Where To Play This Week in Portland: Events, Dining & Local Picks

Portland in late August is a vibrant mosaic bridges bathed in sunset glow, neighborhoods pulsing with night markets, and the air humming with shared smiles. From August 26 to 31, the city wraps summer’s best into one dynamic stretch of food, culture, and adrenaline.

Where To Eat

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Raven's Manor

A gothic cocktail lounge with a macabre twist, Raven’s Manor fuses haunted house theatrics with high-end mixology. Located near Pioneer Courthouse Square, this immersive “cocktail laboratory” serves potions like the Corpse Reviver and bubbling elixirs that fog the table. Expect Victorian décor, theatrically costumed staff, and a side of storytelling with your absinthe. It’s part haunted mansion, part speakeasy—and 100% Portland.

Bar Botellón

A Spanish-inspired bar with a Portland soul, Bar Botellón channels the energy of Madrid’s back-alley vermuterías and tapas haunts. Tucked into the Central Eastside, it’s where locals gather over gin tonics, conservas, and jamón Ibérico shaved to order. The space is chic yet unfussy—high tops, tiled walls, and the hum of late-night conversation. Order a vermouth on tap and lean into the rhythm of slow snacking and unhurried sipping.

Where To Stay

The Nines

Perched atop the landmark Meier & Frank building in downtown Portland, The Nines is equal parts glamor and Pacific Northwest polish. Art-filled hallways nod to Portland’s creative pulse, while plush rooms overlook Pioneer Square and the city’s iconic bridges. Dine beneath a soaring atrium at Urban Farmer or sip Japanese whisky at rooftop favorite Departure. With curated elegance and unmatched walkability, The Nines makes the city feel both indulgent and intimately yours.

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Where To Play

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Pacific Office Automation 147 at PIR (Aug 29–30)

Feel the thrum of rubber meeting asphalt at Portland International Raceway’s marquee NASCAR Xfinity Series weekend. Expect high-octane action across two days—ARCA Menards West races Friday, NASCAR Xfinity heads full throttle Saturday—with kids under 12 getting in free.

Summer Free for All Parks Programming

Portland Parks continues its free weekend offerings—concerts, movies, park performances—through early September. A great low-stakes way to soak up summer’s end.

Arts & Culture at Pedestrian Plazas

Stroll through lively new street plazas—like the one on Hawthorne—where community art, relaxed gatherings, and spontaneous performance have redefined urban connection. Portland Public Works

This article was created with editorial assistance from AI.