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City Cast Portland

Ben McBee

Despite being located on the city's periphery, St. Johns is a neighborhood built on connection; to the past — its 

 stands at the site of a Lewis and Clark campsite — and the future. Come back in 2030 to see what’s inside the 

 (spoiler: there’s ash from Mt. St. Helens). Here are some more imminent things to look forward to.

🎸 Why To Visit This Week: Tunes On Deck

Cathedral Park is known for its gorgeous views of the Willamette and hosting live shows throughout the warmer months. Just up the hill in the heart of St. Johns, the 

Cathedral Park Performing Arts Collective

 fosters that connection to music through kids classes, camps, and community engagement, like the 

, happening every second and fourth Saturday, May through September on the front lawn of their building at 7528 N. Charleston Ave.

It’s a great opportunity to come out and support local musicians — 

 will perform on this Saturday, May 23 — while shopping at the 

In St. Johns, you can enjoy cuisines from every corner of the world, just steps apart.

 serves Bavarian pretzels with fondue and schnitzel the size of your hand.

, which still sports the vintage gas pumps from the building's previous life.

🍲 Eat elegant and gluten-free Korean fare at 

🥖 For a more refined dining experience, check out the French-inspired 

☕ To fight the caffeine cravings, check out 

🍺 Craft beer is big business ‘round here as well, from 

. For an even more refreshing beverage in the spring heat, perhaps a cucumber limoncello slushy from 

 is in order. And of course, we can't forget City Cast Portland's favorite bar — 

The Columbia and the Willamette converge at 

; bring a blanket for a picnic on the sand and marvel at the cargo ships passing by like floating skyscrapers.

On a sunny late spring day before water levels drop, kayakers can navigate the labyrinthine waterways at 

, observing wildlife like beavers and great blue herons.

Pier Park is the only official place to play disc golf within city limits, which claims to be the 

Artist Mike Bennett’s signature cartoons at 

 set a whimsical scene for a round of indoor mini golf (

Pier Park is also now home to the beloved 

; the public is invited inside the gates to interact with the animals Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., or say hi anytime through the fence.

Formerly one of the city's top local music venues, 

 is now home to an all-ages barcade, where you can test your pinball and retro video game skills.

Finally, make sure your memories last with a visit to 

, inside Blue Moon Camera. It's a fascinating tribute to film and photography.

Did we miss some of your St. Johns favorites? Send us a line to share your recs.

St. Johns recs

📲 Your St. Johns Recommendations

Despite being located on the city's periphery, St. Johns is a neighborhood built on connection; to the past — its iconic green-arched bridge stands at the site of a Lewis and Clark campsite — and the future. 

Your guide to Portland's St. Johns neighborhood

Your guide to St. Johns

The Weekly Wander

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The Weekly Wander newsletter is your neighborhood guide filled with hidden gems and unexpected ways to explore Portland, OR. Get it in your inbox every Sunday.

The Weekly Wander by City Cast Portland

For a neighborhood built on and around an extinct volcano, Mt. Tabor is remarkably peaceful. You won’t catch a whiff of fire and brimstone, and 

, but there’s one thing for certain — it is a place where people go to find themselves — and this coming Saturday, there’s a reason to go see it.

🎨 Why To Visit This Week: Art From The Heart

This coming weekend, expect a palpable air of creativity as the neighborhood welcomes the annual 

 (Sat., May 16 - Sun., May 17). It’s an opportunity for the public to meet and support 41 artists who live and work in the area. You’re invited into homes, studios, and other spaces where you can browse ceramics, fiber art, glass, jewelry, mixed-media, painting, photography, sculpture, and more.

The sunny May weather is glorious for a picnic on the lawn above 

 or a stroll up to Mt. Tabor Park’s summit viewpoint for a glimpse of the distant skyscrapers. This side of Mt. Tabor Park is a classic Portland spot to catch the sunset.

On the southern edge you’ll find a sizable 

🍻 Food & Drink: Eat, Drink, and Be Merry

The Mt. Tabor menu is on the shorter side but still plenty memorable, whether you’re in search of a fresh brew or a bite to eat.

 This community center has it all, from rose lattes (courtesy of 

: Every ‘hood needs a pod, and this one has some heavy hitters like 

 Woman-owned, family-run, and kosher are three adjectives that are just the foam on the pint. Small-batch craft beer comes with 

 If you fantasize about playing tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons & Dragons inside an actual tavern, dream no more… 

 James Beard Award-nominated chef Katy Millard prepares seasonal farm-to-table fare alongside a wine menu to make any oenophile weep happy tears. The next-door market offers pastries and sandwiches by day before turning into Katy Jane’s: An Oyster Bar in the evening.

📲 Did we miss some of your Mt. Tabor favorites? Send us a 

Mt. Tabor recs

📲 Your Mt. Tabor Recommendations

For a neighborhood built on and around an extinct volcano, Mt. Tabor is remarkably peaceful. You won’t catch a whiff of fire and brimstone, and miracles may be hard to come by, but there’s one thing for certain — it is a place where people go to find themselves — and this coming Saturday, there’s a reason to go see it.

Your Guide to Portland's Mt. Tabor

Your Guide to Mt. Tabor

City Cast Portland staff

May is such a lovely month. Here are some ways to make the most of it:

The City Cast Portland-inspired holiday to celebrate our city is back — on Sunday, May 3 (5/03), in honor of the area code. This year, Ankeny Alley and the Portland Bureau of the Transportation are 

 — like what we had last year. Karaoke From Hell as well as City Councilor Jamie Dunphy are among the performers. The mayor’s going to be there 

to ceremonially light up the new Pink District

 will have a brunch cocktail — called a Think Pink Martini — for $5.03 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. 

 is going to offer two Voodoo Dolls for $5.03 (regularly priced at $5 each); they’ll have a 503 Day message on them. At 

, tap beers and well drinks will cost just $5.03.

🌷 Mother’s Day Brunch | Sun., May 10

If you’re looking to treat Mom mom right, there are some fancy options available for brunch:

 has a three-course Mother’s Day weekend brunch ($55).

 with the chef of a classic New England diner — 

run-down of other tasty ways to treat Mom.

. There are competitive primary elections in some Oregon statehouse races as well as some judgeships. As always, it’s a good idea to consult the state 

 (it’s more like a book — you learn a surprising amount). And there are county specific ones (

Newspaper’s editorial board endorsements:

 I recommend a read of the endorsements — even if you don’t necessarily agree with who they picked, you’ll learn something. The Oregonian has already 

published their endorsement issue yesterday

Look for a newspaper box around town, since their website can be buggy.

Also happening this month are the downtown 

centennial celebration of the Burnside Bridge

events listings for more events throughout the month

From Mother's Day brunches to 503 Day celebrations to the Primary Election, there's going on in Portland this month.

Your Guide to May 2026 in Portland, Oregon

Your Guide to May 2026 in Portland

Find the best of everything that Portland has to offer.

Portland’s Best

Portland's Best

Out on the Oregon Coast, April means it’s time to 

celebrate the puffin’s seasonal return to Cannon Beach

It’s also time to pay taxes (including the 

local ones for arts, homeless services, and preschools

Here’s some other happenings this month:

There are plenty of reasons to be excited about food and drink this month, starting today:

This afternoon, you can sample sourdough bread from the best bakers around. It’s the second annual celebration of National Sourdough Day. (We’re so into sourdough, shouldn’t this be an official city holiday?)

There are plenty of bagel shops around town (I like 

), but everyone seems to hope for even better options. Baker Madilyn Gibbons has been 

selling her bagels at farmers markets and Puff Coffee

, but now will have her own shop in the Creston-Kenilworth neighborhood.

most anticipated restaurant and bar openings

 coming this spring and summer — including one that opened in the last several days: 

Get yourself some crab at this local festival on the Oregon Coast. (Hat tip to our contributor Brianna Wheeler for this one.)

There are a couple chances to make sure your voice is heard this month:

The city is preparing for its next budget year by hearing from Portlanders. (Hat tip to senior creative producer Giulia Fiaoni for this one.)

Catch the one in your district (District 2 already hosted one this past month):

 | April 4 | Portland Building (Downtown)

 | April 8 | Marysville Elementary School (Foster-Powell)

 | April 13 | Sacramento Elementary School (Parkrose Heights)

 for the May primary. If you’re new to town, it takes just a few minutes. And the May primary is scheduled to include 

Other Fun and Quirky Happenings Around Town

Of course, we’ll have more things to do in our daily events listings. But here are a few particularly intriguing ones to start filling in your calendar for the month.

 | Starting April 5 | Portland Art Museum

 80s Video Dance Attack 21st Anniversary Party

For more ideas for the month, check out the 

City Cast Portland podcast’s guide to the month

Out on the Oregon Coast, April means it’s time to celebrate the puffin’s seasonal return to Cannon Beach, which will host an annual Puffin Welcome Ceremony on April 13. It’s also time to pay taxes (including the local ones for arts, homeless services, and preschools). And watch out for April Fools Day!

Your Guide to April 2026 in Portland, Oregon

Your Guide to April 2026 in Portland

 is an annual celebration of writers. It’s the perfect occasion for all of us to pick out what to read next. Amanda Bullock, senior artistic director with the nonprofit Literary Arts, has 

recommendations for a book to read right now

 and for other author events to check out this weekend.

“ I think the one book everyone on the planet should be reading is Omar El Akkad’s ‘One Day, Everyone Will Have Always Been Against This,’ which did come out this year, and 

“The title is from a tweet that he made that went viral about Gaza. A lot of it is about someone who chose to live in this country reckoning with the false promises of so much of what we think America means. It's really well written. It's really smart. It's a tough read, but it should be.”

⭐ Portland Book Festival Events to Check Out

Bullock also shared some of her favorite events happening this weekend:

The exhibits are open. There'll be drinks and ice cream and the Tamale Boy food truck outside. Plus, Ramona and other book-themed flash (real ink) tattoos will be available, starting at Readers Night.

Always a favorite event for kids and adults, the drawing competition features picture-book and middle-grade illustrators who compete for glory — though there’s no official winner.

It’s “the first biography to really fully include Baldwin's queerness as part of his story,” says Bullock. “And Nicholas will be interviewed by Mitchell S. Jackson, who is one of my favorite interviewers on the planet.”

Abrams, a political organizer and former Georgia politician, is also a romance novelist and the author of a series of thrillers, the latest of which she will discuss at this event.

An explorer in residence at National Geographic, Roberts has written about scuba diving at the sites of sunken slave ships. “She's the first black woman explorer to be on the cover of Nat Geo,” says Bullock. "She is so cool.”

Noodles & Scoops: Tyler Malek & Joshua McFadden

Two notable Portlanders from our food scene, Tyler Malek (of Salt and Straw) and Joshua McFadden (best known for Ava Jeans and Tusk) have new cookbooks out about their respective specialties.

 Bullock recommends wandering through the Portland Art Museum to catch some of the pop-up events, including with local authors. (

What’s one book Portlanders should read right now? If you have a recommendation, please respond to this email or 

 I’ll share your suggestions in an upcoming newsletter.

More on the Portland Book Festival  

Saturday’s Portland Book Festival is an annual celebration of writers. It’s the perfect occasion for all of us to pick out what to read next. Amanda Bullock, senior artistic director with the nonprofit Literary Arts, has recommendations for a book to read right now and for other author events to check out this weekend.

The Best Books To Read Right Now in Portland

The cost of going out to eat can escalate quickly, but there are still deals to be found. Here’s where you can find 

Not only is a bahn mi a great to-go option, but they can usually be found for a very reasonable price. For just $5, you can pick up a bahn mi with homemade bread and a drink at all Hồng Phát supermarket locations. It doesn’t get more “bang for your buck” than that.

Who doesn’t love a meal in a cute box? 

 is available daily before 4 p.m. and includes a pint burger, small fries, and a fountain drink for $11. Plus, there are Killer Burger locations all over Oregon, in case you’re lost, broke, and hungry.

For me, the burrito is pound-for-pound the best portable meal. It’s also a poetic vessel for the blending of beautiful cultures — a north-Mexican invention with Spanish and Arabic roots, filled with the flavors of the culture where it is being served. Here in Portland, that flavor is served with delicious veggies and in big portions out of a neighborhood cart for $11. Bonus points for the $7 quesadilla.

For something even more hearty, the $13 fried chicken sandwich is such a monstrosity that it can be split into two meals or shared with someone whom you love enough to share your chicken. Using the hungry boy algorithm (that I totally just made up), that’s $7 per meal.

In the words of Beyoncé, “this ain’t Texas,” but the flavor is still big. A scratch-made cheeseburger can be had with fries and a drink for $12 — spend a little extra for the green chile version, it’s worth it.

Skip the dinner rush and stop by for The Bowl, a $13 dish made with fresh vegetables and your choice of protein. It’s the type of meal you’d normally take to-go, but the vibes are so good that it’s worth dining in.

Get a taste of Neapolitan-style pie (with a soft, thin dough) for $9 if you go before 5 p.m. They really care about using fresh, local ingredients, and the pizza is big enough to share with another person.

This one comes from Hey Portland reader Jenny M., who says Bui’s is a great option for inexpensive takeout. Jenny recommends the salad rolls, chicken and rice Xôi Gà, and sesame balls.

Listen to our team chat with Stumptown Savings founder Bryan M. Vance for even 

These are the best affordable meals in Portland.

The Best Cheap Eats in Portland

If you’ve ever thought about picking up fishing, you’re in one of the best places to give it a go! Oregon offers year-round fishing opportunities, so to help you take advantage of them, we put together a beginner’s guide with tips on what you need to know and where to go:

Obviously, the main thing you’ll need is a fishing rod. Local fishing legend 

 recommends beginners go for a spinning rod — either a 6-foot-6-inch or 7-foot pole. And don’t forget to invest in some quality fishing line!

For bait, go for the classic worms 🪱 You’ll also want a fishing bobber to help you see your line and a weight to sink the bait.

Need a place to start? Check out the bait and equipment selection at Keevin’s own 

Before you can hit the water, you’ll need a license or tag. Through the 

Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s website

, you can get a year-long angler’s license or a one-, two-, or three-day pass. If you plan to catch salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, or halibut, be sure to get the combined angling tag. (Need help identifying the fish you caught? The ODFW website has 

 of pictures and descriptions of various fish species and their habitats.)

When you’re finally ready to get casting, you’ve got a few options! Right downtown, you can fish off 

 and there are plenty of spots on the shore of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers. Or if you want to go a little further out of the city, check out 

Get more fishing tips!

A beginner’s guide with tips on what you need to know and where to go for fishing in Portland.

How To Get into Local Fishing

Tips and tricks for living your best Portland life, by locals, for locals.

Portland Life Hacks

There are so many great date spots around Portland, but how do you choose the right one? We called in Eden Dawn, our resident fun expert and author of “

 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily (opens at 1 p.m. Wednesda

With nearly 10 acres of waterfalls, bridges, fountains, and playful wildlife, you can truly choose your adventure. Plus, it’s only $5 to get in, so you can spend big on a picnic or make the date budget friendly.

If you want to make a day of it, Oysterville will have just about everything you need for a great date. Just perusing the houses throughout the village is delightful, but why not get oysters while you’re there? The 

things to do

Your guide to St. Johns

Your Guide to Mt. Tabor

Your Guide to May 2026 in Portland

Latest articles

Your guide to St. Johns

Your Guide to Mt. Tabor

Your Guide to May 2026 in Portland

Your Guide to April 2026 in Portland

The Best Books To Read Right Now in Portland

The Best Cheap Eats in Portland

How To Get into Local Fishing

Latest articles

Your Guide to April 2026 in Portland

The Best Books To Read Right Now in Portland

The Best Cheap Eats in Portland

How To Get into Local Fishing

Portland's Best End-of-Summer Dates

The Best Cocktail Bars in Portland

The Best Coffee Shops in Portland