Arts & Crafts

The Portland area offers a dynamic, vibrant arts scene: art walks/open studios tours; exhibits/events/lectures at educational institutions, museums; festivals; numerous neighborhood galleries, creative arts/crafts oriented shops.

 

Entertainment & Performing Arts

Portland and nearby towns offer a year-round calendar of high quality, affordable performing arts, especially for live theater, music, dance and film enthusiasts. Venues range from small intimate spaces to large halls seating hundreds, including libraries, pubs, music stores and college campuses. Alfresco performances (often free) take place during summer months in parks, town squares, and other outdoor settings. Arts organizations really depend upon supporter generosity and also provide budget-friendly options, especially for patrons with flexible schedules, seniors and students. A selected listing follows.

 

Event Volunteer Opportunities

Film, food and beverage festivals, music concerts, neighborhood clean-ups, tree plantings, other events welcome local or visiting volunteers. They offer hands-on community engagement, opportunities to meet people and experience fun, interesting activities without huge time commitments; some benefit charitable organizations.

 

Food

Adventurous, culture-blending, entrepreneurial, quirky, local-focus/quality ingredients: descriptors for Portland's dynamic food and beverage scene. Inspired by proximity of abundant, diverse wild, harvested crops, seafood (and in true western tradition), to start something new and different, area artisanal food producers, bakers, brewers, chefs, distillers, winemakers are creating an explosion of businesses that seem to pop up daily, including pop-up dinners, supper clubs, food carts. Listings highlight food events, shared tabling, and/or artisan produced foods with an emphasis on the sweet side.

 

Hikes & Walks

A vast network of trails wend around, through Portland's city parks, neighborhoods, hills, along rivers, and across bridges. Most city streets have welcoming pathways for walkers, connect with public transportation options. Rewards include mountain views, cityscapes, waterfalls, bird sightings, array of architectural styles, gardens. Combining a walk/hike with a farmers market stop, music-in-a-park concert, or post-walk gathering at a local coffee shop/bakery can add to an enjoyable outing. Selected list of walks are just a sampling of what Portland has to offer.

 

Unique Lodging

Unique lodging options include deluxe bed and breakfasts, boutique hotels, inexpensive budget hostels, and many on-line listings (such as Airbnb) for whole houses or rooms. The listings below are just a few of numerous lodging choices.