A family-friendly evening at OMSI celebrating Portland's Black community. Explore the museum after hours with hands-on science demos, local vendors, cultural performances and planetarium shows. Free parking included. All ages welcome.
Bring the kids in costume for trick-or-treat zones, keeper talks and live entertainment at the Oregon Zoo. Best for ages 2 to 10, and everyone is welcome. A $5 Treat and Ride Pass adds three trick-or-treat zones plus a carousel or train ride. Zoo admission is separate.
Visit more than 100 local artists in their own studios on this free, self-guided tour. Watch artists at work, ask questions and buy art directly from the people who make it. Plan your route with the artist directory on the Portland Open Studios website.
Costumed paddlers race hollowed-out giant pumpkins, some over 1,000 pounds, across the lake at Tualatin Commons. This year's theme is "Tattoo Couture: Fortune Favors the Brave!" A free, family-friendly fall tradition about 20 minutes south of Portland.
Why does your body jump before your mind knows what scared it? Portland State University biologist Dr. Radhika Reddy explains how the brain learns fear, and how we build new feelings of safety. A perfect Halloween season talk. Suggested for ages 10 and over.
Watch Twilight on OMSI's biggest screen while you taste a menu of small bites matched to scenes in the film. Two nights to choose from: October 20 or 21. Doors open at 6:30 pm. Rated PG-13.
OMSI's science trivia night goes spooky with questions about dangerous creatures, decomposition and creepy organisms. Bring a team of up to four and play for prizes at Theory Restaurant. Food and drinks available. All ages welcome.
A hands-on, bilingual science workshop for kids ages 3 to 5 and their grown-ups. Little explorers use their senses to investigate Sasquatch and the forest. Your ticket includes museum admission for the rest of the day. Dates: October 3, October 24 and November 14.
Bring the kids in costume for trick-or-treat zones, keeper talks and live entertainment at the Oregon Zoo. Best for ages 2 to 10, and everyone is welcome. A $5 Treat and Ride Pass adds three trick-or-treat zones plus a carousel or train ride. Zoo admission is separate.
An adults-only Halloween night at OMSI. Explore the exhibits with a drink in hand, catch a planetarium show and try spooky science demos like theremin music and ghost bubbles. Costumes encouraged. Ticket includes two specialty cocktails or mocktails. Ages 21 and over, valid ID required.
A free neighbourhood Halloween celebration along SE Woodstock Boulevard. Expect trunk-or-treat, an art market, food and drinks, games, crafts, performances, a parade and a doggy costume contest. Fun for all ages.
Why do animals millions of years apart end up looking alike? Paleontologist Nico Spadafora of The Fossil Team explains how nature keeps landing on the same solutions. Suggested for ages 10 and over.
The Weekend Guide · Free every Friday
The best things to do in Portland this weekend and other gems worth knowing about.