Portland Hosts Diwali Festival and Frybread Fest This Weekend
Two major cultural events open Native American Heritage Month and the Festival of Lights with free admission and community activities.
By Ivan Mori ·
Free admission is available for the Diwali Festival and Frybread Fest, two major cultural events scheduled for this weekend in Portland.
The Diwali Festival, a South Asian multifaith celebration, takes place Sunday, Nov. 8, at the Judy Kafoury Center for Youth Arts at 1000 SW Broadway. The event runs from 11 am to 1 pm. Northwest Children’s Theater is hosting the festivities, which include traditional activities such as creating rangoli floor art, making Diwali lanterns, and learning a diya lamp dance. Attendees will also sample Indian culinary treats. While the event is free, organizers suggest a $10 donation per family.
Frybread Fest begins Native American Heritage Month on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Director Park, 815 SW Park Ave. The annual celebration runs from 11 am to 7 pm and costs nothing to enter. The daylong event features Native vendors, live music, food, and performances. Traditional demonstrations, including basket weaving and hide tanning, are part of the program. Participants can also join a drum circle with Turquoise Pride.
Other events in the Nov. 4 to 10 schedule include a mushroom identification hike in Forest Park on Friday, Nov. 6. The free hike runs from 10 am to noon at the Germantown Trailhead. It focuses on learning about regional fungi, seasonal patterns, and safe foraging practices rather than collecting mushrooms.
Audrey Luna, a Grammy Award-winning soprano, will lead a masterclass at Lewis & Clark College on Wednesday, Nov. 4. The session runs from 3 to 6 pm at Evans Auditorium, 615 S Palatine Hill Road. Luna will work with students from Lewis & Clark and Portland State University. She will also deliver a lecture on the business of singing. The event is free and open to all ages.
The Portland Art Museum hosts Live Wire on Thursday, Nov. 5, from 4:30 to 9 pm at 1219 SW Park Ave. The event combines free pop-up performances with a ticketed radio taping. Performers include poet and rapper Dessa, children’s author Mac Barnett, Pulitzer Prize finalist Ed Park, and comedian Mx. Dahlia Belle. The seated show is hosted by Luke Burbank and features announcer Elena Passarello. Tickets for the Live Wire show start at $15.
Pancakes and Booze returns to the Hawthorne Theatre on Saturday, Nov. 7, for its 15th year. The event runs from 8 pm to midnight at 1507 SE 39th Ave. Admission is $17 for those 21 and older. The show features more than 75 emerging artists presenting works in various media. Free pancakes are served throughout the night.
