From painters to playwrights, from DJs to indigenous dancers. Art and artists come in many forms. Tap into your inner artist at these creatively driven weekend events…

June 28th – Rose Festival Art Show

Everybody knows that Portland is all about roses. From our rose test gardens to the rose parade, from rose lined yards to rose lattes – we take roses seriously in this town! The Rose Festival is known for an array of fun events, but its origin is in honor of the natural beauty of the rose. 100+ years later, the Rose Festival still celebrates this fragrant flower and all who are inspired by it. This Friday afternoon is an art show that will showcase the works of local artists of all ages and walks of life. The main subject of these pieces is, you guessed it, the rose. There will also be pieces that depict Rose Festival celebrations of years passed, Portland landscapes, and other PNW-centric images. Support your local artists and the beauty of the rose at the Oregon Society of Artists for a classy and cultured evening out.

June 28th – 30th – World Beat Festival

Typically, in order to experience a vast array of cultural traditions, you’d have to take an airplane overseas or a very long car ride south. This weekend, all that stands between you and a cultural rainbow is a trip to Salem’s Riverfront Park. This is a unique opportunity to explore the musical makeup of the rest of the world. Here in the US, music follows a scale that is specific to the western world. In Asia, the Middle East, and many other places on Earth, musical scales birth melodies that differ greatly from American radio hits. At the World Beat Festival, the diverse sounds of our world await you! With colorful dance performances, musical workshops, a parade, and children’s activities, this event will be music to your ears. The World Beat’s philosophy is simple: we all have something to learn from one another, and we all have something to teach.

June 30th – Picnic in the Park

Summer is a ton of fun at Gateway Park, and this weekend is no different. Relax and socialize this Sunday at Picnic in the Park! This is no ordinary picnic. There will be a live DJ to set the fun-loving mood, and comically large board games to keep it going. Bring your kids or your fur baby, meet up with your most-loved group of pals, or surprise your significant-other with a mellow afternoon date. Pack your favorite picnic lunch or pick something up from the food vendors on site. All you need to do to prepare is put a smile (and maybe a little sunscreen) on your face!

June 29th – Comedy of Errors

Sometimes you just need to laugh! Even in the 16^th century, people knew that laughter is the best medicine. This Saturday, you can enjoy comedy from that very era in William Shakespeare’s Comedy of Errors. While a Shakespeare play would be entertaining in any space, beneath the giant poplar tree at the Beaverton Library sounds perfect for a warm summer evening. For a family (and pocketbook) friendly experience, bring some blankets and a picnic dinner. If you’re craving a little more romance, you can reserve seats and order a sweet treat from the dessert vendor sponsoring the event. Regardless of the way you choose to experience this outdoor comedy, you can expect to get your giggle on. There will be sword fighting demonstrations, Elizabethan poetry, and madrigal singers in addition to the play.