Get your art on, people, it’s (nearly) fall in Portland—and that means even more art. All flavors of music. Visual art. Performance. Dance. Storytelling. Festivals, shows, and on-going series that will surely amuse, entertain and inspire. All coming at you in rapid succession.
Here's a snapshot of the wide-ranging must-see events of the upcoming fall arts season. Enjoy!
Sack Lunch Concerts at the Old Church
Every Wednesday at noon in September and October, you can bring your lunch to the beautiful and historic Old Church Downtown and listen to an hour of (mostly) classical music performed by local musicians. A classy, relaxing way to spend your lunch hour, to be sure!
Where: 1422 SW 11th Avenue
When: Wednesdays, noon in September and October
Details: Free!
Oregon Symphony in the Neighborhoods
Each year, the Oregon Symphony (supported by the City of Portland and RACC) offers a FREE outdoor concert at Tom McCall Waterfront Park. Even though this performance marks the end of summer, the program is indeed a perfect Portland celebration complete with fireworks and an artillery show.
Bring a picnic, your blankets and chairs and mosey over to the park early in the afternoon so you’ll be able to hear the Portland Youth Philharmonic at 5 p.m. followed by the Oregon Symphony at 7 p.m.
Where: Tom McCall Waterfront Park
When: Thursday, September 2nd, 5 p.m.
Details: Free! Lawn seating. Feel good contribution: Bring school supplies to donate to Portland Public Schools
MusicFest NW
As if nearly two weeks of non-stop performance wasn't enough for arts lovers, there's also Portland’s amazing music festival carrying on that the same time. That’s right: MusicFest NW runs September 8th through 12th, bringing us over 80 acts in favorite venues sprinkled across town. With headliners like The Decemberists, The National, Menomena, The Helio Sequence, Richmond Fontaine, and Portland Cello Project, purchasing the festival pass (wrist band) that allows you entry to ALL venues, ALL shows seems like the smartest thing to do. Do it. Seriously.
Where: Various venues
When: September 8-12
Details: Tickets and passes available online—prices for individual shows vary
PICA’s Time-Based Art Festival (TBA:10)
Portland Institute of Contemporary Art’s (PICA) annual time-based art festival revs up in just over a week. The festival boasts innovative performances, arts offerings, films, and lectures from creative forces in a variety of disciplines from around the globe. Some groups showcase fresh pieces for their first public performances. Others who have launched companies or worked at previous TBA festivals return to share their creative growth in directions unimaginable.
Performances happen in multiple venues across town, with home base at Washington High School. This year’s festival “theme” (unofficially) connects with innovative, revolutionary thinkers and doers operating within contemporary backdrops. We’ll see performances that nod to existentialism, the leaders of the American Revolution, timeless Shakespearean ideas. And that’s just a start.
If you’re a veteran, you know what to do come September 9th. If you’re a newbie, check out the offerings online, purchase a festival pass, or select a few performances to experience. (Rufus Wainwright with the Oregon Symphony at the Schnitz opening night is a must. Late-night antics at THE WORKS at Washington High will delight, too.)
Where: Various venues
When: September 9-19
Details: Tickets and passes available online—prices for individual performances vary
Read: Our previous coverage of TBA.
St. Johns + Art
Turn window shopping into an exploration of local arts as you discover new works from over 40 North Portland artists while strolling through downtown St Johns. This grassroots art show concocted by locals eager to encourage exposure to local art/artists and supporting businesses features a wide range of visual art mediums—painting, photography, sculpture, ceramics, fiber arts, and more.
On opening day, September 9th, you’ll be able to meet some of the artists and pick up a walking map to the five-week long exhibit on view 24/7. This nonprofit event sponsored by North Portland Community Works is sure to catch on in other Portland hoods.
Where: Downtown St. Johns
When: September 9-October 13
Details: Free!
Read: Our previous article about St. Johns + Art.
Portland Stock
“Sometime in October" we’ll be able to participate in the democratically focused, arts inspired community dinner with 100-plus others to select recipients of the evening’s cash box to support their creative endeavors. Participating in a direct mechanism to fund small and medium-sized art projects is interesting, invigorating, and enlightening, to say the least. At the communal dinner, you’ll meet artists and civilians alike, and discuss artistic merit, creative values, and probably the meaning of life. Do your part for art on a micro-local level that provides nearly immediate results.
Where: Check the Portland Stock web site for upcoming dates, venues and project proposals.
When: The next event will happen in October. Stay tuned for details!
Read: Our previous story on Portland Stock
Wordstock
If it’s not about bikes, it’s probably about books in Stumptown, and Wordstock is the Pacific Northwest’s largest, bestest book festival. The weekend exhibits provide a vast selection of publishers, small presses, and bookstore offerings. The pre-exhibit workshops offer special sessions for teachers, for writers, and for community involvement for collaborators. If you’re into books and words and writing, then Wordstock is for you.
Where: Oregon Convention Center
When: October 7-10
Details: General admission for weekend book fair: $7 one day/$10 both days.
Sessions and workshops: see web site for registration, descriptions and fees
Portland Open Studios
Curious about how artists actually work and create the masterpieces displayed in various galleries and shops, at communal shows, and on the streets during festivals? Then, the Portland Open Studios tours are for you. With 100 artists participating in Portland and environs this year, you’ll be able to see painters, sculptors, jewelry makers, welders, glass blowers, photographers, and many others at work in their creative workspaces.
The Open Studios Tours event offers a terrific way to interact with artists whose work you admire, and the opportunity to discover new artists and mediums, too. A great educational experience for the entire family and, a perfect excuse for walking or biking around town.
Where: Artists' studios around Portland
When: October 9 and 10; 16 and 17; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Details: Purchase “tour guides”—tickets, maps, artist pictures and contact information, calendar—on the web site, and at participating retailers.
Read: Our previous article on Portland Open Studios.
Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show
Geek out with the bike enthusiasts at the Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show, which promises 60 local and national exhibitors, educational sessions, and more. You’ll see innovative designs, talk to builders, and be completely drenched in bike culture. Soooo Portland.
Where: Sandbox Studio
When: October 9 and 10
Details: Discount tickets ($7) available online until October 7th, $10 at the door.
Oregon Humanities Think & Drink Series
Thinking and drinking, together? Yup. It's possible. Oregon Humanities is committed to providing fun, intriguing forums for important conversations to unfold. This free series invites you to gather with others to discuss topics that have the potential to impact. Past topics this year have included fossil fuel dependency, green jobs, the ethics of photo/journalism and war, and women and the media. There’s plenty more thought-provoking sessions to come, too. Check the web site for fall dates and venues.
Where: Rontoms
When: October 13
Details: Free! The October event will likely focus on religion and public life.
37th Annual NW Film & Video Festival
If film is your passion, then you certainly won’t want to miss the 37th Annual NW Film & Video Festival. Attracting over 300 entries, judged by a celebrated filmmaker/critic personage, this festival provides one of the best forums for viewing independent work that you might not otherwise be privy to. All genres and formats are represented, including short films and videos, feature length, and documentary screenings.
Where: Northwest Film Center
When: November 5-13
Details: Sponsorship, archives, additional festival information available online
Dance, Theater, Performance—Oh My!
With an exceptionally high number of local, independent, small theaters and dance/performance companies all vying for audiences, we'd like to share with you a few of our favorites, and encourage you to attend a performance or two this fall season. The creative energy that these groups put out year to year is amazing!
BodyVox
BodyVox has a newish home in the Northwest District. Providing innovative dance and performance, educational classes and workshops, and collaborations with other groups in town, BodyVox upholds the innovative streak that Portlanders crave.
Performance Works Northwest
Linda Austin's Performance Works Northwest hosts a wide variety of events and collaborations throughout the year. (August brought a fundraising opportunity with tEEth). If you want a quick hit of her performance chops, she'll be featured in T:BA:10's Ten Tiny Dances show. Last fall's production Bandage: A Knife was inspired by Japanese yakuza-themed B movies from the '60. Can't wait to see what Austin has in store for us this fall and beyond.
tEEth
The ever-provocative performance group tEEth premiers new work Home Made this November.
White Bird DANCE
The White Bird DANCE season opener on September 23rd is Les Ballets Jazz de Montreal.
Hot Little Hands
Keep an eye on this local dance company's web site for upcoming fall shows. Last fall's production ill-starred was eerily delightful. We want more.
Portland Story Theater
Portland Story Theater kicks off its 2010-11 season with free shows on September 24th and 25th at their Hipbone Studio home base. In October, Devilishly Good, a literary collaboration between Lawrence Howard and Jonah Weston, will feature Weston's rendition of Shel Silverstein's epic adult poem The Devil and Billy Markham and Howard's retelling of classic Faust tale The Devil and Daniel Webster.
Miracle Theater Group
If cross-cultural, cross-continental collaborations spark your interest, then try a show, any show, presented by Miracle Theater Group. Their bilingual Day of the Dead celebration is a must. Viva Don Juan!
Coho Productions
Now in its 15th season, Coho Productions will bring us the zany musical Heart Beatings this fall. Show runs October 15-November 20.
Opera Theatre Oregon
For other enticements in general wackiness, Opera Theatre Oregon's not-your-usual-programming brings the public gems like Hercules vs Vampires, Beggar’s Opera, and last year’s 48-hour film festival award-winner Game Night. The offerings for 2010-11 will surely provide more antics from this fun-loving crew dedicated to all things theatre + opera.
Hand2Mouth Theatre
The ever-intoxicating productions from Hand2Mouth Theatre will spice up your theater-going experiences, for sure. Their latest and greatest, Uncanny Valley, will run at Reed College from September 8-19. If you missed last season’s premier of Everyone Who Looks Like You, it’s making a special northwest soujourn later this fall, so be sure to catch it.
Fall + arts + Portland's finest = enlightened entertainment for all.
What are your top performance picks this fall?
Nice line-up of events. Yet another reason to love this town. Thanks for compiling this information, Eve.
Thanks for the kudos, Allison. Which events are you planning to check out? There's so much *new and exciting* going on, it's challenging to choose. (But what the heck - sleep is for babies, anyhey.)
Holy moly, that is a lot to do! I need to see Hand2Mouth (it's been too long and they are amazing), go to Wordstock finally, and check out TBA. At the very least. Thank you for reminding me/us of all this goodness!
Looking forward to TBA:10 (Rufus Wainwright, Mike Daisy and THE WORKS), Portland Story Theater's Armchair Adventure Series (we're hooked!) and the Think & Drink series. Definitely want to experience more local dance companies (thanks for the great list) and attend a Portland Stock dinner. Sounds like fall is gonna kick my booty.