Press Club will host artist receptions.

• First Friday in Multnomah Village: During this monthly event, shops and galleries stay open late and offer special events, sales and complimentary refreshments. 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm. For more information, visit the Multnomah Village website.

• First Friday Art Walk in Downtown Camas: This month’s theme is “Who will pick the golden egg?” Every merchant you visit will provide you with an opportunity to pick the golden egg. 5:00 pm–8:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Downtown Troutdale First Friday Art Walk: On the first Friday of each month, Historic Downtown Troutdale businesses host dozens of local artists exhibiting their works of art. 5:00 pm–9:00 pm. For more information, contact the West Columbia Gorge Chamber of Commerce at 503.669.7473 or visit their website.

• Staver Locomotive: At this family-friendly event, watch miniature trains run their course in a 10,000 sq ft warehouse and enjoy hot popcorn. Kids can draw their favorite train in the Children’s Craft Area. Dress warm. Staver Locomotive (2537 NW 29th Ave), 6:00 pm–8:30 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Gordon Lee (website) will perform at Three Degrees Lounge at the RiverPlace Hotel (1510 SW Harbor Way), 8:00 pm. For more information, visit the PDX Jazz website.

• Chickweed (website) will perform at Edgefield (2126 SW Halsey St, Troutdale) at 7:00 pm. Ages 21+. For more information, visit the Edgefield website.

• Old Elbows (website) will perform at Rock Creek Tavern (10000 NW Old Cornelius Pass Rd, Hillsboro) at 9:00 pm. All ages until 10:00 pm. For more information, visit the Rock Creek Tavern website.

• Author Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson will talk about his book “The Face on Your Plate” at 7:30 pm at Powell’s City of Books on Burnside (1005 W. Burnside). For more information, visit the event website.

Saturday, April 4

• Trillium Festival: The event includes a native plant sale, guided nature hikes, children’s crafts and activities, local vendors, live music performances and more. Tryon Creek State Park, Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 am–4:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Pearl District Bunny Hop: Bring your basket and follow the bunny trail to participating stores in the Pearl District. Participate in craft activities, gather goodies, and enjoy sweet treats. This is fun for children of all ages. 10:00 am–6:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Art Materials Swap: Bring art materials that have been collecting dust around the house and trade them for some new inspiration. Paints, (clean) fabrics, yarn, beads, buttons, pens, pencils and paper are welcome. 12:00 pm–4:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Art Opening: Q Center and Focus on Youth Photography present a new collaborative art exhibit entitled “Through Their Eyes.” All youth displaying works identify as either gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, or queer. Q Center (4115 N. Mississippi Ave), 4:00 pm–6:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Oregon Symphony Storytime: Enjoy music, hands-on crafts and fun for all ages. Each week features a visit from an Oregon Symphony musician who will play and provide an introduction to his or her instrument and orchestral music. North Portland Library (512 N. Killingsworth St), 11:00 am–12:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Concert for Toddlers: Hear local songwriter Matt Clark play songs for toddlers from his debut album, “Funny Little Fella.” Mississippi Pizza Pub (3552 N. Mississippi Ave), 4:00 pm–5:00 pm. Visit www.mattclarkmusic.com to hear samples.

• Green River Ordinance (website) will perform at Music Millennium (3158 E. Burnside) at 5:00 pm. All ages. For more information, visit the event website.

• Dan Balmer (website) will perform at Three Degrees Lounge at the RiverPlace Hotel (1510 SW Harbor Way), 8:00 pm. For more information, visit the PDX Jazz website.

• Mood Area 52 (website) will perform at Press Club at 8:30 pm. All ages. Press Club is located at 2621 SE Clinton St, 503.233.5656.

• Will West (website) will perform at Edgefield (2126 SW Halsey St, Troutdale) at 7:00 pm. Ages 21+. For more information, visit the Edgefield website.

• Tax Help: Trained tax preparers will volunteer their time and expertise to help you with your tax forms. Bring last year’s return and this year’s paperwork. This program is sponsored by AARP. Two locations: Gregory Heights Library (7921 NE Sandy Blvd), 10:00 am–2:00 pm; Woodstock Library (6008 SE 49th Ave), 12:00 pm–5:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• “Start Your Creative Business” Workshop: Let the Independent Publishing Resource Center show you the basic ins and outs of starting your own creative business. Gresham Library (385 NW Miller Ave), 2:00 pm–4:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Crochet-a-thon: Museum of Contemporary Craft exhibiting artist Mandy Greer will show participants how to crochet, then she’ll make a sculpture out of the raw materials created. Bring yarn and fabric, new or reused, in all shades of blue, from very light to dark (but no navy, please!). The Lab at Museum of Contemporary Craft (724 NW Davis St), 4:00 pm–6:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Beats for Peace ‘Zine Release Party: Presented by United Voices/Beats for Peace and featuring live music by Thavius Beck, Cancer the Kid, Spamtron, DJ Grimmrock and The GummykubKrew, this is a free, all-ages event celebrating the release of the United Voices ‘zine. Donations accepted. AudioCinema (226 SE Madison), 5:00 pm–8:00 pm. For more information, contact Mireaya at 503.230.9427 or mmedina @ afsc.org.

• Author and PBS NewsHour anchor Jim Lehrer will talk about his book “Oh, Johnny” at 2:00 pm at Powell’s City of Books on Burnside (1005 W. Burnside). For more information, visit the event website.

Sunday, April 5

• Trillium Festival: The event includes a native plant sale, guided nature hikes, children’s crafts and activities, local vendors, live music performances and more. Tryon Creek State Park, Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 am–4:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• The Joy of Censorship: MAD Senior Editor Joe Raiola takes an illuminating, satiric and at times disturbing look at America’s most hotly debated First Amendment issues. Free tickets for seating will be available 30 minutes prior to the program. Central Library (801 SW 10th Ave), 12:30 pm–1:45 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Portland Cello Project (website) will perform at Central Library (801 SW 10th Ave) at 2:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Nurses and Inside Voices will perform at Someday Lounge (125 NW 5th Ave) at 9:00 pm. Ages 21+. For more information, visit the event website.

• Mary Flower (website) will perform at Edgefield (2126 SW Halsey St, Troutdale) at 5:00 pm. Ages 21+. For more information, visit the Edgefield website.

• “The Man Who Wasn’t There” will be showing at Press Club at 8:00 pm. All ages. Press Club is located at 2621 SE Clinton St, 503.233.5656.

• “Singin’ in the Rain” will be showing at St. Johns Library (7510 N. Charleston Ave) at 2:00 pm. Free tickets for limited seating will be available at 1:30 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Poets Kathryn Cowles and Ely Shipley will talk about their respective work at 4:00 pm at Powell’s Books on Hawthorne (3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd). For more information, visit the event 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, please contact me.

Entry Filed under: Art,Children,Environment,Food,Literature,Movies,Museums,Music,Swap