City Cast Portland
🎶 Follow the sounds of summer to St. Johns
May 17, 2026 · — Ben McBee
Portlanders, be proud of your Pulitzer Prize-winning orchestra. The Oregon Symphony recently earned the accolade thanks to its commission of Gabriela Lena Frank’s “Picaflor: A future myth,” which you can hear for yourself at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall this October.
In this week’s newsletter, we’re exploring a more al fresco expression of the city’s musical talent in a neighborhood that marches to the beat of its own drum — St. Johns.
What To Do
Sunday, May 17
- 😂 Corey O'Brien | Helium Comedy Club (Hosford-Abernethy)
- 💃 The Teasy Belle | The Victorian Belle Mansion (Kenton)
- 🔥 Be Wildfire Aware: Free Day at the Discovery Museum | World Forestry Center (Washington Park)
- 🌸 Pink! Rosé Festival | Hillsboro Ballpark (Hillsboro)
- 🎶 Make Our Garden Grow: Chamber Choir and Alumni 50th Anniversary Celebration | Portland's First United Methodist Church (Goose Hollow)
- 🎵 Portland Jewish Music Festival 2026 (last day) | Eastside Jewish Commons (Kerns)
- 🎭 Fat Ham (last day) | Portland Center Stage at The Armory (Pearl District)
- 🖼️ 19th Annual Mt. Tabor Art Walk (last day) | Mt. Tabor (various locations)
Monday, May 18
- 🎤 It's Gonna Be OK Comedy | EastBurn (Kerns)
- 🎭 Skinny Dip: Open Stage Variety Show | Deep End Theater (Ladd's Addition)
- 🎸 Gatecreeper | Polaris Hall (Humboldt)
- 🌲 Cascadia Day Portland 2026 | Taborspace (Mt. Tabor)
- 🎬 The Abomination (1988) | Clinton Street Theater (Hosford-Abernethy)
This isn’t the finale, but rather a segue to the songs yet to come in St. Johns, courtesy of the Cathedral Park Jazz Festival (July 17-19). It’s free and fun for the whole family, with food trucks on site as well as a beer and wine garden. Stay tuned for the lineup announcement.
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