Portland summer weekend guide: Fun before the heat wave
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Illustration: Maura Losch/Axios
The weather should be lovely this weekend, so get out and play before a heat wave is expected to send temperatures into triple digits early next week.
From stargazing to elephant garlic, there's plenty to do!
✨ If you can't make it to Oregon's dark sky park in Prineville to watch the Perseid meteor shower peaking this weekend, try the OMSI Star Party at Rooster Rock State Park in the Columbia Gorge Saturday night.
- Astronomers will bring the big telescopes but feel free to bring your own, or binoculars too. Lawn chair and blankets optional. Free, $5 parking. Starts at sunset.
🎭 Catch the adults-only puppet-show spoof on Gilbert and Sullivan's "The Mikado" opera. Kicks off with a half-hour pre-show wine and cheese meet & greet. Saturday and Sunday, plus three shows next weekend. 7:30pm at the Portland Puppet Museum in Sellwood. $20.
📚 Story time at the Portland State University Farmers Market focuses on Chinese art, culture and identity. Appropriate for kids pre-K through early elementary. ASL interpretation. Saturday, 10am-noon, in front of the PSU library. Free.
🪨 A special after-hours evening is being offered for members of Portland's Black community to enjoy rock climbing at Movement Portland in the Pearl. Sunday, 6:30pm, $12.50.
🧄 Elephant garlic gets fêted at the annual festival in North Plains. Crafts, a book sale and half-marathon, plus a garlic parade, beer garden and music lineup. Friday, noon to 11pm; Saturday, 10am to 11pm; and Sunday, 10am to 4pm. Free admission.
🌶️ Try hot takes on hot sauce — BBQ, vegan and more — at the Hot Sauce Expo. You can also enter hot stuff eating contests; there's a $1,000 prize for a reaper pepper eating world record challenge. Saturday and Sunday, 10am to 6pm, 1945 SE Water Ave. (the dirt lot just south of OMSI). $10 general admission.
🍨 And for a sweeter taste sensation, relish Portland's blackberry season at this weekend's blackberry jasmine ice cream pop-up at the Steven Smith Tea tasting room. Saturday, noon–4pm, 500 NW 23rd.