March 16, 2013, 6-9:30pm at Embers, 110 NW Broadway, Portland. "They're Playing Our Song." $10 donation at the door. See details online.
March 16, 2013, 9pm-late, at Rotture, 315 SE 3rd, with Portland debut of DJ HIFI SEAN (London), plus Matt Strands, "go-go guys, tasty snacks, sweet beats & furry fellas"
May 17-20, 2013 annual film festival at the McMenamins Kennedy School Theatre, 5736 NE 33rd Ave. Queer documentary screenings, powerful, provocative and positively queer documentary films & videos. See the website for schedule and information.
May 24 - June 16, 2013, annual City of Portland festival, part of Portland's popular culture for the past 105 years. Rose Cup Auto Race, film festival, fireworks, parades, boat race, parties and more. See the website for details.
June 6-9, 2013. Annual bears' weekend to celebrates culture, make new friends, renew old friendships. Among best DJs in the business to spin at Friday & Saturday night dance parties, with after-hours and other events. See details online.
June 15-16, 2013, annual 3 day event with parade & festival at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. See the website for schedule and information.
Each mid-July. Dance party, sexy Carnaval-style go-go boys & girls, Latin tunes, late night surprises. Festival main stage line-up of traditional & cultural performances, local & regional entertainers, community leaders, public officials, non-stop DJ music. Latin-style food, margaritas, cerveza, & cocktails.
Late-July annual all day event, non-stop music! In 2012 took place at Backspace (all ages) & Someday Lounge (21+) next door, with total of 22 bands and performers from near and far. See website for 2013 plans.
October, 2013, annual GLBT film fest at Cinema 21, 616 NW 21st. Ave, Feature, documentary & short films from all over the world - made by, about, or of interest to the lesbian, gay, bi and trans communities. See website for schedule and information.
October 3-6, 2013 at the Oregon Convention Center. Annual festival of books, writers, and storytelling. See the 2012 authors list and schedule for an idea of what’s coming up next.
Collins Beach, located on Sauvie Island, is one of Portland's nude beach options. Sauvie Island is on the Columbia River just north of Portland. With a long stretch of open sand the beach has a south end that's family oriented with volleyball courts, and a north end which offers far more seclusion.
Affectionately knows as the city's "living room," Pioneer Courthouse Square, located in the heart of downtown, is one of Portland's leading outdoor venues hosting over 300 events each year that range from large-scale concerts to cultural festivals. On any nice day there are always people browsing the Powell's bookstore, getting coffee at the Starbucks, playing chess, or just sitting on the steps, watching the circus around them.
Portland Art Museum (1219 SW Park Avenue)
The Portland Art Museum owns the city's largest art collection and presents a variety of touring exhibitions each year. Seventh oldest museum in the United States, it is internationally recognized for its permanent collection and ambitious special exhibitions from its own holdings and find public and private collections around the world.
Over 42,000 objects are displayed, reflecting the history of art from ancient times to today. Art of the native peoples of North America, English silver, and the graphic arts are among the standouts.
The complex includes the Jubitz Center for Modern and Contemporary Art, the Gilkey Center for Graphic Arts, and the Northwest Film Center. With the recent addition of the Modern and Contemporary Art wing it became one of the United States' twenty-five largest museums. Art galleries abound downtown and in the Pearl District, as well as in the Alberta Arts District and other neighborhoods throughout the city.
The baked goods smell great. The street performers are engaging. There is an endless array of local crafts, and the grassy lawns of Waterfront Park beckon. The Portland Saturday Market, centered in Portland’s historic Old Town, is the largest continually operating outdoor arts and crafts market in the nation.
Get an all-over tan at Rooster Rock State Park. It has the distinction of being the country's first officially-designated clothing-optional beach, and has been popular since the 1970's. It is located along a beautiful, majestic stretch of the Columbia River, just east (upriver) from Portland. The clothing-optional section is located at the east end of the park. To find the gay section keep walking along the sand until you see the men.
Spend a day of shopping or just browsing on SE Hawthorne Blvd, with it's touch of tie-die counterculture and a new age aesthetic. Find that rare autobiography of Andre Gide among Powell's out-of-print classics (they also have a bigger main store on Burnside), or the perfect knickknack in one of many shops. The Bagdad Theatre & Pub is an old- fashioned movie palace, with cheap flicks, plus beer and pizza at your seat. Remember, Oregon has no sales tax which makes shopping all the more fun.
