Looking for distractions from the heat wave this weekend? How about magic, mermaids, art, and an au natural bike ride to hold your interest?!

Harry Potter’s Birthday Celebration: July 29th-31st

Dress in your best costume and head to Kennedy School any day this weekend to celebrate Harry Potter’s birthday during Wizarding Weekend with your fellow muggles. For the most part, the birthday celebration is free to attend. Movie tickets and food are available for purchase. Kennedy School’s gym will transform into the Great Hall, where you can sit at your house table, take a Hogwarts student portrait, and begin the Horcrux Hunt. Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley are open all weekend for you to peruse our magical creations and goods from local artists and vendors. In the theater, you can watch all eight of the Harry Potter movies. Adult and children’s costume contests are held on Saturday and Sunday. New this year is movie trivia is on Friday night and book trivia is on Saturday. Here’s the full schedule so you can make the most of the weekend!

Mermaid Parade: July 30th

The Portlandia Mermaid Parade is an annual FREE, family friendly, and body positive event aimed at celebrating our community connection to Portland’s rivers, port history as well as celebrating all things mermaid and water myth related. The name ‘Portlandia’ is in honor of the river goddess sculpture created by Raymond Kaskey, currently located above the entrance of the Portland Building located in downtown PDX.

Naked Bike Ride: July 30th

As a part of a worldwide protest against the dependency on oil, this annual event has seen Portlanders pedaling au natural every June or July since 2004. (Fun fact: Portland’s Naked Bike Ride is the world’s largest, drawing 10,000 people in 2015.) The route is kept a secret, ride organizers only reveal the starting point in advance. Wherever the ride begins, the clothes come off and the body paint goes on, adding all sorts of flourishes to bicyclists’ birthday suits. Then, thousands of naked bike riders hit the roads, cruising commando through streets closed off to cars by (fully-clothed) Portland police officers. Never-nude medical personnel and bike mechanics are also on-hand, in case of emergencies.

Street Fair: July 31st

Montavilla Street Fair will bring 120+ local arts, crafts, food and retail vendors along with community organizations, live music and family activities to Historic Downtown Montavilla. Stroll down Stark Street and enjoy district businesses, a farmer’s market and family- friendly entertainment and activities. Vendors will be present at the event selling food and drink, art, handicrafts, and clothing, as well as marketing local products and services. Music will occur on three stages offering a diverse mix of local Portland music, including a kid’s stage in “Kid Villa.”