No matter if the weather cooperates or not, summer is here. And the full slate of family-friendly events this week offers a wide range of entertainment from live music to children’s’ events, to large-form visual art featuring reproductions of the work of Michelangelo.
Although the state-wide indoor COVID-19 mask mandate has lifted, some venues or artists still have restrictions in place. Check website venue information for specific COVID safety requirements.
“The Cherry Orchard”
Portland Experimental Theater Ensemble tackles Anton Chekhov’s final work, translated by Štĕpán Šimek. The performance is the third installment of the Chekhov Project, a collaboration between Šimek and guest director Alice Reagan. The show re-envisions the comedy/tragedy on a landscape of ice. Stripped bare, the set allows for a study in how humans confront catastrophic change while they spend money, eat candy, throw parties, tell stories, and live and die.
Opens 7:30 p.m. Friday, June 24, and continues 7:30 p.m. Wednesday-Sundays through July 9, Reed College Performing Arts Building, Diver Studio Theatre, 3017 S.E. Woodstock Blvd.; tickets general admission $30; app.arts-people.com
Tigard Festival of BalloonsImage courtesy of City of Tigard
Tigard Festival of Balloons
This colorful festival features early morning hot air balloon launches (weather permitting), Night Glows, carnival rides and games, main stage entertainment including live music, a beer garden and a Festival of Cars (10 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Sunday only). Come play and mingle with your neighbors and help celebrate the City of Tigard’s 60th birthday.
5:45 a.m.-11 p.m. Friday-Saturday, 5:45 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, Cook Park. Parking is at 8680 S.W. Durham Road; 3-day pass is $12; single day tickets will not be sold; tigardballoon.org
Barbecue grilling and cooking demos take over the roof of the ilani Casino in Ridgefield this weekend. File photo. Anthony DePrimo/Staten Island AdvanceStaten Island Advance
ilani BBQ Fest
It may not feel like barbecue season, but ilani will fire up the grills this weekend for an event that celebrates the nation’s top pitmasters. Guests can sample and savor their favorite smoky dishes, see cooking demos and enjoy live music. The event is headlined by “Iron Chef” host Alton Brown.
Noon-6 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, June 24-25, ilani parking garage rooftop and on the surface lot, 1 Cowlitz Way, Ridgefield; tickets $40-$45 for ages 21 and older, $10 ages 6-20; ilanibbqfest.com
Outdoor Movies in Oregon State Parks – “Jurassic Park”
The Hollywood Theatre is celebrating 100 years of Oregon State Parks with free movies at parks around the state. Saturday kicks off the series with Steven Spielberg’s summer blockbuster “Jurassic Park” at Rooster Rock, which is pretty much the perfect place to watch a big screen showing of the mega dinosaur classic.
Screening begins at dusk, Saturday, June 25, Rooster Rock State Park, 22 miles east of Portland on Interstate 84 near Corbett; free; hollywoodtheatre.org
Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition
The world-traveling exhibition of museum-quality, and nearly life-sized reproduction of Michelangelo’s greatest artistic achievements comes to Portland beginning Saturday at the Pioneer Place Mall. The show features a 34-piece collection of the master’s renown ceiling frescoes in a format that allows viewers an up-close look at his work presented by SEE Global Entertainment. The exhibit includes an audio guide that provides a detailed narrative behind each of the 34 frescoes.
Opens Saturday, June 25, and continues 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Tuesdays-Sundays through Aug. 11., Pioneer Place, Atrium Building, 700 S.W. Fifth Ave.; timed entry admission tickets $18.30-$22.50; chapelsistine.com/exhibits/portland.
Food, arts shows and live music are featured during the Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts. Oregonian file photo from 2014.
Lake Oswego Festival of the Arts
After two festival-free summers due to COVID, the annual weekend-long celebration of art and music in Lake Oswego is back. Held both in George Rogers Park and the Lakewood Center, the festival includes a visual arts show, night market, and a wide range of live music from jazz and blues to classical. Shop the various vendors, or just stroll the grounds of this family-friendly event.
8 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday, hours vary by venue, in Lake Oswego. Admission by donation; schedule of events here: lakewood-center.org/pages/Festival
Hay Day/Play Day
The Yamhill Valley Heritage Center is back with summer-time farm fun with this day of draft animals on view, old-fashioned yard games like sack and three-legged races, as well as antique farm equipment on display. The event also features live music by the Second Winds Community Band and tours of the museum.
10 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday, June 25, Yamhill County Historical Society, 11275 S.W. Durham Lane, McMinnville; $5 per vehicle; 503-472-2842.
Make Music Day
Live bands are scheduled to play music in several Portland parks Sunday as part of a world-wide push to create opportunities for all stripes of music makers to take to the streets and celebrate their craft. Bands will play at Directors, Laurelhurst and Woodstock parks and at Fernhill Park as part of Sunday Parkways. The music will range from jazz and funk to soulful folk to classic rock and Americana.
Music will play from about noon-8 p.m. For park locations and band details visit makemusicdaypdx.org; free.
Portland Parks and Rec presents “Summer Free for All” with events throughout the summer in area parks.Image courtesy of Portland Parks
The Summer Free for All Kickoff Party
Portland Parks & Recreation answers the question “What am I going to do with these kids all summer?” with a Summer Free For All free lunch and celebration of the summer programming. Kids can play games in the park, listen to music, do arts projects, and enjoy live music by reggae artist Aaron Nigel Smith.
Noon-1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 28, Kʰunamokwst Park, Northeast 52nd Avenue and Alberta Street. For a list of summer-long events check the website portland.gov/parks
“Baby Shark Live” comes to Portland’s Keller Auditorium this week. Image courtesy of Pinkfong
Baby Shark Live
Splash along with Baby Shark and Pinkfong as they journey into the sea to sing and dance through some of the most memorable songs from the show. The adventures start in the jungle and move into the sea with a stage full of shapes, colors, numbers and the characters your little one loves. Get in the isles and boogie along to “Monkey Banana Dance,” “Wheels on the Bus” and of course, “Baby Shark.” Children age 2 and younger get in free if they sit on their grownup’s lap.
6 p.m. Tuesday, June 28, Keller Auditorium, 222 S.W. Clay St.; tickets $27.50-$71.50; Portland5.com
– If you have live or virtual events you’d like to see highlighted at OregonLive.com or in the weekly printed A&E section of The Oregonian, please email submissions to events@oregonian.com at least three weeks prior to the start of your event. Digital images or links to videos are helpful.
— Rosemarie Stein, events@oregonian.com
