Dave Knows Portland

Portland Halloween Weekend Amusements 2011

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Your Portland area options for Halloween weekend 2011 are fantastic. Below is my hand-picked selection of events, plus links to where you can find even more parties and events!

All Weekend

Friends of the LibraryFriends of the Library Fall Used Book Sale

The 2011 Friends of the Library Fall Used Book Sale takes place Friday through Monday, October 28 through 31, 2011 at the DoubleTree Hotel (1000 NE Multnomah St). [more]

SquishHowloween and the Squishing of the Squash at the Oregon Zoo

First up the Annual Squishing of the Squash takes place on Friday, October 28 2011 at 10:30am, in the elephant area. The elephants will get to take out their frustrations on a huge pumpkin . . .

And then Howloween at the Zoo takes place Saturday and Sunday October 29-30 2011, from 11am to 4pm. [more]

Friday-Saturday

Fresh French ShortsFresh French Shorts Show

Get your ticket now to Portland’s Fourth Annual Fresh French Shorts film festival showing on Friday, October 28 (7:00 p.m.) and Saturday, October 29 (2:00 p.m.) . . .

Co-presented by NW Film Center and the Alliance, the event features a unique, handpicked selection of recent shorts by emerging French directors [more]

Friday

Portland Art MuseumPortland Art Museum Free Day

Enjoy free admission to the Portland Art Museum (1219 SW Park) on Friday, October 24, 2011 from 5pm until 8pm.

The museum offers free admission ever fourth Friday (5pm-8pm) of the month . . . [more]

Saturday-Sunday

Amtrak Celebrates 40 YearsAmtrak 40th Anniversary Exhibit Train Stops in Portland

As part of Amtrak’s 40th Anniversary celebration the Amtrak Exhibit Train, a traveling display showcasing historic memorabilia, will make a stop at Portland’s Union Station on Saturday and Sunday, October 29 and 30, 2011. [more]

Saturday

PumpkinGreat Pumpkin Event at the PSU Farmer Market

The Portland Farmers Market invites the public to the 2011 Great Pumpkin Event on Saturday, October 29, 2011 at the PSU market.

“The . . . annual Halloween harvest celebration featuring a pumpkin carving contest and children’s costume parade around the market at noon.” [more]

Night of the Living AlesNight of the Living Ales – Halloween Fest!

The 2nd annual Night of the Living Ales takes place on Saturday, October 29, 2011. This year’s fest is a Halloween craft beer, burlesque, fire and live music fest held at Burnside Brewing (701 E. Burnside).

First things first – the beer list . . . [more]

Sunday

Women of Wonder DayWomen of Wonder Day

Women of Wonder Day, the day formerly known as Wonder Woman Day, returns to Portland’s Excalibur Comics (2444 SE Hawthorne) this Sunday, October 30, 2011 from noon until 6pm . . . [more]

PDX Freak ShowPDX Freak Show 2011

The first annual PDX Freak Show, a Halloween costume party, takes place Sunday, October 30, 2011 at 1512 W Burnside.

The PDX Freak Show is an annual Halloween party to celebrate folks who work hard to make Portland a vibrant film community . . . every single person who participates in the film industry on any level! [more]

Halloween Day

Tour of Untimely DeparturesTour of Untimely Departures at Lone Fir Cemetery

The Tour of Untimely Departures returns to Lone Fir Cemetery this Halloween night, October 31, 2011.

“Meet some of Lone Fir’s “residents” at their graves and hear the unusual circumstances surrounding their untimely departures. Ghostly guides will also share some of the history on Lone Fir as they take you through the cemetery on a path lit with candles.” [more]

Shakespeare smells the roseTheatre on Halloween Night Anyone?

While most Portland theatres will be dark on Halloween, Richard III will be haunting the stage for a special Halloween performance and “scaring” the living daylights out of all who stand between him and the throne. [more]

And Lots More!

For even more Halloween weekend events and activities, check out Shadow Over Portland, and qPDX – and of course the usual suspects too: Around the Sun, Blogging Portland on the Cheap, PDX Pipeline, and Oregon Events at OregonLive.com.

Friends of the Library Fall Used Book Sale (October 28-31, 2011)

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Fall Used Book SaleThe 2011 Friends of the Library Fall Used Book Sale takes place Friday through Monday, October 28 through 31, 2011 at the DoubleTree Hotel (1000 NE Multnomah St).

100,000 Items at Great Prices

  • Audio tapes
  • CDs and DVDs
  • Gently used books
  • Maps and sheet music
  • Children’s books, pocket-sized paperbacks start: .50
  • Hardcover books, large paperbacks start: $1.50

The 38th annual sale opens Friday for members only from 6-9pm. Non-members can join Friends of the Library on site or online. Basic memberships are only $10, family memberships $15.

Saturday through Monday the sale is open to the general public. Hours Saturday are 9am to 6pm, Sunday 11am to 5pm, and Monday 9am to 3pm. Monday is 50% discount day!

Proceeds of the sale directly support the Multnomah County Library system.

Women of Wonder Day (30-October-2011)

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Women of Wonder Day 2011Women of Wonder Day, the day formerly known as Wonder Woman Day, returns to Portland’s Excalibur Comics (2444 SE Hawthorne) this Sunday, October 30, 2011 from noon until 6pm.

From 2006-2010, five WONDER WOMAN DAY events raised over $110,000 for Domestic Violence charity programs!

Now, WOMEN OF WONDER DAY will do the same in three cities!

Art and Collectible Auctions, Guests Creators, and Costumed Characters mark this as one of the year’s most heroic events!

We will be auctioning Artwork, Collectibles, and Autographed Items featuring many
“Women of Wonder”

Wonder Woman, Lois Lane, She-Hulk, Storm, Michonne from Walking Dead, Witchblade, Leetah from ElfQuest, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, Ripley from Aliens, Marge Simpson, Princess Leia, Sookie Stackhouse, Hermione Granger, or others…

This free heroic charity event takes place during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and is a benefit for Portland’s Bradley Angle House.

Again this year, it’s official; Mayor Sam Adams has declared Sunday to be Women of Wonder Day (pdf) in Portland!

Special guests will be present offering sketches, autographs, and free prints. Take photos and meet of members of the PDX Yar Pirate Clan, Trek in the Park, superheroes, and more.

Visit the Wonder of Wonder Day website for more details, including more on the benefit auction items and special guests.

October 13, 1995: Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden Dedicated at Grant Park

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Statues at Grant ParkThe Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden in Northeast Portland’s Grant Park was dedicated on October 13, 1995.

Ramona Quimby is the beloved young heroine of Beverly Cleary’s whimsical books about growing up in Northeast Portland. She has been immortalized in the Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden for Children in Portland’s Grant Park (which is four blocks from the real Klickitat Street).

Portland artist Lee Hunt sculpted the statues of the three Cleary characters in clay, and then had them cast in bronze. Fountains are under Ramona’s and Ribsy’s feet, perfect for kids to splash in during warm weather. Around the concrete fountain slab are granite plaques engraved with the titles of the Cleary books that take place in Portland. These include all the Henry Huggins books, Ribsy, Otis Spofford and all the books involving Ramona and her older sister Beezus.

Over 1000 people were in attendance at the dedication, where Beverly Cleary shared stories about growing up in the neighborhood and playing as a child at Grant Park in 1930s.

Brainstorm: Explore the Genesis of Innovation, Part 2 (10-October-2011)

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BrainstormOMSI and Portland Monthly present part two of the OMSI Science Pub talk series Brain Storm: Exploring the Genesis of Innovation this Monday, October 10, 2011 at the Bagdad Theater (3702 SE Hawthorne).

The talks are part of “Brain Storm,” a unique collaboration between OMSI and Portland Monthly to explore creative thinking in science, business, health, technology, and the arts. From a field of 130 nominees, a jury of peers selected 12 leading innovators whose work, creative processes, and personal stories are being presented through an interactive display at OMSI, a series of profiles in Portland Monthly, and onstage in conversation with Portland Monthly editor in chief Randy Gragg.

This week’s guests are Annette von Jouanne – Electrical Engineer and Professor at Oregon State University, Pioneer in wave energy technology; Joe Sacco – Journalist & Cartoonist, Author of Palestine, Safe Area Gorazde, and Footnotes in Gaza; and Naomi Pomeroy – Owner of Beast, Award-winning chef.

The doors of the Bagdad open at 5pm, program begins at 7pm. $5 is the suggested admission. Minors are permitted if accompanied by parent or guardian.

The Brain Storm series continues, each Monday through October 24th.