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

Free Events This Weekend in Portland: July 17–19

July 16th, 2009

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

Have a great weekend!

All weekend

• Alpenrose Velodrome Challenge: Watch some of the best cycling action in the United States. Speeds will reach over 40 mph as riders compete within mere inches of each other. For more information, visit the event website.

Friday, July 17

• Robin Hood Festival: This event includes food, dancing, music, crafts, and contests on Friday and Saturday. Downtown Sherwood. For more information, visit the event website.

• Kidical Mass Family Bike Ride: Two rides today: The Southeast ride meets at 5:30 pm at Sunnyside Environmental School (SE 34th and Salmon) and leaves at 6:00 pm. The downtown ride meets at the playground in the North Park Blocks at 5:30 pm and departs at 6:00 pm. For more information, contact Joel (joelh [at] bta4bikes [dot] org).

• Norman Sylvester Band (website) will perform at Fernhill Park (NE 37th, north of Ainsworth), 6:30 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Matt Tabor (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.

• Michael Jodell, Ezra Holbrook, and Matt Cadenelli will perform at Press Club at 8:30 pm. All ages. Press Club is located at 2621 SE Clinton St, 503.233.5656.

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

• Jean McGowan (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.

• Cambalache (website) will perform at Tualatin Commons (8325 SW Nyberg St) at 6:30 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• “Space Jam” will be showing at Pier Park (N. Lombard St & Bruce Ave) at dark. Pre-movie entertainment begins at 6:30 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• “The Goonies” will be showing at Esther Short Park (W. Columbia St and 8th St, Vancouver) at dusk (approximately 8:30 pm to 9:00 pm). The movie will be canceled or rescheduled if it rains. For more information, visit the event website.

• “Madagascar 2” will be showing at Memorial Park in Wilsonville at dusk. For more information, visit the event website (once you click on the link, look under “City Seasonal Events” and click on “Movies in the Park”).

• “The Warriors: Jailbreak #1” Release Party: Erik Henriksen, Todd Herman, and Herb Apon will be signing copies of the new comic at Bridge City Comics (3725 N. Mississippi Ave) from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

Saturday, July 18

• Woodstock Neighborhood Parade and Festival: This event includes a parade down Woodstock Boulevard, live music, food, and entertainment. 11:00 am to 4:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Robin Hood Festival: This event includes food, dancing, music, crafts, and contests on Friday and Saturday. Downtown Sherwood. For more information, visit the event website.

• Troutdale Summerfest: This event includes a parade, live music, kids activities, and more. Glenn Otto Community Park, 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more information, click here.

• Gresham Art Walk: This family event includes art for sale by more than 90 artists, live music, and free children’s arts and crafts. Historic downtown Gresham (Main Avenue between First and Fifth Streets), 9:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Original Practice Shakespeare Festival (Ops Fest): Ops Fest performs First Folio editions of Shakespeare’s plays, using the same performance techniques as performers in Shakespeare’s time, which means limited rehearsal; an onstage prompter; fast-paced, energetic acting; and lots of audience interaction. Gabriel Park (SW 45th Ave and SW Nevada Ct, past the tennis courts), 2:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Star Trek in the Park: Portland actors, accompanied by live music and effects, will bring the classic Star Trek episode “Amok Time” to life at the Woodlawn Park Amphitheater (NE 13th Ave & Dekum St), 5:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Family Puppet Show Bike Ride: A family-paced ride with a puppet show as a reward. Bring the kids by trailer or bakfiets, on tag-a-longs, or on their own bikes. Helmets required. Meet at McKenna Park (N. Princeton and Westanna), 10:30 am. For more information, visit the event website.

• Doctor Partz’s Puppet Laboratory: The Mudeye Puppet Company presents a puppet show and workshop with Doctor Partz, who makes dragons out of discs, princesses out of plastic and robots from recycled cardboard. Each participant will make a puppet. All materials provided. Belmont Library (1038 SE 39th Ave), 3:00 pm to 4:15 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Saturday Guided Nature Walks at Tryon Creek State Park: Join a park ranger for a free, guided nature hike to explore the forest and stream ecosystems and natural history at Tryon Creek State Natural Area. Appropriate for all ages. Parents must accompany kids on all hikes. 10:00 am to 11:30 am. For more information, visit the event website.

• Big Busk Music Festival: The idea is, for an entire afternoon, to saturate downtown with music. All kinds of music. Up and down Broadway, the transit mall, the park blocks to the esplanade. 2:00 pm to 8:00 pm. For more information and a map of locations, visit the event website.

• The Blakes, The Mint Chicks, and Greenladies will perform at Mississippi Studios (3939 N. Mississippi) at 9:00 pm. Ages 21+. For more information, visit the event website.

• Ben Medler Trio 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.

• Quartette Barbette (website) will perform at Rose City Park (NE 62nd & Tillamook) at 6:30 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Rich Halley’s Outside Music Ensemble (website) will perform at Powell Butte Nature Park (SE 162nd & Powell, 1/2 mile hike uphill from parking lot) at 7:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Munro Nichols Duo will perform at Press Club at 8:30 pm. All ages. Press Club is located at 2621 SE Clinton St, 503.233.5656.

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

• Garcia Birthday Band (website) will perform at Rock Creek Tavern (10000 NW Old Cornelius Pass Rd, Hillsboro) at 7:00 pm. All ages until 10:00 pm. For more information, visit the Rock Creek Tavern website.

• “Journey to the Center of the Earth in 3D” will be showing at Dickinson Park (SW 55th Ave & Alfred Ct) at dark. Pre-movie entertainment begins at 6:30 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• “Hotel for Dogs” will be showing after sunset to Tualatin Commons. For more information, visit the event website (PDF file).

• “Colony Collapse Disorder”: A Film Presentation and Discussion: Writer and director Joss Antonio Milian will show and discuss his film about the collapse of our ecosystem and the human reconnection to the environment. Central Library (801 SW 10th Ave), 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• BRIDGES: An Art Show: Em Space Book Arts Center (407 SE Ivon St) will celebrate the opening of its exhibit of letterpress artwork by more than 20 artists. The center will also have refreshing summer drinks, tours of its 2,400 square foot studio, and a raffle. 6:00 pm to 9:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

Sunday, July 19

• Free Admission at Portland Art Museum: It’s Family Sunday, and special activities will be held inside the museum and outside on the Park Blocks. For more information, visit the event website.

• Sunday Parkways in NE Portland: A seven-mile route in NE Portland will be closed to cars, so that you can walk, bike, run, roll, and enjoy entertainment in the parks and along the route. 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Star Trek in the Park: Portland actors, accompanied by live music and effects, will bring the classic Star Trek episode “Amok Time” to life at the Woodlawn Park Amphitheater (NE 13th Ave & Dekum St), 5:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Original Practice Shakespeare Festival (Ops Fest): Ops Fest performs First Folio editions of Shakespeare’s plays, using the same performance techniques as performers in Shakespeare’s time, which means limited rehearsal; an onstage prompter; fast-paced, energetic acting; and lots of audience interaction. Esther Short Park, Vancouver, 2:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• William Fitzsimmons (website) will perform at Music Millennium (3158 E. Burnside) at 3:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Soul Vaccination (website) will perform at Center Street Park (SW Denfield St & SW Mercer Terrace, Beaverton) at 6:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Jon Garcia and Celilo will perform at Doug Fir starting at 3:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Innisfree will perform at Tryon Creek State Park at 2:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• Head for the Hills (website) will perform at Millennium Plaza Park (First & Evergreen Streets, Lake Oswego), 6:00 pm. For more information, visit the event website.

• “A Mighty Wind” will be showing at Press Club at 9:00 pm. All ages. Press Club is located at 2621 SE Clinton St, 503.233.5656.

• Author Elsbeth Martindale will talk about her book “Things to Know before You Say ‘Go’” at Powell’s City of Books on Hawthorne (3723 SE Hawthorne Blvd), 4:00 pm. 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,Food,Literature,Movies,Museums,Music,Sports,Theater