Our seasonal Parents’ Gift Guide is in the works, and we want to feature your business’s product or service. Secure your spot just in time for Mother’s and Father’s Day celebrations.
🎈 Party like it’s your birthday
Oaks Park has the largest roller skating rink in the country. | Photo via Another Believer
When it comes to birthday parties, there’s just no good reason why kids should have all of the fun.
Birthday dinners and cocktails could get the job done, but we’re adults — who’s going to say “no” if we want to spend our birthday smashing stuff or taking some wheels to the rink? Nobody, that’s who.
Here are a few adult birthday party ideas that will delight your inner child.
Lace up the skates
Go all out with bell bottoms, glitter, and your grooviest vibes — adult birthday packages at Oaks Park Roller Rink include beer/wine tickets, cotton candy, arcade game money, two large pizzas, themed tableware, and more.
Throw a goat party
Yes. We mean it. Portland Goat Parties allows you book four adorable baby goats to make a guest appearance at your party for everyone to snuggle and love on.
Hop on a boat
Bring your friends for a river cruise complete with a charcuterie board and wine with Electric Boat Company. The boats are heated for when it’s cold or you’ll have water access for when it’s warm.
Quilt, Craft, and Sewing Festival | Thursday, April 10-Saturday, April 12 | Times vary | Portland Expo Center | $12 | This festival is seam-ingly attractive for any fabric artists looking to pick up some new sew-plies or a little project inspiration.
Booklover’s Burlesque Festival | Thursday, April 10-Sunday, April 13 | Times vary | The Victorian Belle Mansion | $25+ | You’ll be checking out more than just books at this four-day festival that celebrates literary arts and the art of saucy dancing.
“Life of Pi” | Thursday, April 10-Sunday, April 13 | Times vary | Keller Auditorium | $30+ | Pi certainly never expected to become friends with a tiger called Richard Parker, and especially couldn’t predict that that tiger would also save his life — watch the tale unfold live.
The “Honky-Tonk Circus” Tour | 8 p.m. | Ponderosa Lounge & Grill | $20+ | This Grammy-nominated Nashville songwriter wants to bring you back to the golden age of country music.
Friday, April 11
Easter Candy & Wine Pairing | Friday, April 11-Sunday, April 13 | 2 p.m. | Hip Chicks Do Wine | $25 | Hop to it and learn how to make your evening indulgences delightfully festive.
Saturday, April 12
Grow Your Own Strawberries Workshop | 10-11:30 a.m. | 78th Street Heritage Farm, Vancouver, WA | $10 | Learn how to grow the juiciest of berries with this introductory workshop.
Monday, April 14
Pink Martini’s Special Celebratory 30th-Anniversary Hometown Concert | Monday, April 14-Tuesday, April 15 | 8 p.m. | Revolution Hall | $50+ | Portland’s cutest “little” orchestra is celebrating their big anniversary with two nights of special guests, surprises, and a conga line (of course).
Proper psychiatric medication management can help alleviate mental health symptoms, improve mental well-being, and significantly enhance a person’s overall health. | Photo courtesy of Active Path Mental Health
Imagine a life where your mental health symptoms are well-managed, allowing you to thrive daily.
By working with a dedicated mental health provider like those at Active Path, patients can develop a custom treatment plan that targets their unique needs, ensuring the best possible outcome.
They ensure that each treatment plan improves overall mental well-being, empowering you to live more confidently.
Portland’s oldest steakhouse, RingSide, has closed following a kitchen fire last weekend. No one was injured during the fire, but the owners are unsure about when the restaurant may be able to reopen as repairs + restoration work is needed. (Eater Portland)
Fun Fact
Here’s a throwback — local women’s sports bar The Sports Bra recently installed something famous as its new bar top. What you ask? The piece of Portland basketball court responsible for the mismatched three point lines in the 2024 NCAA Women’s Tournament. (KGW 8)
Coming Soon
The No. 1 credit union in Oregon is moving into a 17,000-sqft space in downtown Portland. OnPoint Community Credit Union has leased a two-story space in the Union Bank Building on SW Washington Street, with a whole floor dedicated to commercial, nonprofit, and small business teams. Doors are expected to open late 2025. (Portland Business Journal)
Development
Local nonprofit Cultivate Initiatives is planning to build a new tiny home village on its East Portland property. The 20 shelters planned will be used to house folks with active employment who are awaiting permanent housing. Plans also include six buildings that will house resources for the village’s residents. The org hopes to have the homes open in early 2026. (Portland Business Journal)
Read
Portland-based ice cream chain Salt & Straw is expanding into a secon-dairy field: cookbooks. Cofounder and head ice cream maker Tyler Malek is publishing his first book, titled “America’s Most Iconic Ice Creams,” on Tuesday, April 29. Malek will host author events at Powell’s next month to promote the book, which showcases Salt & Straw’s takes on classic flavors. (Portland Business Journal)
Community
Ready to lend a helping hand? Volunteer registration is now open for the Sunday Parkways events this summer. The Portland Bureau of Transportation is looking for help with a wide variety of roles that range from info booth assistance to “Intersection Superhero.” The event days have been scheduled for once a month June-September. Register online.
Sports
The Trail Blazers are getting ready to round out their season as they approach their last few games. What can we expect from our star players? Get the biggest stories every day from the local experts of the Trail Blazers with Locked On’s daily podcasts.
Try This
Imagine stepping into the world of your favorite sci-fi film. With OMSI’s Sci-Fi Film Fest, Portlanders can do just that for five weeks this spring. Experience 30+ iconic science fiction movies on the massive four-story screen at the Empirical Theater. Explore the full lineup + grab tickets.*
Announced
Calling all business owners and hiring managers — we’re growing our PDXtoday Job Board, which means you can post unlimited job listings for free. No tricks or gimmicks — simply create an account and start posting your open jobs.
Pets
$3,500. That’s how much dough you might have to drop if your dog eats their chew toy. Yes, pets are expensive, but they’re worth it — and this pet insurance could reimburse 90% of those expenses.*
Number
5. That’s how many minutes it takes to read 1440’s daily newsletter — an unbiased, fact-centric digest of global events, culture, business, and beyond. Subscribe for free.*
Category (Paid)
Show
Fall under the spell of “The Sleeping Beauty”
Presented by Classical Arts Entertainment
“The Sleeping Beauty” is choreographed by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov. | Photos provided by Classical Arts Entertainment
This timeless fairy tale tells the story of Princess Aurora, who is cursed by the wicked fairy Carabosse to fall into a deep slumber for a century — until true love awakens her.
Withlavish sets, hand-painted backdrops, and intricately designed costumes by top Ukrainian artists, this two-act ballet will transport you into a world of magic and wonder, set against Tchaikovsky’s iconic score.
Psst... Elevate your evening with a VIP package that includes premium seating, a professional photo with a ballerina, plus more magical perks.
Don’t miss the chance to see this family-friendly performance featuring world-class dancers in a show that’s sure to cast its spell on you.
How do you make a few simple ingredients stand out? Ken’s Artisan Pizza can answer that. | Photo by @kensartisan
Slice, anyone? Portland’s pizza scene is bubbling with options — we’ve put together a knead-to-know list of 40+ places to grab a pie.
Ken’s Artisan Pizza, 304 SE 28th Ave.
Named the No. 3 pizzeria in the US this year by Italy’s 50 Top Pizza organization, this restaurant makes wood-fired oven pies with fermented dough and primo toppings like hand-pulled mozzarella and Italian tomatoes.
Paladin Pie, 1027 NE Alberta St.
A pizza maker from Nostrana opened this Dungeons & Dragons-themed food cart. It features a wood-burning oven designed to look like a 20-sided die from D&D, pies made with sourdough-style crust, and crowd-favorite toppings with vegan options.
Dimo’s Apizza, 701 E. Burnside St.
If you’ve never tried (or heard of) New Haven-style pizza, you’re in for a treat. Eater describes it as a “hotter, crispier, and dirtier descendant of Neapolitan style pie.” Thin, charred crust lovers will have a hard time resisting seconds — and thirds.
Well, the universe is getting one big unappreciative *SIGH* from me. I’m heading down to Kentucky to go visit my mom for a little bit, and I was so so excited for some balmy 70° weather, but it seems that I’m bringing the PNW spring blues with me because I’m looking at potential 50° highs and rain down there. I guess I’ll pack my shorts back up.
The Buy
The shoe of the summer: sneaker mules (aka smules). Effortlessly stylish and easy to slip on, these can be paired with your go-to shorts, sundresses, linen jumpsuits, and more. These are five of our favorites:
👟 Under $150: Dolce Vita’s sporty-chic sneaker mules in a fun + flirty pink floral pattern.
👟 Under $80: This pair by Anne Klein that will go with practically everything in your closet.
👟 Under $60: Blowfish Malibu’s platform style with adjustable lacing and a unique patterned insole.
👟 Under $50: These Naturalizer white leather smules made with comfort technology for all-day walking.
👟 Under $30: These canvas kicks available in 15+ colors and constructed with a memory foam insole for maximum comfort.
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