US Travel Guide - Portland

Portland Entertainment

Simply strolling around downtown Portland on a weekend afternoon is wildly entertaining in itself, but do not be fooled into thinking that charm and eccentricity are all this city has to offer. Entertainment is serious business here: you will find a festival or event virtually every week of the year, as well as multiple major performances, a world class symphony orchestra, a ballet theater that blew away the New York critics, an NBA team, an incredible variety of galleries and a local music scene that sizzles day and night. Arts and entertainment have to be extraordinary in the Northwest, because they are competing for your attention against some of the most breathtaking scenery you will ever find. Finding entertainment in Portland is never a problem, but choosing what to do next may drive you mad.

Festivals and Events
You need to know this from the outset: Portlanders love an excuse to congregate, especially in the great outdoors. In fact, if it involves food, art, beer, music, wine or breathing, Portland has a celebration to honor it. They have found several clever ways to beat the unpredictable weather; frequently, they ignore it altogether and party on anyway. Always remember that when you attend any outdoor event, it pays to be prepared with both sun block and a lightweight umbrella. Dressing in easily shed layers is not a bad idea either. That old saying, 'If you hate the weather, wait five minutes,' may have originated here.

The mother of all Portland festivals, the Rose Festival is ninety years young and still going strong. There are easily 100 different events associated with this local tradition, but the Grand Floral Parade is by far the most famous. Many locals actually stake out a position 24 hours in advance by chaining a folding chair somewhere along the route. Experience the Starlight Parade and the Waterfront Village amusement park at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. During fleet week, you can tour a fleet of US and Canadian Navy ships. Adopt some sailors if you like and take them to watch the balloon or dragon boat races. Amid the hubbub, be sure to stop and smell the roses at the kaleidoscopic rose show. The roses are what it is all about, after all.

No trip to Portland is complete without visiting Saturday Market. Every Saturday and Sunday, March through December, you will find a circus in a phone booth (and 300 other booths as well) nestled under the Burnside Bridge. Beginning more than 20 years ago, this outdoor market features only handmade items, ranging from jewelry to furnishings, as well as seriously yummy eats. The street performers and characters that assemble here provide the ultimate show, so grab some falafel, settle by Skidmore Fountain, and enjoy.

Three days of sunburn, three stages featuring the greatest names in Jazz, and more than 30 hours of music mean only one thing: it is time for the Mt. Hood Festival of Jazz. This August tradition always features names like Al Jarreau or Rosemary Clooney. Be sure to pick up a copy of this years poster while you are there...posters from past years have become collectors items.

The Bite (a bustling food festival held in August), Cinco de Mayo and Julys Oregon Microbrewery Festival are held annually at Waterfront Park. When autumn comes, there is no end to the Oktoberfest celebrations, the best taking place in the little Bavarian town of Mt. Angel. Oregonians love to get into the holiday spirit, and slugging down a glass of ale at the Holiday Ale Festival or touring the Peacock Lane Christmas Lights will certainly put anyone in a festive mood. Look in The Willamette Week or Fridays A&E (Arts and Entertainment) section of The Oregonian for this weeks scheduled hoopla.

The Arts
Stand in the heart of downtown Portland and glance around you. Bronze deer statuary nuzzles your hand while cast otters play around your ankles. Beautiful fountains form graceful arcs against some of this nations best architecture. A street musician may serenade you as you step off MAX, holding tickets to a Broadway musical or the ballet. Portland is an art haven; its nurturing environment has inspired countless creative minds to make it their home.

A great place to start your exploration of Portland's more inspired side would be the Portland Art Museum (PAM), a work of art in itself. Housing more than 32,000 exhibits, this museum has recently been a stop for much touring grandeur, including The Imperial Tombs of China and Splendors of Ancient Egypt. Enjoy everything from Native American artifacts to modern art. Stay late on Wednesday and enjoy live music at the Museum After Hours.

Next, peek at PAMs wilder sister, the Portland Institute for Contemporary Art (PICA), with brand new digs on Northwest 12th Avenue. PICA is the place for the very latest in art, music and theater, especially the avant-garde. To sample the hottest portions of Portlands visual arts scene, visiting any of the more than 70 local galleries is your best bet. Any one gallery will provide information about them all, including details about the First Thursday and Last Thursday gallery walks, held on both sides of the river.

If you like your art a little livelier, the Portland Center for the Performing Arts should be your next stop. This is not simply one building, but a series of great venues, the most famous of which is the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, or 'The Schnitz,' as locals like to call it. This theater bears the glittering landmark sign that simply reads 'Portland,' so you will not forget for a moment where you are. It is home to the Oregon Symphony and an opulent example of the miracles that historic renovation can accomplish. The Civic Auditorium houses the Oregon Ballet Theater, a creative troupe that is not content to simply stick to classics, as well as touring Broadway plays such as Rent or Titanic. It is also home to the Portland Opera.

The New Theater Building boasts a heartbreakingly beautiful lobby that leads to two separate theaters: The Delores Winningstad Theater, named for another local philanthropist, and the Newmark Theater. Look for Shakespeare to strut and fret his hour across both stages. The Center for the Performing Arts - well worth a look for any visitor - is sort of like Portlands version of the Great White Way.

More intimate theater experiences are available everywhere, including Portlands own professional company, Portland Center Stage, as well as Stark Raving Theatre and Artists Repertory Theatre.

The music scene cooks in Puddletown, and you must not overlook the newly restored Crystal Ballroom with its floating dance floor. For really big names, only the Rose Garden, home of the Portland Trailblazers, will do. To see what is going on today, follow the previous links to obtain phone numbers.

Attractions
Portland is certainly no Anaheim or Orlando when it comes to attractions, and that is for the best. Most of its offerings are either tied to the natural world or part of it, because, ultimately, the scenery is the main attraction here. Still, the draws that are offered provide not only a good time, but will help you appreciate and understand the delicate balance of the natural world. Think of it as 'holistic whoopee' or fun with a purpose.

A great place to start is a drive up to Washington Park for a view from the top of the world. You will find majesty everywhere in this park, especially at the famed International Rose Test Garden and the Japanese Garden. This 100-year-old park is worth getting to know. There are fountains, historic statues honoring Native Americans and all the usual park amenities such as playgrounds and picnic areas. The views of downtown and Mt. Hood will leave you weak.

Right next to Washington Park is the Oregon Zoo, a favorite of locals, where you can enjoy outdoor concerts, a ride on the zoo railroad, and 800 animals, including a widely respected Asian elephant exhibit. When you combine all the parks' area attractions, including the World Forestry Center and Hoyt Arboretum, you will have much more than you can do in a single day.

Another Portland attraction that turns locals into tourists is the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI), across the river from Washington Park. Head across the Hawthorne Bridge and enjoy constantly changing interactive science exhibits and the Omnimax Theater laser light shows.

Other popular day trip attractions include the Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument Headquarters. It is necessary to visit the Mt. Hood/Columbia Gorge Loop before you can say with absolute certainty that you have seen the prettiest part of the world. You can check out Multnomah Falls, the Bonneville Dam, the historic Columbia Gorge Hotel, and Timberline. When you return, you will understand what it means to live in Oregon.

There is more to see and do in this town than can ever be listed here. Wine country is located just minutes southwest of town; a thousand local clubs with 2000 hopeful artists are ready to flabbergast and entertain you; and limitless outdoor recreational opportunities, from windsurfing to spelunking, are available. You will find many local cinemas as well, including the recently restored Hollywood Theatre and the wonderful Mission Theater and Pub where you can guzzle a brew while enjoying a double bill. Comedy clubs like Harveys provide outrageous entertainment.

Highbrow to storefront, street theater to mountaintop, Portland has it all. Indulge while you are here. It is wild, pure and unforgettable.

Laurie Raffetto