Holiday hours may vary—please check venue websites directly for the most up-to-date information.

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TUESDAY

FILM

Oppenheimer in 70mm Past Event Like List
Whether or not you give a damn about the theoretical physicist who helped develop the first nuclear weaponry, Oppenheimer was one of this year's most yapped-about films, starring Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer and Emily Blunt as his wife, Communist biologist and botanist Katherine “Kitty” Oppenheimer. (More info on Kitty, please!!) If you managed to avoid the hubbub, you'll be pleased to learn that the film also features Florence Pugh, A24 darling Benny Safdie, and a bunch of other actors that'll make you whisper "Wait, they're in this?!" to your friend in the theater. Here's your chance to catch up—and in glorious 70mm, no less—before Oscars season. LC
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District)

WEDNESDAY

FILM

Church of Film: The Snow Queen Past Event Like List
Fans of Labyrinth and Valerie and Her Week of Wonders will likely dig this frosty Finnish adaptation of a classic Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, which will screen this year as part of Church of Film's wintry offerings. Päivi Hartzell's The Snow Queen is a surreal journey that follows a nightmarish queen in an icy baroque realm. The film's lavish costumes and set design heighten its strange, fantastical effect—picture a blend of Rococo decadence and glam-punk filth. LC
(Clinton Street Theater, Hosford-Abernethy)

PERFORMANCE

The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show Past Event Like List
Jinkx Monsoon, the "internationally tolerated Jewish narcoleptic drag queen," and BenDeLaCreme, the sugary sweet RuPaul's Drag Race icon, will bring their unique blend of bubbly effervescence and quirky realness to the stage for this holiday dragstravaganza. The pair plan to show off their sleigh and share why they're the true queens of Christmas cheer, which already seems undebatable. The show will return to town after a wildly successful run last year; expect brand-new songs and a healthy dash of spectacle, plus "adult themes and language." LC
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, South Park Blocks)

THURSDAY

COMEDY

Kickstand Comedy Presents: Secret Aardvark Past Event Like List
Over 30 of Portland's best improvisers will gather again for this who's who of Rose City comedy. Named after the organizers' favorite local hot sauce, each Secret Aardvark event features an extra-special mystery guest (past guests have run the gamut from David Lynch to random high school theater students). This holiday edition of the show should be wrapped up in a particularly funny bow. LC
(Kickstand Comedy, Ladd's Addition)

PERFORMANCE

The Living End: An Irresponsible Drag Tribute to Gregg Araki Past Event Like List
Gregg Araki, whose contributions to independent queer cinema include the gay comedy-drama The Living End, the California rave psych-out flick Nowhere, and the sexy dystopian tale The Doom Generation, will be appropriately honored with this "irresponsible" drag tribute. Hosted by Wolfgang X and Prince Peanutbutter, the evening of moody glam will also honor "those who have lost their lives [in] the AIDS crisis, the ongoing pandemic, [and] the ongoing conflicts throughout the world and nationally." LC
(Clinton Street Theater, Hosford-Abernethy)

Queer Eye for the Magi Past Event Like List
Dru Rutledge and Jimmy Wilcox's queer holiday tradition will return with more naughty hijinks, uncensored carols, and straight-up gaiety. This year, tiny-waisted drag pianist Saint Syndrome and Arlo Weierhauser, who was voted Portland's Funniest Person in 2017, will join the duo onstage; fresh off her residency with Liberace and Liza at Portland Center Stage, Jillian Snow (as Liza Minnelli) will also make a sparkly appearance. LC
(Alberta Rose Theatre, Concordia)

FRIDAY

COMEDY

Drunk Herstory Past Event Like List
Drunk Herstory may be modeled after the ultra-famous Funny or Die web series Drunk History, but frankly, it's way cooler. Hosted by Dahlia Hearts and "walking glitter bomb" Shandi Evans, the live sketch show stars local drag divas as they get twisted on stage and chat about queer history. This edition's featured performers haven't yet been announced, but expect loopy sketch comedy themed around "the people, places, and events that shaped the LGBTQIA community." LC
(Alberta Rose Theatre, Concordia)

SATURDAY

FOOD & DRINK

New Year's Eve Feast at Gado Gado Past Event Like List
The Indonesian phenom Gado Gado will serve an extra-festive version of their family-style rijsttafel (rice table) service for New Year's Eve. Choose between an omnivorous version with aromatic dishes like lobster siu mai, duck curry, and short rib rendang, or opt for a plant-based version with delicata curry with crispy tofu, charcoal-grilled seitan satay skewers, vegan balado, and more. Expect a steady flow of champagne and cocktail specials to complement the meal. JB
(Gado Gado, Hollywood District)

LIVE MUSIC

Thievery Corporation Past Event Like List
Stranger music critic Dave Segal writes, "Few of Thievery Corporation's 1990s-era down-tempo electronic contemporaries have shown the durability of core members Rob Garza and Eric Hilton. What they do isn't innovative or revolutionary, but Thievery Corporation's clever amalgams of classy lounge music, buttery triphop, dub lite, boho hip-hop, chill bossa nova, and other styles from the international sonic bazaar cohere into a good time soundtrack that makes you feel much more suave and affluent than you actually are." The duo will return to Portland with support from the NYC-based acoustic post-rock outfit City of the Sun. AV
(Roseland Theater, Old Town-Chinatown)

PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE

Sorry For Party Rocking: 2010-2015 Pop & EDM Throwbacks – New Year's Weekend Edition Past Event Like List
Remember when we knew "Tik Tok" as a Ke$ha song and not an addictive social media app? Ah, the good ol' days. Relive the era that brought us the embarrassing uncle-nephew duo LMFAO, the Twilight franchise, and neon print everything at this nostalgic New Year's Eve dance party. AV
(Holocene, Buckman)

SUNDAY

FOOD & DRINK

The Big Night Past Event Like List
In the 1996 classic Big Night, two immigrant brothers, the grouchy but brilliant chef Primo (Tony Shalhoub) and the pragmatic restaurant manager Secondo (Stanley Tucci), throw an unforgettably decadent feast in a last-ditch attempt to keep their struggling Italian restaurant afloat. The Italian American red sauce joint Gabbiano's will attempt to recreate this grand cinematic meal with a sprawling six-course family-style dinner on New Year's Eve that includes the film's most iconic dish, timpano (a baked pasta stuffed with meatballs, sausages, egg, rigatoni, and cheeses), plus cioppino, bubbles upon arrival, optional wine pairings, late-night snacks, and a champagne toast at midnight. JB
(Gabbiano's, Concordia)

Han Oak's Baller Gimbap Party! Past Event Like List
Peter Cho and Sun Young Park's celebrated Korean restaurant Han Oak is throwing a rowdy "baller gimbap" bash complete with sizzling New York prime strip, cured pork belly, market-fresh produce, seasonal banchan, and plenty of seafood, along with a selection of luxurious supplements such as caviar and A5 wagyu beef. The final seating also includes entry into a late-night karaoke party, where you can belt your favorite pop ballads to your heart's content. JB
(Han Oak, Kerns)

LIVE MUSIC

Battle of The Decades Past Event Like List
Rep your favorite decade with a poodle skirt, go-go boots, or neon garb as legendary Portland musicians take on the task of playing tunes from the '50s, '60s, '70s, and '80s in a "musical deathmatch." The lineup has yet to be announced, but considering last year's participants included Quasi, Unwound, Heatmiser, All Girl Summer Fun Band, and the Jicks, I promise you won't be disappointed. And, as with most NYE shindigs, you can expect a champagne toast and balloon drop at midnight. AV
(Mississippi Studios, Boise)

Karl Denson's Tiny Universe Past Event Like List
Prolific singer and saxophonist Karl Denson and his band Tiny Universe will jam you into the new year with an evening of funk, soul, rock, jazz, and blues. The group’s storied career has included tours with artists like D'Angelo, The Roots, Public Enemy, and Parliament-Funkadelic—which is precisely what Denson's ensemble sounds like (if they were all jumbled together and fronted by a saxophonist). They will be joined by the instrumental funk eight-piece Polyrhythmics. AV
(Revolution Hall, Buckman)

Ural Thomas and the Pain Past Event Like List
Local legend Ural Thomas and his nine-piece band The Pain will have you movin' and groovin' into 2024 with their annual New Year's Eve concert. They'll likely play songs from their latest album, Dancing Dimensions, which blends a range of genres from "sweet Chicago soul to airy West Coast psychedelia to Sly funk." The party will get started with folk-rock ensemble the Builders and the Butchers, rootsy rockers Hopeless Jack, and DJ duo Adam Passi and DJ Cooky Parker. AV
(Star Theater, Old Town-Chinatown)

PARTIES & NIGHTLIFE

AREA '24: A New Year’s Eve Space Disco presented by Ibiza Boys, Møthership, and Holocene Past Event Like List
This New Year's Eve, party like it's 3024 with a "transcendent sci-fi discotheque" party inspired by retro-futurism, alien discoveries, and artificial intelligence. Darkwave duo Orkis will set the mood with their forward-thinking electropop alongside DJ sets from Andy Warren, Tourmaline, Ibiza Boys, Visitr, and Katwalk. Plus, artists Hasmood and Ryne will make you believe that there's life on Mars with their mind-bending visuals. Don't forget to dress in your best chrome couture—a melding of "'70s nostalgia" and "avant-garde futurism" fashions are highly encouraged. AV
(Holocene, Buckman)

Champagne Ball 2023 Past Event Like List
Wrangle up something gold and glittery, because one of Portland's fancy-schmanciest New Year's Eve parties will return for its 31st year. Since relocating to the Portland Art Museum last year, the Champagne Ball has expanded to offer up "16,000 square feet of good times," complete with a video countdown, two ballrooms, party band performances, DJs, "singles beads," a karaoke lounge, and a "hot and cold hors d’oeuvres buffet." (The amount of partying you'll be doing is sure to work up an appetite, right?) LC
(Portland Art Museum, South Park Blocks)

Darcelle XV & Company Presents New Year's Eve 2023 Past Event Like List
Darcelle XV Showplace has had a hell of a year, to say the least; from losing the venue’s beloved and world record-holding matriarch in March to staging a world record-breaking 48-hour drag-a-thon in July. At this glittery spectacular, the talented Darcelle’s cast will put the curtain call on 2023 in their signature sickening fashion with the help of special guests, party favors, bottles of bubbly, and, the quite frankly genius feature of a midnight breakfast buffet. JW
(Darcelle XV Showplace, Old Town-Chinatown)

New Year's Eve Sobriety Powwow Past Event Like List
New Year's celebrations can be tricky for those who don't drink, and the Native American Rehabilitation Association (NARA) puts together a sober alternative every year featuring youth activities, drumming, dancing, and a sober countdown. The organizers encourage attendees to bring a drum or dancing shoes and join in! The Sobriety Powwow has moved a little outside the city this time, but we think it's worth the trek (plus, you'll be sober and can make the drive). SL
(Wingspan Event and Conference Center, Hillsboro)

MONDAY

SPORTS & RECREATION

Willamette River Polar Plunge
Nothing jump-starts the new year like an icy plunge in the Willamette! West Linn Parks & Rec will have energizing music pumping and a warm fire going, as well as sweet treats. There will be kid, adult, and group costume contests, so dress in your icy best! The event is free, but donations of warm winter coats, scarves, and gloves are encouraged. SL
(Willamette Park, West Linn)

MULTI-DAY

WINTER HOLIDAYS

Creatures of Christmas Past Event Like List
Mysterious creatures from Nordic lore will stop by Nordic Northwest this holiday season, including the 13 Icelandic Yule Lads (don't worry, they were banned from tormenting children in 1746), a Swedish Yule goat (cute and tied to ancient Pagan festivals), Danish and Norwegian nisse (gnome-like dudes with conical caps), and the Finnish Santa, Joulupukki, who looks a lot like the American one these days. While you're there, don't miss Ole Bolle, Thomas Dambo's own mythical creature (a giant troll made of recycled materials). LC
(Nordic Northwest, Metzger, Tuesday-Monday)

Peacock Lane Past Event Like List
Portland's very own "Christmas street" is back at it this year with its charming Tudor homes decked out in lights and garland, running now through New Year's Eve. If you choose to explore the lights by foot, bundle up and don't forget to stop by the free cocoa and cider booth for extra warmth. You can also enjoy the decorations from inside your car, just be sure to drive slowly to take it all in and ensure everyone (inside and outside of cars) is safe! Can you spot all the iconic characters? We hear the Grinch is on the loose. SL
(Peacock Lane, Sunnyside, Tuesday-Sunday)

Woodsy Winter Village and Ice Rink Past Event Like List
A new ice skating rink and marketplace is popping up at the west end of the Morrison Bridge this holiday season! Ice skating will be open every day except Christmas, costing $20 for adults and $12 for kids under 12, including skate rental. Pro tip: spend at least $20 at a central city business (peep the map to see what qualifies), bring your receipt, and get a $5 discount on your skate ticket. If you need a little help on the ice, you can pay an extra $10 for an unreasonably cute skate aid named Bobby the Seal. The marketplace will feature local vendors, food trucks, warm beverages, and a "cozy lounge" with board games and warming pods. SL
(Morrison Bridgehead, Downtown, Tuesday-Monday)

Zoo Lights Past Event Like List
Lions, tigers, and bears will have you saying "oh my!" in childlike wonder at the Oregon Zoo's immersive holiday lights experience. Be mesmerized as you walk through tunnels of sparkling lights, take a ride on the zoo train, and enjoy treats like elephant ears and hot cocoa. SL
(Oregon Zoo, Washington Park, Tuesday-Monday)

EXHIBIT

Orcas: Our Shared Future Past Event Like List
Those who keep up on regional wildlife news are likely already aware of a dire situation in the Puget Sound, where Southern Resident Orcas are on the brink of extinction due to pollution, vessel traffic, and a dramatic decline of their primary food source, Chinook salmon. (Unsurprisingly, humans have played a central role in the animal's critically endangered state.) The orca, aka the apex predator of all oceans and an utterly majestic creature that deserves to thrive, is the central focus of Orcas: Our Shared Future. The new exhibition of over 100 Orcinus artifacts includes life-sized replicas, fossils, original artwork from Pacific Northwest Coast Indigenous peoples, and more, offering a rare opportunity to deep-dive into the animal's complex social structures, its connections to humans, and the surprising consequences of orca captivity. LC
(OMSI, Central Eastside, Tuesday-Sunday)

FILM

2001: A Space Odyssey in 70mm Past Event Like List
A strange black monolith transcends time, witnessed by early man and 21st-century scientists alike. Sent on a shrouded mission to uncover the structure's origins, a team of astronauts encounters bizarre issues with a supercomputer. This screening of the Hollywood's own 70mm print of Stanley Kubrick's '68 poetic sci-fi epic may trigger an existential tailspin, but you've got a whole new year to look forward to, so don't sweat the galactic stuff. LC
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, Tuesday/Friday-Saturday)

The Boy and The Heron (Subbed and Dubbed Screenings) Past Event Like List
Over the last 30 years, Studio Ghibli has become legendary for its lush visuals, emotional and affecting storytelling, and poetic, intelligent approach to nature and the more-than-human world. One of its central figures is (duh) cofounder Hayao Miyazaki, who has made some of the studio's most revered flicks (Spirited Away, My Neighbor Totoro, and Kiki'sDelivery Service among them). He's also the most endearingly idiosyncratic director, like, maybe ever, and has announced, then broken, his retirement a total of four times. Never change, Miyazaki!! Anyway, if you're a Ghibli fan, you probably know all of this and are already jazzed for his first feature film in 10 years, The Boy and The Heron. It's a hand-drawn, semi-autobiographical fantasy that seems likely to fall in line with all of the reasons you love him already. LC
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, Tuesday-Monday)

The Iron Claw Past Event Like List
In The Iron Claw, an insanely jacked Zac Efron dons a shaggy wig and a pair of tiny shorts and hits the wrestling ring. He plays one of the Von Erich brothers, a real-life inseparable clan that made waves in the early '80s professional wrestling world while navigating a family "curse" and a domineering dad. Jeremy Allen White is in it, too, so expect lots of sweaty zaddy moments, tacky costuming for the gods, heartfelt reflections on brotherhood, and a side of self-destruction. LC
(Cinema 21, Northwest Portland, Tuesday-Thursday)

Poor Things Past Event Like List
Real Lanthimos heads know that he doesn't direct anything without dystopic, black comedy underpinnings and plotlines that make audiences ponder why they're on the planet at all. He is weird, as directors should be, and you're either in or you're out. This time around, he's adapted a '92 Scottish novel for the screen, painting the picture of a young woman (played by Emma Stone, who is raven-haired and looks charmingly bananas) brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist (played by my famous dad, Willem Dafoe). Best part? Poor Things "saved" my other dad, Mark Ruffalo, from "depressed dad typecasting." Praise be. LC
(Hollywood Theatre, Hollywood District, Tuesday-Thursday)

FOOD & DRINK

Miracle at Deadshot Past Event Like List
In 2014, New York bar owner Greg Boehm temporarily transformed his space into a kitschy Christmas wonderland replete with gewgaws and tchotchkes galore. The pop-up phenomenon has expanded to more than 100 locations all over the world, including Portland's stylish cocktail bar Deadshot. Specialty cocktails are housed in tacky-tastic vessels and christened with names like the “Bad Santa,” the “Yippie Ki Yay Mother F**r,” and the “Jolly Koala.” JB
(Deadshot, Hosford-Abernethy, Tuesday-Saturday)

Sippin' on Sixth Past Event Like List
This holiday-tiki-themed cocktail bar pop-up (a spinoff of the hit Miracle pop-up, which takes place at Deadshot this year) invites you to "imagine Santa on a surfboard instead of a sleigh and palm trees instead of pine." Drinks range from the "Merry Spritzmas" (Prosecco, aperitif, tawny port, cognac, lemon, falernum, fig preserves, and cardamom bitters) to the "Jingle Bird" (bourbon, pineapple rum, Campari, lime, pineapple, and "jingle mix"). JB
(Courtyard by Marriott Portland City Center, Downtown, Tuesday-Sunday)

Sleigh Love Past Event Like List
Sleigh the day with a menu of delightfully tacky holiday-inspired drinks and other nostalgic treats at the cocktail bar and restaurant Hey Love. The vibe is described as "National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation but more, and located in a cocktail-soaked indoor jungle." Sample offerings include "Noggy by Nature" (an eggnog slushie) to "Toboggan Time" (Hey Love's signature frozen spin on Irish coffee, made with a Rumplemintz float, whipped cream, and candy cane sprinkles). DJs will add to the chaotic merriment starting at 9 pm on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday nights. JB
(Hey Love, Buckman, Tuesday-Monday)

Yule Tide Bar Past Event Like List
The team behind King Tide will bring good tidings to you and your kin with this nostalgic Christmas pop-up. Look forward to gussied-up takes on retro classics, from deviled eggs to French onion soup to surf and turf (their version of the latter comes with beef tenderloin, prawns, duchess potatoes, and harissa). Not feeling the holiday season? Indulge your inner Scrooge with the "Bah Humbug" cocktail (bourbon, rosemary honey, and lemon). JB
(King Tide Fish & Shell, Southwest Portland, Tuesday-Saturday)

LIVE MUSIC

The Dresden Dolls Past Event Like List
The fact the Dresden Dolls take their name from VC Andrews' neo-gothic series Flowers In The Attic speaks volumes to their ethos. Like the Andrews' novels, the punk cabaret duo is theatrical, sweet, and a little bit twisted. Their songs like "Coin-Operated Boy" are both cutesy and scary—like the sonic equivalent of a Mark Ryden painting. After an initial cancellation back in 2020, the band will finally embark on their reunion tour with a two-night stint in Portland. AV
(Aladdin Theater, Brooklyn, Thursday-Friday)

New Year’s Concert in Portland: Beethoven's Ninth with the Oregon Symphony Past Event Like List
If you're like me and committed to having a Little Women Winter™, ditch the rowdy New Year's Eve parties in favor of a peaceful classical concert of 19th-century tunes. The Oregon Symphony ends your year on an optimistic note (literally) with a performance of Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. AV
(Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, South Park Blocks, Saturday-Sunday)

PERFORMANCE

A Christmas Carol Past Event Like List
If the impending holiday season elicits your well-deserved "Bah, humbug," I recommend taking this dependable Yuletide delight for a spin. After all, what's more Christmassy than a bunch of intrusive ghosts and a notably grumpy old dude? Portland Playhouse's A Christmas Carol is a Dickensian feast of holiday theatrics that offers a contemporary interpretation of Ebenezer Scrooge's ghostly journey, adapted with original lyrics by award-winning playwright and director Rick Lombardo. LC
(Portland Playhouse, King, Tuesday-Saturday)

ZooZoo Past Event Like List
Imago's globe-trotting holiday tradition returns this year with a colorful array of "hippos with insomnia, arrogant anteaters, introverted frogs, paradoxical polar bears, acrobatic worms, self-touting accordions," and other tricky critters. They'll all come together on stage for an eye-popping family production before heading back into storage (aka Imago's warehouse, which probably looks pretty wild for the rest of the year). LC
(Imago Theatre, Buckman, Tuesday-Monday)

VISUAL ART

A Sense of Place: the Art of George Tsutakawa Past Event Like List
One of George Tsutakawa's gargantuan fountains once graced the Lloyd Center, and they still stand at the Seattle Public Library's downtown branch and the Memorial Gates of Seattle’s Washington Park Arboretum. Seattle-born but educated in Japan, the sculptor's public works blend Pacific Northwestern and Japanese aesthetic sensibilities; they also seem to draw inspiration from Abstract Expressionism, feeling both ambitious and personally expressive. Tsutakawa, who passed in '97, created over 70 bronze fountain sculptures in the US, Japan, and Canada, and his artistic process was complex, spanning a wide variety of mediums like sumi ink and woodblock printing. (I highly recommend looking him up on YouTube and watching a documentary or two.) A Sense of Place: The Art of George Tsutakawa is the first Oregon exhibition of his work. LC
(Japanese American Museum of Oregon, Old Town-Chinatown, Thursday-Sunday; closing)

Converge 45 Contemporary Arts Biennial Past Event Like List
The free, citywide art exhibition Converge 45 is in full swing, with artists showcased across over 15 venues in Portland, including college campuses, the Portland Japanese Garden, and Pioneer Square. The biennial's theme, Social Forms: Art as Global Citizenship, takes on topics of Amazon deforestation, indigeneity, citizenship, and immigration, and aims to amplify the voices and experiences of people of color, so you're bound to find a cause you can get behind. LC
(Various locations, Tuesday-Sunday)

Elefant Medium Past Event Like List
Jeffry Mitchel's solo exhibition concludes the year's programming at this Portland staple gallery. Furniture pieces made of ceramic and wood feature, alongside prints in wonderful hand-crafted frames. The lightheartedness of Mitchel’s work—which is often characterized by whimsical florals and animals—is adeptly timed as we enter the holiday season. PORTLAND MERCURY CONTRIBUTOR ASHLEY GIFFORD PETERSON
(PDX CONTEMPORARY ART, Slabtown, Tuesday-Saturday; closing)

Helen Frankenthaler: Works from The Collections of Jordan D. Schnitzer and His Family Foundation Past Event Like List
The holidays—and the end of the year in general—tend to prompt a fair amount of self-reflection, rumination, and lofty plans for the new year. (I know it can't just be me.) Enter Helen Frankenthaler, the towering 20th-century Abstract Expressionist painter and printmaker whose lit-from-within, stained-and-poured techniques will stop you dead in your tracks and ease your existential woes. You can catch a cross-section of her woodcut, intaglio, lithograph, and screenprinted works in this exhibition, which centers her original contributions to printmaking. LC
(Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education, Pearl District, Wednesday-Sunday)