Admission is free for all events below. Have a great weekend!

Friday, November 13

Visit Pioneer Courthouse Square at noon to welcome this year’s Christmas tree. Festivities include a visit from Santa and local dignitaries.

Saturday, November 14

Discover local groups dedicated to a variety of interests (some of them offbeat) at the Keep Portland Weird! Festival. The event also includes a swap for kids clothes, maternity clothes, and toys.

Sunday, November 15

See The Features in concert at Music Millennium.

Head to Camas for a concert by the Southwest Washington Wind Symphony.

More events

For more free concerts, see Concert Co-op.

Other articles from Around the Sun:

• November 5, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Nov 6–Nov 8 (Highlights Edition)
• October 29, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Oct 30–Nov 1 (Highlights Edition)
• October 22, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Oct 23–25 (Highlights Edition)

Take the kids to the Portland Children’s Museum.

Go gallery hopping at the Central Eastside Art Walk.

Head to Camas for a food sampling event at this month’s Camas Art Walk.

Enjoy family activities and entertainment at the Multnomah Arts Center Open House.

Take a free writing workshop at Ibex Studios: Adventures in Creative Writing at 6:00 pm.

Saturday, November 7

Meet Trail Blazers’ guard Andre Miller at the grand opening celebration of the new DICK’s Sporting Goods at Lake Oswego’s Meridian Square.

Meet and mingle with local printers, book/zine artists, and other proponents of DIY print democracy, take part in educational print demos, and more at the Power of the Press Fair at Portland Center Stage.

Head to Vancouver for the 23rd Annual Veterans Parade.

Take the kids to a new musical puppet show from Penny’s Puppet Productions at the Northwest Library.

Join chef and author, Jean Johnson, at Capitol Hill Library for her presentation “Harvest Bounty from Thailand to the Hopi Mesas to Mexico.” Jean will share simple measure-free recipes and insights from her travels.

See Lou Barlow perform at Music Millennium.

If you’re a Bank of America customer, visit the Portland Art Museum and the Pittock Mansion for free.

Sunday, November 8

Visit the Portland Art Museum and enjoy a day of special events.

Head to Kennedy School for a day of free workshops on a wide range of topics of concern and interest to women. This event is part of the 2009 Siren Nation Festival.

If you’re a Bank of America customer, visit the Pittock Mansion for free.

See German theatre group Grotest Maru give a performance inspired by the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Meet David Javerbaum, producer for The Daily Show with Jon Stewart and 11-time Emmy Award winner, and hear him talk about his latest book, “What to Expect When You’re Expected: A Fetus’s Guide to the First Three Trimesters.”

Learn about the Children’s Book Bank at its open house.

More events

For more free and low-cost events, check Portland on the Cheap.

For free concerts, see Concert Co-op.

If you know of any other free events happening this weekend, please write a comment about it.

Other articles from Around the Sun:

• November 12, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Nov 13–15 (Highlights Edition)
• October 29, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Oct 30–Nov 1 (Highlights Edition)
• October 22, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Oct 23–25 (Highlights Edition)

Friday, October 30

Visit the Davis Graveyard, a Milwaukie home turned Halloween spectacle.

In Oregon City, head to Main Street for safe trick-or-treating.

Trick-or-treat in Old Town Sherwood. Admission is one can of food.

Saturday, October 31

Halloween/fall events (kid-friendly):

• Visit the Davis Graveyard, a Milwaukie home turned Halloween spectacle.
• Trick-or-treat at Pix Patisserie. After 5:00 pm, free treats to those in costume.
• Decorate a treat sack, trick-or-treat and join the costume parade at Portland Saturday Market.
• Trick-or-treat at businesses in the Pearl District.
• Celebrate Halloween with young adult authors Susan Fletcher, Laura Whitcomb, and Pam Smith-Hill at A Children’s Place Bookstore.
• Trick-or-treat at businesses in downtown Gresham.
• Hear not-so-spooky stories and join a costume parade at Woodstock Library.
• Head to Kennedy School for trick-or-treating and more. 
• Enjoy trick-or-treating and other activities at Warner Pacific College.
• Trick-or-treat at businesses on Main Street in Tigard from 3:30 pm–5:30 pm.
• Enjoy games, crafts, treats and more at the Woodstock Community Center.
• Dress up your dog and join the Doggie Costume Parade at Streets of Tanasbourne.
• Enjoy pumpkin decorating, storytelling and more at the Wilsonville Harvest Festival.
• Watch people in giant pumpkins race across the lake at Tualatin Commons at the Giant Pumpkin Regatta.
• Bring your kids to the Lake Oswego Harvest Fest for games, treats and more.

Halloween events (adults only):

• Enjoy comedy, pumpkin smashing and more at Doug Fir. Free admission with costume.
• Dance the night away at Edgefield.

Other events:

• Watch professional and amateur snowboarders compete for cash and prizes at the Backyard Bang Rail Jam.
• Learn about lead poisoning prevention and get free blood lead testing at the Multicultural Healthy Kids Healthy Homes Fair.

Sunday, November 1

Celebrate the Day of the Dead at Someday Lounge and join a parade through Old Town.

Visit Miracle Theatre at noon to hear original stories and poetry written for the Day of the Dead.

More events

For more events (free and not free) and deals, visit Portland on the Cheap.

For free concerts, visit Concert Co-op.

For book events, visit Reading Local.

Other articles from Around the Sun:

• November 12, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Nov 13–15 (Highlights Edition)
• November 5, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Nov 6–Nov 8 (Highlights Edition)
• October 22, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Oct 23–25 (Highlights Edition)

Friday, October 23

Visit the Portland Art Museum free from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Saturday, October 24

Get involved in the International Day of Climate Action by attending a free event.

Enjoy family fun at West Linn’s Spooky Stroll Halloween Parade & Event.

Head to Gresham for the Harvest Faire.

Bring the family to the Happy Valley Harvest Fest.

Dress up your pet for the Pet Spooktacular at Jantzen Beach Center.

Hear Sean Tejaratchi, creator of the zine “Craphound,” and Chloe Eudaly, founder of Reading Frenzy, speak at the Central Library.

Enjoy a selection of classics and new compositions performed on viola and piano by Stephen Price at the Old Church.

Sunday, October 25

Learn about biking with kids and demo a huge selection of family biking products at Family Bicycle Transportation Day.

Celebrate Wonder Woman Day at Excalibur Comics.

Watch or join the Monster March parade in Westmoreland.

Celebrate Halloween early at the Spooktacular LGBT Family Party at Q Center.

Take a nature walk in West Linn with local artists.

More events

For more free and low-cost events, visit Portland on the Cheap.

For free concerts, visit Concert Co-op.

For book events, visit Reading Local.

Other articles from Around the Sun:

• November 12, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Nov 13–15 (Highlights Edition)
• November 5, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Nov 6–Nov 8 (Highlights Edition)
• October 29, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Oct 30–Nov 1 (Highlights Edition)

All weekend

Sample more than 60 varieties of apples and pears at the Portland Nursery Apple Tasting Event.

Friday, October 16

Check out the free concert and PC gaming night at Old Town Computers (see this Willamette Week article for more information).

Saturday, October 17

Enjoy Irish music, oyster shucking lessons, and more at Paddy’s Oyster Fest.

Listen to and participate in Sacred Harp shape note singing at the Sacred Harp Singing Convention.

Head out to Gresham for the Salmon Festival.

Hear author Tom Spanbauer speak at the Central Library.

Meet horror writer Joe Schreiber and hear about his new book “Star Wars: Death Troopers” at Powell’s Books at Cedar Hills Crossing.

Celebrate the release of the latest issue of the “Ink-Filled Page,” a locally produced literary anthology.

Get a free vision test for your kids and learn about organizations and services in the Beaverton area at the Family Resource Fair.

Enjoy free hands-on activities for kids at the Lloyd Center Barnes and Noble.

Celebrate the release of the “Where the Wild Things Are” movie at the Hillsboro Main Library.

Sunday, October 18

Listen to and participate in Sacred Harp shape note singing at the Sacred Harp Singing Convention.

Head out to Gresham for the Salmon Festival.

Enjoy free hands-on activities for kids at the Lloyd Center Barnes and Noble.

More events

For more free and low-cost events, check Portland on the Cheap.

For free concerts, see Concert Co-op.

For an extensive list of free and not-free literary events, check Reading Local.

If you know of any other free events happening this weekend, please write a comment about it.

Other articles from Around the Sun:

• December 28, 2008 — How to Get a Discount From Comcast: Ask for It
• August 20, 2009 — Taking a Break
• August 14, 2007 — “…making a big fuss out of an adult shopping in a junior’s section”

All weekend

Sample more than 60 varieties of apples and pears at the Portland Nursery Apple Tasting Event.

Saturday, October 10

Head to Oaks Park for the Oregon Bounty Fresh Hop Beer Tastival.

Learn to use a letterpress at the Red Bat Press Open Studio.

Visit Gresham for the Salmon Festival.

Enjoy free admission and family activities at the Washington County Museum.

Meet Oregon Book Award winner Deborah Hopkinson and illustrator Carson Ellis at A Children’s Place Bookstore.

Rub elbows with a stormtrooper at the LEGO Star Wars: Visual Dictionary Launch Event at Barnes and Noble in Clackamas Town Center.

Sunday, October 11

Check out Goat Day in Wilsonville.

Listen to a variety of music at “We Are the World” Cultural Celebration Day in Tigard.

See the documentary “Come Together Home” at Someday Lounge.

Visit Gresham for the Salmon Festival.

More events

For more free and low-cost events, check Portland on the Cheap.

For free concerts, see Concert Co-op.

For an extensive list of free and not-free literary events, check Reading Local.

If you know of any other free events happening this weekend, please write a comment about it.

Other articles from Around the Sun:

• November 12, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Nov 13–15 (Highlights Edition)
• November 5, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Nov 6–Nov 8 (Highlights Edition)
• October 29, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Oct 30–Nov 1 (Highlights Edition)

In the coming months, I’ll be working on redesigning the site. My goal is that the new site will look more like a calendar with some cool search capabilities that will make it easy to find free events in your area any day of the week.

As I work on redesigning the site, I am going to continue the “highlights edition” of this weekly post. If you have any feedback on this change, let me know. Thanks!

Now for this weekend’s free events.

All weekend

Check out the Greek Festival, Oregon Manifest (a celebration of the art, craft and community of bicycling) or the Northwest Gathering on the Economic and Ecological Crises.

Friday, October 2

Spend the evening at the Portland Children’s Museum, the Central Eastside Art Walk, First Friday in Multnomah Village, or the Camas Art Walk.

Saturday, October 3

Celebrate A Children’s Place Bookstore 35th anniversary

Go on a guided walk of the Northeast Portland landscape that inspired Beverly Cleary’s best-selling children’s books

Swap art materials at The 100th Monkey Studio

Check out the Mid-Autumn Festival, one of the oldest and best-loved holidays in Vietnam and China

Head to Vancouver for the Old Apple Tree Festival

See the World Film Festival at Beaverton Library

If you’re a Bank of America customer, visit the Portland Art Museum or Pittock Mansion for free

Sunday, October 4

See the Trailblazers scrimage by picking up tickets at any Wells Fargo location or showing your Wells Fargo check/credit card at the door

See Ralph Nader talk about his new book at Powell’s City of Books on Burnside

If you’re a Bank of America customer, visit the Portland Art Museum or Pittock Mansion for free

Get tickets for select live theatre performances that will take place on October 15 

More events

For more free and low-cost events, check Portland on the Cheap. For free concerts, see Concert Co-op.

If you know of any other free events happening this weekend, please write a comment about it.

Other articles from Around the Sun:

• November 12, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Nov 13–15 (Highlights Edition)
• November 5, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Nov 6–Nov 8 (Highlights Edition)
• October 29, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Oct 30–Nov 1 (Highlights Edition)

Friday, September 25

David Cross, best known for TV’s “Mr. Show” and “Arrested Development,” will talk about his book at 12:00 pm at Powell’s City of Books on Burnside.

Admission to the Portland Art Museum is free from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm.

Bela Fleck, Zakir Hussain, and Edgar Meyer will perform at Music Millennium.

Saturday, September 26

It’s Museum Day. Get a free admission ticket from the Smithsonian website. The ticket is good at the Architectural Heritage Center, Oregon History Museum, Oregon Nikkei Legacy Center, Pittock Mansion, Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals, and World Forestry Center Discovery Museum.

Today’s free events include the Polish Festival, “Welcome the Rain” Festival, Fun on Foster Festival & Art Walk, a guided walk in Balch Creek and the Lower Macleay Park Loop, a guided walk of the Oregon Electric Railroad section of the Fanno Creek Greenway Trail, and the grand opening celebration of Pittman Addition HydroPark. Gresham hosts the Teddy Bear Parade, Symphonic Safari, and Transportation Safety Fair.

Sunday, September 27

Free events include the Polish Festival, McMenamins Oktoberfest, NW Film Center’s Young People’s Film & Video Festival, a guided hike in Mount Talbert Nature Park, and a class called Understanding Real Estate Investment and the Foreclosure Market.

More free events

You can find information on a few more free events at Portland on the Cheap. For free concerts, check Concert Co-op.

Other articles from Around the Sun:

• November 12, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Nov 13–15 (Highlights Edition)
• November 5, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Nov 6–Nov 8 (Highlights Edition)
• October 29, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Oct 30–Nov 1 (Highlights Edition)

Friday, September 18

The Kidical Mass Family Bike Ride takes place tonight. BikePortland has the details.

Saturday, September 19

Lots going on today: Alberta Street Fair, Biketoberfest, Slabtown Festival, Green Renaissance Fair, a guided walk at Kelley Point Park and Smith & Bybee Lakes, and the Beaverton Celebration Parade and Beaverton Old Town Festival. Kids events include Healthy Kids Day, The Science of Lewis and Clark, and the Children’s Book Fair. 

Also, check the PDX Jazz website for details on a new series of free jazz performances at The ArtBar on select Fridays and Saturdays starting on September 19.

Sunday, September 20

The Green Renaissance Fair continues. The Central Library will host a preview of Portland Opera’s “La Boheme.” Woodstock Library will host The Poetry & Music of Ancient Mexico. And from the world of local authors, craft book authors Susan Beal, Diane Gilleland and Alicia Paulson will talk about crafting at Hollywood Library, and authors Carola Dunn and Judy Nedry will present their books at Murder by the Book.

More free events

You can find information on a few more free events at Portland on the Cheap. For free concerts, check Concert Co-op.

If you know of any other free events happening this weekend, please write a comment about it.

Other articles from Around the Sun:

• November 12, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Nov 13–15 (Highlights Edition)
• November 5, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Nov 6–Nov 8 (Highlights Edition)
• October 29, 2009 — Free Events in Portland: Oct 30–Nov 1 (Highlights Edition)

On Friday, enjoy music, food and drink at The Pearl Party on NW 13th Ave, between Hoyt and Irving. At Powell’s Books on Hawthorne, local authors Tom Spanbauer, Sara Guest, Colin Farstaad, Kevin Meyer and Tami Lynn Kent will reflect on the tragic events of September 11, 2001.

On Saturday, check out the Belmont Street Fair, Old Town Block Party, Aquifer Adventure, the Widmer Brothers Oktoberfest, the Oregon History Museum, or the Portland Dragon Boat Race. BodyVox is offering free dance classes. Rides on the MAX Green Line are free, and grand opening parties will be held at Pioneer Courthouse Square and the Ramona Street stop. Tigard is hosting its annual Family Fest. The West Linn Arts Festival takes place today and tomorrow.

On Sunday, check out the Young Audiences Artist Showcase at Multnomah Art Center or meet the creators of the “Spiderwick Chronicles,” Holly Black and Tony DiTerlizzi, at A Children’s Place Bookstore. Laura Foster, author of “Walk There!” will lead a tour of the Pearl District. The Portland Dragon Boat Race and West Linn Arts Festival continue.

If you know of any other free events happening this weekend, please write a comment about it.

Other articles from Around the Sun:

• December 28, 2008 — How to Get a Discount From Comcast: Ask for It
• August 20, 2009 — Taking a Break
• August 14, 2007 — “…making a big fuss out of an adult shopping in a junior’s section”