Portland and Area Activities Planner - August 30, 2024

ROSE CITY COMIC CON
Portland’s premier pop culture event, Rose City Comic Con, is produced locally with a weird and wonderful vibe unique to the Pacific Northwest. Now in its twelfth year, the ultimate goal remains the same — to deliver the most rewarding, memorable, laughter-inducing weekend ever.

While comic books and their mega-talented creators remain the cornerstone of RCCC, fans of all ages can also access top-tier celebrity guests, video and tabletop gaming, cosplay, anime, science fiction, fantasy, and everything in between.

Rose City Comic Con is produced by LeftField Media, a boutique event company made up of passionate fans and experienced convention organizers.

MONTAVILLA JAZZ FESTIVAL
Portland’s most adventurous jazz festival enters its second decade with a three-day village-style celebration of the city's world-class artistry. The 2024 festival lineup celebrates rising stars and creative, forward-thinking music with more than 30 acts, including a hometown performance by internationally-lauded saxophonist Nicole Glover.

SEASIDE'S CHUBBY CHOWDER MUSIC FEST
Come enjoy a chowder cook-off at the Chubby Chowder Music Fest featuring live music and the chowder contest. Competing restaurants include Billy Macs, Seabreeze Roadhouse, Bell Buoy, Portway, Salmon River Smokehouse, Chalkboard Cafe, Ruby’s Roadhouse Grill, Chef Braenn from Chez and Sasquatch Sandwich Shop. Enjoy music from Win Alexander, Jessie Lee Falls Band, Rouge Trio, Joe Lev & Friends w/ Michael Ray, Polly O and Keary and the Rhythm Method. There will also be face painting, gourmet cotton candy and an art station for kids. Hop and Vine will be serving beer and wine for those over 21.

ART IN THE PEARL FINE ARTS & CRAFTS FESTIVAL
Portland’s Art In The Pearl Fine Arts and Craft Festival celebrates 27 years of bringing art to the community. The distinctly artist-run event has long been a favorite in Portland, and it’s the perfect Labor Day destination to gather and celebrate the end of summer.

Art In The Pearl is Portland’s largest outdoor art fair, drawing thousands of people every year to its beautiful location under the canopy of trees in the historic North Park Blocks of the Pearl District. Strolling among the rows of freestanding exhibits, visitors can meet the artists and purchase original artwork. It’s an enjoyable art shopping experience for veteran art collectors as well as newcomers and families.

THE CORN MAIZE AT THE PUMPKIN PATCH
Located on Sauvie Island, , a rural escape just 13 miles (21 km) north of downtown Portland, the Corn Maize offers visitors eight acres (3 hectares) of exciting twists and turns. But it’s not all about getting lost in nature; Two 16-foot (5 m) observation bridges provide picturesque panoramas with great views of the island and Mount Hood, as well as the maze itself.

Every year, the cornfield is carved with a different pattern, and the design is always sure to stump maze-goers while delighting fans of public art. Starting at the end of August, the maze is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and stays open until 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in October (and on select days leading up to Halloween). 

PORTLAND TIMBERS vs SEATTLE SOUNDERS

There's no better place to celebrate Labor Day than at the park! Join us for a Labor Day weekend barbecue special at Providence Park! Each ticket includes barbecue, a beverage, and unmatched views from the Toyota Terrace Deck.

PORTLAND THORNS vs BAY FC
Watch the Thorns play at Providence Park. Established in 2012, the team began to play in 2013 and placed third in its inaugural season and, in the playoffs, won the first NWSL championship. 

The club won the NWSL Shield in 2016 and a second NWSL Championship in 2017. 2020, they won the Community Shield with the best record in the 2020 NWSL Fall Series. In 2021, the Thorns won the NWSL Challenge Cup, the Women's International Champions Cup, and the NWSL Shield.[4] They followed up in 2022 by winning the NWSL championship.

PORTLAND ARAB MAHRAJAN FESTIVAL
Join in celebrating Portland's annual Arab Festival with live delicious cuisine, bazaar, music, dance, poetry, clothing, crafts, children's activities, and henna.

The annual Arab Mahrajan Festival is a unique opportunity to learn about the cultures of Arab countries and to better understand how those cultures have integrated into cities, towns, and communities right here in Oregon. It is a great way to spend a summer day.

Delicious Cuisine, Kebab, Gyros, Falafel, Hummus, Bazaar, Arabic Music, Poetry, Debke, Face Painting, Craft, Games, Henna

CHAPMAN SWIFT WATCH
Great blue herons, bald eagles and peregrine falcons are just a few of the Rose City avian residents routinely spotted by visitors. But to really “put a bird” on a Portland memory, mark the calendar for September’s Chapman Swift Watch — the time of year when thousands of Vaux’s swifts drift through the city on their annual migration from Canada to Central and South America. The tiny birds spend their days hunting for insects and their evenings roosting, bat-like, in trees and chimneys.

JEFF LYNNE'S ELO
Formerly known as Electric Light Orchestra — an influential pop/rock group who took their cues from the Beatles — their name was eventually changed to Jeff Lynne's ELO, primarily to differentiate from tribute acts and offshoots that were touring under similar names. Since their formation in the '70s, the group underwent multiple lineup changes, with members staying with the band for varying amounts of time. Drummer Bev Bevan, for example, played alongside Lynne for a number of years before leaving, eventually forming his own iteration of the band: Electric Light Orchestra, Part II.

DAHLIA FESTIVAL
Celebrate the season of DAHLIAS. A Rainbow of Color. Stroll through almost 40 acres and a beautiful display garden of stunning dahlias featuring over 370 varieties. The beautiful fields are open from August to September each year, closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Pick out and order your favorite dahlias for Spring delivery and planting. Purchase a beautiful bunch of cut dahlias to take home with you or to make someone’s day. Visit the Gift Shop with hundreds of local treasures, open year-round. Fill your belly with yummy treats from Food Carts, relax and enjoy the Live Music, attend the Sunday farmers’ market, or take one of the Classes throughout the festival dates.

PETER PAN
This high-flying musical has been thrilling audiences of all ages for close to 70 years and is now being brought back to life in a new adaptation by celebrated playwright Larissa FastHorse, directed by Emmy Award winner Lonny Price and choreography by Lorin Latarro. The adventure begins when PETER PAN and his mischievous sidekick, Tinker Bell, visit the bedroom of the Darling children late one night. With a sprinkle of fairy dust and a few happy thoughts, the children are taken on a magical journey they will never forget. This extraordinary musical full of excitement and adventure features iconic and timeless songs including “I’m Flying,” “I Gotta Crow,” “I Won’t Grow Up” and “Neverland.” PETER PAN embraces the child in us all so go on a journey from the second star to the right and straight on ‘til morning – your entire family will be Hooked.

SCOOPED ICE CREAM FESTIVAL
Experience the Ultimate Ice Cream Extravaganza at Scooped. All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream Festival in Hillsboro on Labor Day Weekend. Get ready for the sweetest event of the year: The Scooped All-You-Can-Eat Ice Cream Festival is set to premiere in Hillsboro. This Labor Day Weekend, the Wingspan Event and Conference Center at Westside Commons will transform into an ice cream paradise, featuring over 50+ flavors, live music, food vendors, and activities for the whole family.

With something for everyone, the Scooped Ice Cream Festival is the perfect way to end the summer on a high note. Attendees can indulge in unlimited ice cream, enjoy a variety of food options, and experience live entertainment throughout the day.

JAMAICAN INDEPENDENCE MICRO FESTIVAL
Celebrate Jamaican Independence with a vibrant festival that brings the heart and soul of Jamaica to life. This lively event will immerse you in the rich cultural tapestry of Jamaica, featuring a sensational mix of food, music, art, and good vibes.

Indulge in delicious Jamaican cuisine, sway to the rhythms of reggae music, and immerse yourself in the vibrant festival atmosphere. Whether you're a fan of patties or plantain tarts or just looking to have a good time, this event is perfect for everyone! The menu is all plant-based and vegetarian.

Come for the food, stay for the music, and experience the vibes that only a true Jamaican celebration can bring.

MUSHROOM HUNT SERIES
Join Meadows team member and local mushroom expert Jason Roberts on a hike through the permit area, locating and recognizing mushrooms found on Mt. Hood. This is not a hike to forage for mushrooms, but it will educate and inform you on how to find some of the most delicious varieties of mushrooms. Jason will also provide tips on where to find these yummy morsels for yourself. These hikes will be more specific to the bolete or porcini mushroom family as they are the easiest to identify for beginning mushroom hunters.

This award-winning musical will captivate your heart and leave you humming its iconic tunes long after the curtain falls.

CATVIDEOFEST 2024 WITH CATNIP MAGAZINE
Catch Catnip magazine and CatVideoFest for an all-out cat-tacular pairing. Purchase the magazine onsite before the screening, thumb through to find favorite kitties, and purr along with these incredible videos. A percentage of the proceeds will be donated to Animal Rescue & Care Fund

CIRQUE DU SOLEIL: KOOZA
Undeniably the most daring Cirque du Soleil touring production, KOOZA takes audiences on a thrilling, emotional ride with its nail-biting, mind-boggling acrobatics. Inspired by traditional circus arts from around the globe, the show’s performances display remarkable showmanship, exceptional execution and incredible agility — notably in the High Wire, Teeterboard and Wheel of Death acts. 

BIGFOOT ADVENTURE CRUISE
Explore the history and lore of Bigfoot while traveling 80 miles (129 km) roundtrip on a high-speed jetboat from Portland to Multnomah Falls. See the landmarks along the Willamette and Columbia Rivers that make the Northwest famous while listening to exclusive narration by Cliff Barackman (star of Animal Planet‘s “Finding Bigfoot”) and a live tour guide. You’ll enjoy curated information about the legend of Bigfoot and sightings in the Columbia River Gorge on this exhilarating, informative journey.

ENCHANTED FOREST
The Enchanted Forest has been a destination for Oregon children since it opened in 1971. Generations of kids have slid down the creepy witch slide, delighted in the Crooked Man’s house, and ridden on the carousel. The Enchanted Forest is a theme park – there is a section with carnival rides and a haunted house – but what most people remember is the creative world contained in the paths and structures of the park. 

STERNWHEELER RIVER TOURS
This once primary mode of transportation has become more of a fun commodity for tourism, as river cruise ships provide visitors a chance to get out on the water and take in the sights of their new surroundings. Oregon joined in on the trend in the early 1980s. Since then, several non-steam-powered sternwheel riverboats have been built and operated on major waterways in the state, primarily on the Willamette and Columbia Rivers in Marion County. Each is a fun ride for visitors and locals alike as they seemingly tug along and transport them to yesteryear.

Take your team to the next level: High Life Adventures also offers customized Team Building Programs to challenge your group while bringing them together as a team.

The 2024 season has a full vendor roster, including new and returning small businesses spanning local, sustainably-grown agriculture, artisan food, and handmade arts and crafts, Some exciting new products at the market this year include organically grown vegetables and quail eggs from Tiny Acre, a St. Johns-based small scale organic farm; breakfast burritos from Poblano Pepper Mexican Food; and plant-based, farmer-forward pastries and treats from Poppy Shop. To see which vendors are scheduled for each week, check out the interactive market map: https://maps.managemymarket.com/6336