Weekend Six Pack (7/16-7/18): Imperial IPA Festival, Mortified, Sunday Parkways, Pix Bastille Block Party

Six Great Things to Do This Weekend…

LEARN

Brewing Up Cocktails
Where: The Hop & Vine, 1914 N Killingsworth
When: Saturday, July 17, 3-7 p.m.
Cost: Contact Hop & Vine at 503.954.3322 for price
Tip: Hide your car keys. Five stiff drinks are on the menu, so plan on taking a cab or drunkenly stumbling home.

Beer or liquor? This age-old debate has never truly been decided until now. And the answer is…both! Join mixologist extraordinaire Jacob Grier and the hop heads from The New School beer blog this Saturday as they share the joys of blending craft beer with spirits to create complex and cranium-confusing cocktails. Five unique alcoholic beverages will be included; a phone to drunk-dial your ex-girlfriend will not.

ENGAGE

Pix Bastille Day Block Party
Where: Pix Patisserie, 3901 N Williams
When: Saturday, July 17, 11 a.m.-midnight
Cost: FREE (please bring 2 nonperishable food items for the Oregon Food Bank)
Tip: Dig deep in your cupboards for that creamed corn. For each food item donated you’ll receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of 100 restaurant gift certificates.

Fun fact: Bastille Day celebrates the storming of the Bastille prison in 1789, which spurred the French Revolution. So how does one celebrate an event that lead to one of the bloodiest revolts in history? With an all-day block party complete with live music, a drunken 5K run, a dance off and a giant Bastille Tower made of cream puffs, that’s how! Hey, we also celebrate Jesus rising from the grave with chocolate eggs, so just roll with it, OK?

RELAX

Mortified Portland
Where: Mission Theater, 1624 NW Glisan
When: Friday, July 16, 8 p.m.
Cost: $12
Tip: Make an online reservation to guarantee entrance to the show.

Love letters, sappy poetry and intimate diary entries from your youth; if you’re smart, all of these things have already been banished to a fiery grave. But if you’re crazy, you just might decide to read them on stage in front of hundreds of strangers at Mortified, where professional performers and amateurs alike relive their deepest, darkest secrets for our laughing and pointing pleasure.

CONSUME

Imperial IPA Festival
Where: Saraveza, 1004 N Killingsworth
When: Friday, July 16-Sunday, July 18, 7 p.m.-midnight
Cost: FREE + cost of beer
Tip: Purchase a 32 oz. Saraveza jar at the festival and fill it with your favorite IIPA at a discounted price.

If these hot summer days have you craving the bitter and malty goodness of a frosty-cold IIPA, cancel all your plans this weekend and get ready for a three-night bender at Saraveza, where each night different brewers will break out their hoppy best for your imbibing pleasure.

PLAY

Yoshida’s Sand in the City
Where: Pioneer Courthouse Square
When: July 16-18
Cost: FREE (suggested donation of $3 per person or $10 per family to Impact Northwest)
Tip: Contact Scott at Impact Northwest (503.988.3660 ext. 25780 or Sshlaes@ImpactNW.org) to register your own sand sculpting team.

Over 450 tons of sand will transform Pioneer Courthouse Square into beachfront property this weekend as teams compete to create Portland’s biggest and baddest sand sculpture. Live music and family-friendly activities will also be on hand. And the best part is, if your kids are young enough and you’re a good enough liar, they’ll have no idea that you’re too damn cheap to drive them to the real beach.

EXPLORE

Sunday Parkways - East Portland
Where: East Portland
When: Sunday, July 18
Cost: FREE
Tip: Get your hands on a map and complete list of activities here.

Sunday Parkways makes its way to the eastside of town this month, blocking off traffic from a six mile loop that connects Ed Benedict, Bloomington and Lents parks so you can ride, run or walk your way to a cornucopia of food, music and entertainment. For bonus good times, make sure you check out the East Portland Exposition and Ramona Street Fair, both of which can be found along the way!