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

Free Events in Portland: Dec 31–Jan 3

This week’s summary comes a day early to bring you a few New Year’s Eve freebies.

Admission is free for all events below. Have fun!

Thursday, December 31

New Year’s Eve parties:

• Doug Fir: DJ SAFI will be spinning rock and party music all night long in the free heated patio tent.
• Edgefield: Sonny Hess Trio and The Quick & Easy Boys will perform.
• Kennedy School: Freak Mountain Ramblers will perform.
• Kelly’s Olympian: Coco Cobra and the Killers, The Rainy States, Yeltsin, and Secrets In The Salt will perform.
• More New Year’s Eve parties: Check PDX Pipeline for more parties, both free and not.

Free TriMet rides: All TriMet service is free after 8:00 pm on New Year’s Eve.

Almost free chocolate buffet: At each Pix location, a free chocolate buffet awaits 100 people who purchase a bubbly drink. Check the website to find out how you can be one of them.

Friday, January 1

New Year’s Day Bike Ride: Led by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, this 12-mile bike ride will highlight some of the best new additions to Portland’s bike infrastructure and bike culture, as well as areas for improvement. Please RSVP.

Saturday, January 2

Hayao Miyazaki Film Festival: “My Neighbor Totoro,” “Howl’s Moving Castle” and “Nausicaä of the Valley Wind” will be playing at Tigard Library starting at 11:00 am.

Audubon Christmas Bird Count: Each year, birders all over North and Central America gather to count all the birds in a 15-mile diameter circle on a given day. Join birders of all skill levels this year at Tryon Creek and help in the Portland Count.

For Bank of America customers: You can visit the Portland Art Museum and Pittock Mansion free today and tomorrow.

Portland Makes Music One-Year Anniversary: Typhoon, Y La Bamba, Tango Alpha Tango, Eat Skull, and Zoo Girl will perform at Backspace.

Sunday, January 3

Owling at Tryon Creek Park: You will learn about the species present in this forest, mating and nesting behavior, as well as tips and tricks to successful owling.

For Bank of America customers: You can visit the Portland Art Museum and Pittock Mansion free today.

More events

For more free and low-cost events, check Portland on the Cheap.

For free concerts, see Concert Co-op.

1 comment December 30th, 2009

10 Free Admission Days at Portland Chinese Garden

To celebrate its 10-year anniversary, the Portland Chinese Garden will offer free admission from January 2–11, 2010.

For more information, visit the official website.

2 comments December 29th, 2009

Happy Holidays

Hi all,

This week, I will be taking a break to celebrate Christmas.

Happy holidays, and see you next week!

Amy

Photo by jesse.millan

Add comment December 22nd, 2009

Free Events in Portland: Dec 18–20

Admission is free for all events below. Please write a comment about any event I have missed.

Have a great weekend!

All weekend

Lights on Peacock Lane: Check out the finely decorated houses on this Southeast Portland street.

Christmas Ship Parade: Last chance to see this year’s parade.

Free Admission to the Architectural Heritage Center (Friday and Saturday): Admission to AHC is free through the end of the year.

Friday, December 18

Write Around Portland’s 10th Anniversary Reading: Hear stories from a variety of writers including seniors living on a low income, veterans and military family members, burn survivors, and men and women in residential drug and alcohol treatment.

Saturday, December 19

Free Admission to the Oregon Historical Society: Learn about the history of Black Pioneers in Oregon, enjoy family activities, and more.

Milwaukie Winter Solstice Party: From Milwaukie Riverfront Park, watch the Christmas Ship Parade, listen to the Dickens Carolers, and warm yourself by the bonfire.

West Linn Holiday Parade: This event was rescheduled from last week. Enjoy the parade then go to the Willamette Fire Station for a visit from Santa and hot cocoa.

Grand Opening Celebration of the SE Spokane Street Bike Boulevard: The celebration includes a group bike ride, workshops, hot cocoa, and more.

Jazz singer Nancy King: See her perform at the Gerding Theater lobby.

Sunday, December 20

Fancy Nancy Splendiferous Holiday Party: Go to A Children’s Place Bookstore for an afternoon of treats, costumes, stories and more. Please RSVP.

Family Sing-Along: Join the band 4-PAX at the Hillsboro Library and sing along to some holiday favorites. Song sheets will be provided.

Family Craft Event: Head to the Tualatin Library for crafts, food, and music to celebrate the Winter Solstice.

More events

For more free and low-cost events, check Portland on the Cheap. (Great post on gift card deals too!)

For free concerts, see Concert Co-op.

Add comment December 17th, 2009

Free Events in Portland: Dec 11–13 (Highlights Edition)

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

All weekend

See the Christmas Ship Parade on the Willamette and Columbia Rivers.

Friday, December 11

See the Big 100 Art Show. 100 artists, twenty 8″ by 8″ pieces each.

Saturday, December 12

Go to Pioneer Courthouse Square for a holiday concert of nearly 200 tuba players.

Celebrate the season at the West Linn Holiday Parade.

See jazz singer Nancy King perform at the Gerding Theater lobby.

See Boy Eats Drum Machine, Mean Jeans, No Go Know, and others perform at Slabtown. Ages 21+.

Take the family to Belmont Library to create your own wrapping paper.

Take your kids to Tualatin Library where dancers from NW Dance Theatre will read the Nutcracker story and perform excerpts from the play.

Make holiday crafts with your kids at the Vancouver Water Center.

Meet Phil Hellmuth Jr. and have him sign your copy of his latest book.

Sunday, December 13

See the Gresham Community Choir perform its Christmas concert at Reynolds High School Performing Arts Center.

Enjoy the Posada Milagro at Miracle Theatre.

See the 1955 film “We’re No Angels” at St. Johns Library.

More events

For more free and low-cost events, check Portland on the Cheap.

For free concerts, see Concert Co-op.

If you know of any other free events happening this weekend, please write a comment about it.

Add comment December 10th, 2009

Free Events in Portland: Dec 4–6 (Highlights Edition)

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

All weekend

Enjoy holiday events each day in Tigard.

Friday, December 4

Celebrate the season at these community events:

• Beaverton
• Camas
• Tualatin

See live model steam locomotives at Staver Locomotive’s Holiday Train Event.

Take the kids to the Portland Children’s Museum.

Go gallery hopping at the Central Eastside Art Walk.

Take a free writing workshop at Ibex Studios: Adventures in Creative Writing at 6:00 pm.

Hear a classical concert at Tigard Library.

Saturday, December 5

Celebrate the season at these community events:

• Milwaukie
• Sherwood
• West Linn

Take a guided nature walk at Tryon Creek State Park.

Bring the family to Northwest Library to hear a variety of holiday music, including olde carols, African American spirituals, bluegrass, and more.

Take a free horse-drawn carriage ride in Sellwood.

Bring your pet to the Hotel Vintage Plaza to enjoy a treat and pose with Santa.

If you’re a Bank of America customer, visit the Portland Art Museum and the Pittock Mansion for free.

Sunday, December 6

Celebrate the season at the Happy Valley Tree Lighting Event.

Take your kids to Holgate Library to enjoy a new musical puppet show from Penny’s Puppet Productions.

Head to Powell’s to meet Lisa Schroeder, owner of Mother’s Bistro and Bar, and hear her talk about her new cookbook.

Take a free horse-drawn carriage ride in Sellwood.

Take a guided bike tour of movie theaters of the past in NE and North Portland.

If you’re a Bank of America customer, visit the Portland Art Museum and the Pittock Mansion for free.

More events

For more free and low-cost events, check Portland on the Cheap.

For free concerts, see Concert Co-op.

If you know of any other free events happening this weekend, please write a comment about it.

3 comments December 3rd, 2009