Portland and Area Activities Planner - February 28 - March 7, 2025

PORTLAND GOLF SHOW
Feb. 28–Mar. 2
The longest-running and most successful golf show on the West Coast returns to the Oregon Convention Center. The Portland Golf Show features the lowest prices of the year on name-brand clubs and equipment from the industry’s leading manufacturers in the Fiddler’s Green Golf Shop, a free driving range lined with manufacturer’s reps showing off the hottest new clubs of the year, fun skills contests with unbelievable prizes, free lessons from top Northwest pros, a fully-stocked 19th Hole lounge, plus particular areas for kids, golf fitness and other exciting activities.

PORTLAND SEAFOOD & WINE FESTIVAL
Mar 1–2
Enjoy fresh Oregon seafood (at the peak of Dungeness Crab season) as well as wine, craft beers, cider, and distilled spirits as you browse the myriad of exhibitors. Over 30 of Oregon’s finest wineries (and 20 other beverage makers) offer you tastings of their very best. This is a family-friendly event. Live entertainment, face painters, balloon artists, and so much more. The fest is preceded by one of the Northwest’s most prestigious wine events, the Portland Seafood & Wine Festival Wine Competition presented by ilani. Vintners from across Oregon submit their finest in hopes of being named among the best. They are available (for tasting and for purchase) at the festival.

BIAMP PORTLAND JAZZ FESTIVAL
Feb. 20–Mar. 1
The Biamp Portland Jazz Festival (from the local music organization PDX Jazz) includes artists spanning the full breadth of jazz. Artists who are driving the evolution of jazz figure prominently alongside NEA Jazz Masters and Grammy Award Winners.

Dedicated to preserving America’s indigenous art form by presenting internationally recognized jazz masters alongside local musicians, this annual festival usually includes education and outreach programs extending into Portland’s schools and neighborhoods and a generous offering of free performances, film and jazz conversations.

PORTLAND MARDI GRAS PARADE
Mar 4
Dance down Mississippi Ave with the Mysti Krewe of Nimbus at Portland’s Mardi Gras Parade. Join a community of circus acts, costumed performers, dance troupes, marching bands, brass bands, flambaux, Mardi Gras royalty and much more. Watch from the sidelines and catch some beads or a hand-decorated mini-umbrella signature throw. Then follow up in the Second Line down to Cook Avenue for after-parade fun. It’s a celebration of the Portland community with some Louisiana flair. Celebrate this year’s Grand Marshal: Poison Waters

Local businesses have Mardi Gras specials throughout the day. Look for local venues showcasing musical acts.

Bring the kids to the Kid’s Costume Pageant at Luke’s Frame Shop on Albina before the parade.

MACBETH BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE
Mar. 7–15
Lewis & Clark College’s Department of Theatre will bring William Shakespeare’s Macbeth to life on the Fir Acres stage.

“Double, double toil and trouble; Fire burn, and cauldron bubble….” 

DREAM THEATER
Feb. 28
Long Island, New York's Dream Theater are the globally celebrated standard bearers for progressive metal. Their ability to deliver tight, melodic, musically sophisticated songs and thematic concept recordings encompassing elements of hook-based hard rock, riff-fueled metal, syncopated prog, and refined lyrics have made them the act others are measured by. Their second album, 1992's Images and Words, established their sonic signature, while 1994's Awake and 1999's Metropolis, Pt. 2: Scenes from a Memory cemented their place in metal's pantheon. Dream Theater is well known for high-energy concert performances. While they've released several 21st-century live albums — Live at the Marquee, Live in Japan, and Live Scenes from New York — they remain one of the genre's most bootlegged bands. For 2016's The Astonishing, a double-length dystopian sci-fi opera, they were accompanied by the Prague Symphony Orchestra and three choirs. In 2021, the band issued A View from the Top of the World.

BLACK HISTORY FESTIVAL NW
Feb. 1–Mar. 3
For the past nineteen years, World Stage Theatre has been educating communities about the rich tapestry of the African Diaspora through the arts. As the innovators of Black History Festival NW, the organization is elated about this year’s theme as we continue to uplift our community and bring people together. Black History Festival NW is the only of its kind in the North West region, reaching more than 30,000 people and partnering with more than 100 Black artists, leaders, organizations, and businesses in the Pacific NW. 

HINA MATSURI, THE DOLL FESTIVAL
Jan. 29–Feb. 23
Hina Matsuri, also called Doll’s Day or Girl’s Day, is celebrated annually in Japan to celebrate girls' happiness, growth, and good health. In Japan, families with daughters mark the festival by displaying intricately crafted hina dolls dressed in ornate costumes several days before the festival. Visitors can view and take photos with a traditional display of hina dolls generously donated by the Dozono Family. Located in the Cathy Rudd Cultural Corner in the Jordan Schnitzer Japanese Arts Learning Center, the 5-tiered display represents the Emperor and Empress with members of the Imperial Court.

OREGON ZOO WINTER DISCOUNT DAYS
Mar. 1–7
Connect with nature with a discounted zoo admission. The Oregon Zoo connects the community to the wonder of wildlife to create a better future for all. The zoo is a hub for science, conservation, education and animal well-being delivering the highest quality of care. Timed-entry tickets must be purchased in advance online. This offer cannot be combined with other discounts, including membership. Infants aged 0 to 1 are free when reserved with a paid adult ticket.

OREGON CRAFT BEER MONTH
Feb. 1–28
February is Oregon Craft Beer Month, a month-long focus on Oregon craft breweries, highlighting events, beer releases, and more. Why February? It tends to be one of the slowest sales and tourist months of the year. The goal is to help encourage folks to visit and support Oregon craft breweries across the state.

BRUCE COCKBURN
Mar. 5–6
Bruce Cockburn’s latest studio album, O Sun O Moon, is a testament to his enduring artistry, even as he nears his 78th birthday. Known for his poetic lyrics and exceptional guitar work, Cockburn continues to explore themes of politics, human rights, the environment, and spirituality. His new release, a collection of 12 new songs, reflects a shift toward more spiritual introspection as he looks back on his life. “I think it’s a product of age and seeing the approaching horizon,” Cockburn explains, lightening the tone by calling them “the kind of songs an old guy writes.”

MCMENAMIN'S HISTORY BALL
Feb. 28
McMenamins History cordially invites you to our inaugural History Ball — a grand affair celebrating the historical costumes of the world before 1920, inspired by Bridgerton, Jane Austen, Chevalier, and more. Whether you love Renaissance fashion, the Court of Versailles, Victorian styles, or the Edwardian age, don your chosen fashion and dance the night away to classical ballroom music from the 19th century and beyond, performed by two live ensembles: Fireside Social Orchestra and Triplum.

Throughout this magical evening, you'll get the chance to learn traditional English Country Dancing with dance caller Laura Hatch, watch a sword-fighting demonstration from Academia Duellatoria, enjoy delicious hors d'oeuvres and fill out your keepsake dance card. There will also be free dancing, partner dancing, a photo station, and time for simply enjoying the music and the ambiance. Plus, prizes will be given out to those wearing the most outstanding historical costumes, so dress to the nines.

AMADEUS IN CONCERT
Feb. 27–28
Amadeus — the dazzling story of the tortuous rivalry between world-renowned composers Mozart and Salieri — returns to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall to celebrate its 40th anniversary.  Accompanied by a live performance of the score with the Oregon Symphony and a full chorus, this is a sumptuous and astonishing movie experience you will never forget.

CRABBING SEASON ON THE OREGON COAST
Seasonal
Winter is the most wonderful time of the year, which in Oregon is also one of the tastiest. Commercial crabbing season usually kicks off in December for a festive holiday treat. With more than 400 commercial boats working the waters from Astoria to Brookings, there’s no better time to visit a seafood market for the freshest and heaviest Dungeness crab. 

Oregon’s commercial crab fishery is the most valuable single-species fishery in the state. In 2023 crabbers hauled in more than 23.8 million pounds of Dungeness — a crab celebrated for its sweet, succulent meat that’s packed with healthy omega-3 fatty acids and vitamin B-12. It’s also rewarding to extract its meat from the shell, yielding satisfying portions with minimal work. One crab alone can often feed two people, especially when served with sides. 

MARDI GRAS BALL
Mar 5
In the darkest and dreariest time of the year, the Wonder Ballroom explodes with bright lights, live music, extravagant costumes, and more for a night of frivolity and celebration. Dance to live music from Too Loose Cajun Zydeco band, parade with Northwest Bone Gang and the Brassroots Movement, and rock out with Kris Deelane’s Music Review. Bayou Brothers Cajun Boils food truck offers authentic Louisiana-style food for purchase. With three full bars, coat check, photo booth, king cake and plenty of lagniappes, it is a night you won’t want to miss.

PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS
Oct. 4, 2024–Mar. 21
Come cheer on the Winterhawks, Portland's junior ice hockey team and three-time WHL champs. Winterhawks games are a great night out for fans of all ages, whether you want to sit right by the glass or a little higher up for a full-ice view.

THE DINNER DETECTIVE MURDER MYSTERY SHOW
Oct. 19, 2024–Mar. 22
Join The Dinner Detective Murder Mystery Dinner Show in Portland for an evening filled with suspense, laughter, and delicious dining. Step into a world of intrigue as you work to solve a thrilling crime that unfolds around you. But watch out — the culprit could be anyone in the room, and you might even become a Prime Suspect yourself.

Your ticket includes a full dinner, interactive murder mystery experience, waitstaff gratuity, and a special prize for the night’s Top Sleuth. Get ready for a night you won’t forget.

PORTLAND SATURDAY MARKET
Mar. 1–Dec. 20
Combining the vibes of an art show, a live street concert and an open-air bazaar, the Portland Saturday Market has been a beloved Rose City tradition since 1974, earning it the “Oregon Heritage Tradition” title in 2024. In fact, the market is considered the largest continually operating arts-and-crafts fair in the United States, drawing up to one million visitors during its annual season.

On any given weekend from the beginning of March to the day before Christmas, shoppers can wend their way through the rows of tents of this large outdoor market featuring local makers, artisans, and chefs. A full sensory experience, the sights, and sounds will have shoppers and on-lookers tapping their heels to bluegrass pickers and jazz trios with weekly sets of local musicians performing for market-goers and passersby in Tom McCall Waterfront Park

FARMERS MARKET AT PORTLAND STATE UNIVERSITY
Year-Round
The Portland Farmers Market at Portland State University will be open every Saturday, year-round. April through October hours are 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. November through March hours are 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Market at PSU is located in Downtown Portland in the South Park Blocks between SW College & Montgomery Streets.

HOLLYWOOD FARMER'S MARKET
Year-Round
Year-round on Saturdays, the Hollywood Farmers Markets hosts 50+ vendors, bringing you the best of the region’s agricultural bounty.

In addition to amazingly fresh, local food,  you’ll find live music, children’s activities, and fun events throughout the season.

• April through September, every Saturday 8 AM to 1 PM,
• October and November, every Saturday 9 AM to 1 PM,, and
• December through March: 9 AM to 1PM on the 1st and 3rd Saturdays of each month