Urban Mamas

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

It's supposed to be beautiful the next few days.  Perfect time to check out the weekly Story and Stroll at Tryon Creek on Friday from 1 to 2.  The theme this week is To Be a Tree.  Best for ages 3-6.  Please preregister.  Free!

Get ready for some Book Jeopardy at the Beaverton City Library on Friday from 1 to 3.  Kids in grades 3-6 can test their trivia skills about books and movies and win a prize!  Free!

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Check out one of Portland Park’s and Recreation’s Ladybug Nature Walk this Friday at 10.  This week’s will be at Mt. Tabor Park.  $3/preschooler.

It's free First Friday at the Children’s Museum on Friday from 4 to 8.  Check out the museum and its exhibits for free!

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

There are still lots of Chinese New Year activities going on around town to celebrate the Year of the Dragon.  PDX Kids Calendar did a good job gathering them here.

Penny the Puppeteer performs Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar at the Off Broadway Central Lutheran Church on Friday at 10:30.  Free coffee, tea, and stickers!  $5 each or 4 for $17. 

Free admission to the Portland Art Museum this Friday from 5 to 8!  Get to see all the museum has to offer without the admission fee.  

Head to the Troutdale Library from 3:30 to 5 for a free movie viewing of The Jackie Robinson Story.  Best for older kids and teens.

Here's hoping for some sun.  On Saturday from 9:30 to 12, head to the Smith and Bybee wetlands to see and learn about winter birds.  Best for ages 10 and up.  Advance registration required.  Free!

Come to the Scottish Rite Center between 11 and 4 on Sunday for Mochitsuki 2012.  Ring in the Year of the Dragon with traditional and contemporary Japanese activities (like arts & crafts to take home), entertainment (like Portland Taiko), and food.  $4-12.   

The Gregory Heights Library is hosting a Vietnamese Music Ensemble, which will play traditional music performed during the Harvest Moon Festival.  Saturday from 1 to 3.

Celebrate National Puzzle Day at the Gresham Library.  Design a landscape, family portrait, or anything else you’d like to take apart and put back together.  For teens.  Saturday from 1:30 to 3.  Free!  The celebration continues at the Holgate Library on Saturday from 2:30 to 4, and is intended for preschoolers through grade 5. 

Have you checked out the new Kindie Music venue Jam on Hawthorne?  This Saturday from 5 to 7 is your chance, as Mo Phillips gets down with his fun and zany tunes.

Join Portland Opera to Go! for a 50-minute, kid-friendly presentation of Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel.  At McMenamin's Edgefield on Sunday at 12.  Free!

The talented young musicians of the Portland Youth Philharmonic perform their Chamber Orchestra Concert at the Wieden & Kennedy Building on Sunday at 4.  $15-20. 

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

This Friday through Sunday from 10 to 4, the Oregon Zoo will open its Veterinary Medical Center to the public for tours.  Free with admission. 

Get artsy at a creative recycling and green crafts workshop at the Warehouse Café.  Suitable for all ages.  $5/child.   

The Community Music Center hosts its monthly Family Friday concert this Friday at 7:15.  Featured this month: Classical Revolution PDX.  Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $5/person or $15/family.   

It’s Pirate Palooza at the Southwest Community Center this Saturday from 6 to 8!  Climb aboard the pirate ship for an evening of swashbuckling adventures!  $10 for the first child/$5 each additional day-of, or $8/$4 in advance.   

Save money, live healthier, and connect to valuable resources for sustainable living at the Fix-It Fair this Saturday from 8:30 to 2 at the Rosa Parks Elementary School.  

Listen to some African Storytelling by Massene Mboup.  Children ages 4 and up are invited to enjoy Massene's unique and charming storytelling style.  Saturday at 11 at the Lake Oswego Library.  Free! 

Kidical Mass's bike ride this month is an extra active one!  Meet at Westmoreland Park on Saturday at 1 before heading over to the Oaks Park Roller Rink for some roller skating.  The bike ride is free, admission to the rink is $5.25/person with an additional $1.50 skate rental fee.

It’s Chocolate Fest at the Convention Center this weekend!  Saturday from 11 to 6 and Sunday from 11 to 5, savor chocolate from the NW and beyond.  Some proceeds help support the World Forestry Center.  $7-10.

Portland Opera to Go presents Hansel & Gretel at the McMenamin's Grand Lodge Hotel.  Enjoy this lively 50-minute English adaptation of Engelbert Humperdinck's fairytale operate Hansel and Gretel.  The perfect way to introduce your little one to the world of opera.  Sunday at 12.  Free!

This Sunday get twice your kindie music fix.  Mr. Ben opens for Laura Veirs at the Village Ballroom.  Doors open at 3.  $5-10.

Remember shrinky dinks?  Reuse plastic containers and make quick and easy shrinky dink jewelry.  Appropriate for ages 4 to 104, but children ages 12 and under must be accompanied by a grownup.  Please click here to sign up.  Sunday at 1.  $5. 

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

The Portland Boat Show is on now, and continues through this weekend.  Kids can make their own wooden boats to take home for free.  At the Expo Center through Saturday from 10 to 9, and Sunday from 10 to 6.  Free for ages 12 and under, $10 adults.

Head to Powell's Cedar Hills Crossing for Book Fan Friday, a workshop for kids 10 to 18 who love to write.  This month, Rosanne Parry offers a look at how book covers are made.  Friday at 4:30.  Free!

Winter weather is the perfect time for bread making.  Check out Kids Can Make Bread at the Midland Library on Friday at 4 or at the North Portland library on Saturday at 11.  Free!

School of Rock and PDX POP NOW! present Best of Portland on Friday at 8 at the Crystal Ballroom, anall-ages music benefit featuring local teens playing the best music from the Portland music scene.  Laura Veirs, among others, will be making appearances.  $14 in advance, $20 at the door.

This Saturday beginning at 11, the Kennedy School hosts its annual J.R.R. Tolkien Birthday Bash.  Enjoy kids' fun, live music, performances by Willamette Radio workshop, the Lord of the Rings trilogy on the big screen, and more.  All events are free and all ages are welcome.

Saturday from 12 to 5, the Portland Old Time Music Gathering hosts a number of kid-friendly options at the Scottish Rite Center.  Among other festivities, join Professor Banjo for music and a song workshop, take part in a kid's open mic, and take part in a family dance.  Free!  

On Saturday from 3 to 5, teens can make a 90-second film at the Northwest Library. Multnomah County Library, with the help of author James Kennedy, will be hosting a 90-Second Newbery Film Festival on March 3, 2012. The contest: Make a video that compresses the story of a Newbery award-winning book into 90 seconds or less.  Free!

World Sounds continues at the Children’s Museum this Sunday, with music from Fools in Paradise at 11 and 12.  Free with admission ($9).

ComedySportz 4 Kidz is this Sunday at 2.  Best for the 12 and under crowd, get ready to laugh and have fun at this improv show with lots of audience participation.  $6 kids, $8 adults. Please call for cancellations.

Plus there are several free museum admission offers this weekend.

• Head to Fort Vancouver for free admission all weekend.   
• Family Day at the Washington County Museum is Saturday from 10 to 2.  In addition to free admission, you can take part in fun activities like scratch foam printing and pioneer clothing dress-up.   
• And Sunday is free museum family day at the Portland Art Museum from 12 to 5.   Enjoy exhibitions through art making, music, interactive activities, demos, and performances. 

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

It's a slow weekend as Hanukkah and Christmas converge.  Things will pick back up - but for now here's a list of some of the highlights. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Theater abounds in Portland over the holiday weekend!  You have so much to choose from - ZooZoo at the Imago Theatre; Oregon Ballet's The Nutrcracker at Keller Auditorium; The Wizard of Oz at the Newmark Theater, Willy Wonka at NWCT; Do Jump's Ahhh Ha! at the Echo Theatre....  The list goes on!  Check the websites for show times and other specifics.

Penny the Puppeteer performs Where Did the Stockings Go? at the Off Broadway Central Lutheran Church on Friday at 10.  $5/person or 4 for $17.

Mr. Hoo of the Alphabeticians performs songs for the kiddos at the lovely Milagros on Friday at 11.  Great chance to pick up some last-minute gifts too!

Every fourth Friday, the Art Museum offers free admission from 5 to 8.  Enjoy the museum's exhibits for free!

The lighting of the Menorah at Director Park continues this weekend and through the end of Hanukkah on the 28th.

Head to the Hillsboro Library for Bulgarian storytime on Saturday at 10.  Dress up, act out, and listen to stories in Bulgarian.  Free!

Give back on Saturday by helping to remove invasive English ivy at Tryon Creek from 9 to 12.  Free!

Throughout the weekend you can still enjoy many of the amazing light displays around town - Zoo Lights, Queen Anne Victorian Mansion's Annual Holiday Light Show, Peacock Lane....  The PDX Kids Calendar holiday guide has the details on these, and other, holiday favorites.

Hope this gives you some ideas for the holiday weekend. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization - especially on this holiday weekend!

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Local musician Matt Clark plays original songs based on his personal experience as a father to two young boys at the Hollywood Library on Friday at 10:30.  Free!

Make your own Matchbox Monsters at Spielwerk Toys this Friday at 4.  Matchbox monsters are super cute cozy friends who tuck away at night in their very own matchbox!  Best for ages 5 and up, and pre-registration is required.  $5.

Join Penny the Puppeteer for a puppet show at the Off Broadway Central Lutheran Church on Friday at 10.  She will be performing The Sharing Carrot. $5/person or 4 for $17.  Can’t make that one?  She’ll also be playing The Mitten on Saturday at Eco Baby Gear – 3 for $10.

Saturday from 11 to 3 is Family Day at the Oregon History Museum.  Learn about exhibits, see a model train on display, listen to carolers, and take part in crafts.  Multnomah County residents are always free; all others get two children admitted free with one paid adult.

It's also Family Day at the Maritime Museum on Saturday from 11 to 4.  Families are invited to discover Portland's maritime history with a craft project to take home.  Free for children under 18.

Kidical Mass is back!  Take a free, family-friendly bike ride through N. Mississippi on Saturday.  You'll ride, sing carols, and stop at Grand Central Baking for hot drinks and treats.  Meet at Irving Park at 1:45 under the covered basketball courts for a 2 PM  departure.  

Northwest Dance Theater presents A Nutcracker Tea at PCC Sylvania on Saturday at 2.  This is a family-friendly adaptation of the classic ballet for ages 4 and up.  Tickets starts at $12.

Fleur de Lethal presents an all-ages Sing Out of the Wizard of Oz at the Bagdad Theater on Saturday.  Costumes and fancy dress are encouraged, and all dressed-up guests can join Glinda and the Wicked Witch of the West for a costume parade before the film.  Doors open at 12; parade at 12:45; film at 1.  $3. 

PICA presents two children's printmaking workshops this Sunday at Lux; one at 10, and one at 2.  Send your kids down for a hand-on day at the presses and learn the basics of monoprinting at this fun and messy workshop.  $15 for PICA members/$20 for others.  Please pre-register.  Best for ages 7 and up.

The Oregon Symphony presents Happy Holidays at the Schnitz, a kid-friendly concert featuring Christmas and Hanukkah songs.  Sunday at 2.  Tickets start at $10.

ComedySportz for Kidz, an interactive improve show targeted for the smaller crowd, is happening this Sunday at 2.  Tickets are $6 kids, $8 adults.  Advance purchase recommended. 

If you have a child with autism, you may want to check out the lecture Nourishing Children on the Autism Spectrum at the People Co-op on Sunday at 6:15. This lecture gives an overview of the gut-brain connection and makes suggestions for herbs and foods that are healing to sensitive children.   A $5-15 donation is appreciated. 

For holiday suggestions, check out the PDX Kids Calendar holiday guide – a comprehensive listing of lights, theater, music, and other events going on around town.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Learn more about bugs and the amazing things they do with the Bug Chicks at the Rockwood Library on Friday at 4. Free!

A performance by the Jewish Theatre Collaborative of Hanukah: The Power of Light will be held at the Midland Library on Friday at 4.  Free!

Fremont Neighborhood’s Festival of Lights is this Friday from 5 to 9.  Check out Santa, music, a fire truck, and the tree lighting.  Free!

Northwest Children's Theatre's Willy Wonka opens this Friday! Tickets are $18/youth and $22 adults. Check the website for the full schedule and for ordering details.

See some real life reindeer while enjoying apple cider, cookies, and holiday music at Seven Dees Lake Oswego on Friday and Seven Dees Cedar Hills on Saturday. Live radio and games for the kids at select times. The event goes from 10 to 5 both days, and is free!

Before picking up your holiday tree, come plant a tree! Planting will be accompanied by feasting, decorating, and fun facts about the Douglas Fir. At Whitaker Ponds Natural Area on Saturday from 9-12. Free!

Play After Play presents The Drum, a beautiful story about generosity from India, at Brooklyn Bay this Saturday at 10 and Sunday at 2. $7.   Play After Play offers an innovative structure of watching the play, followed by the audience actually playing with the cast members.  Lots of fun for the kiddos!

The 21st Annual Tuba Christmas Concert is this Saturday at 1:30 at Pioneer Courthouse Square. If you've never seen 200 tubas playing in unison before, this is your chance! Free!

Learn about Northwest Coast Native American culture through mask making and storytelling at the Albina Library on Saturday from 2 to 4.  Free!

Calling all crafters and crafty aficionados! Crafty Wonderland is going on this weekend from 11 to 6 at the Convention Center.

Make some winter nature crafts on Sunday from 1 to 3 at Mt Tabor Yard. Learn to identify some of the evergreens that can be found locally, and make your own crafts with tree branches. $5/child or $8/family.

Check out Posado Milagro at the Miracle Theater this Sunday. There will be a performance of the story of Mary and Joseph, along with live music, dance, arts and crafts, bilingual storytelling, pinata breaking, and pan dulce and tamales. Admission is free and is first-come, first-served. Doors open at 1 and performances begin at 2.

Local baseball legends come to the Central Library to share their memories and perspectives on the sport.  Best for older kids.  Sunday at 2.  

Need more holiday-themed events?  Check out PDX Kids Calendar’s comprehensive list here.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

With Thanksgiving over and the holiday season officially upon us, Portland and surrounding areas are bursting with community celebrations.  PDX Kids Calendar has gathered a comprehensive list of tree lightings, gatherings, theater, and other holiday-inspired events here.

Green Bean Books hosts Kara of Portland Early Learning Project this Friday at 11:15 for a free Spanish Storytime.  Best for little ones.

Penny the Puppeteer works her puppet magic at the Off Broadway Lutheran Church this Friday at 10, where she'll be performing Turtle and Rabbit.  $5/ticket or $17/4.

Learn about protecting your home and your family from lead at this free session at Eco Baby Gear on Friday at 2.  Participants are invited to bring up to ten household items to test for lead. (Geared toward adults.)

Free admission to the Children’s Museum this Friday from 4 to 8!

The Providence Festival of Trees lights up the Convention Center this weekend.  Stroll through a magical village decorated with over 100 trees, visit the teddy bear hospital and Santa's Workshop, and take part in other festive events.  Friday from 10 to 9 and Saturday from 10 to 6.  $4-6.

The Oregon Rail Heritage Foundation’s holiday tradition begins again this weekend when the Holiday Express Train returns to Oaks Bottom.  Vintage rail cars transport you through wilderness into the heart of the city.  Plus Santa will be there.  Various times throughout this weekend and next.  $11-17.

Make decorative decoupage boxes to keep your keepsakes in or to give at the Gresham Library on Saturday from 11 to 4.  Free!  Stick around for a presentation of Hanukah: The Power of Light by the Jewish Theatre Collaborative at 2.  Also free.

The Portland Girl Choir presents a multicultural holiday Jingle Bear concert this Saturday at 11 at the Zion Lutheran Church.  $13 and up. 

The new exhibit "Pride and Passion: The African-American Baseball Experience" opens at the Central Library this Saturday, and there is a reception to kick it off from 3 to 5.  Come dressed representing your favorite baseball team, listen to some jazz, and participate in a baseball trivia contest.  Free!

Kids Company Northwest is performing two short plays at the Portland Children's Museum this Sunday at 12:30 and 1:30.  Free with admission ($9).

Laura Veirs celebrates the release of her new CD, Tumble Bee, at Mississippi Studios this Sunday at 3:30.  Tickets are $10 adults, $5 ages 12 and under.  If you can't make that one, head to Black Wagon for a sneak peek at 11:30.  (Free!) 

Plus it's the first Sunday of the month, which means $2 admission to OMSI!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

On Friday at 3:30, the Troutdale Library is hosting a family movie matinee, showing Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events.  Popcorn provided.  Free!

Friday is Family Night at the East Portland Community Center.  For $1.25 per child, enjoy the center's indoor park toys, sports equipment and trampoline.  Friday from 6:30 to 8:30.   

Jane, a Theater Company's The Hullabaloo! presents Frankenstein, the Little Monster, at Theater! Theatre!  With songs, jokes, dances, and a message or two, it's fun for the whole family!  Opening night is Friday at 7, and shows continue through the weekend (and following weekends) on Saturdays and Sundays at 2 and 4.  All shows are free! 

The library's Tapestry of Tales Storytelling Festival takes place this weekend.  Famed storytellers perform at libraries across Portland on Saturday at 11 and 2 before the grand finale at 7 at the First Unitarian Church.  

The Ron Russell Middle School Fix-It Fair is this Saturday from 8:30 to 2. For 25 years, free Fix-It Fairs have helped area residents save money, live healthier and connect to valuable resources for sustainable living. Free!

Saturday from 11 to 3 is Family Day at the Oregon Historical Society.  Go on a treasure hunt, paint a treasure chest to fill with treasures of your own, and hear stories about the many wonders of The Oregon Vault.  Free for Multnomah County residents; all others enjoy two free children’s admissions with one paid adult admission. 

Tears of Joy Theatre and ComedySportz come head to head in the improvisational comedy "Puppetz vs People" at the Winningstad Theatre.  Suggestions from the audience welcome!  Saturday at 7:30.  Tickets are $17-20 and should be purchased in advance.  Recommended for ages 12 and up.

This Saturday and Sunday from 9:30 to 3:30, the Portland Children's Museum is hosting a Fairy Tale Festival.  There will be a puppet show from Dragon Theater Puppets, princess storytimes, and arts & crafts projects.  Arts & crafts are an $1-3 additional charge over admission ($9).  

The Wild Arts Festival is this Saturday from 10 to 6 and Sunday from 11 to 5.   Head to Montgomery Park to celebrate nature in art and beyond.  Cost is $6 for adults and free for kids under 16.  Kid-friendly authors (like Nikki McClure) and music will abound! The Portland Audubon educational birds will also be making appearances throughout the festival.    

Get geared up for Thanksgiving by going on a Thanksgiving walk through the Oxbow Regional Park.  After the walk, share the Thanksgiving Address, passed down by the Iroquois Nation.  Advance registration required.  Sunday from 10:30 to 12:30. Free with $5 park entry fee per car. 

Author Mark Fearing, author and illustrator of The Book That Eats People, will be at Green Bean Books this Sunday at 2.  He will share his latest concoction, The Three Little Aliens and the Big Bad Robot! Afterwards, make alien eyeballs!  Free!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Lots of free admission offers this weekend.  Get free admission to Fort Vancouver this weekend and the Japanese Gardens on Friday in honor of Veteran's Day,  and to the Washington County Museum on Saturday.  

Mr. Hoo of the Alphabeticians performs music for the kiddos at one of his regular weekly shows at Milagros this Friday at 11.  $3 suggested donation per walker.

Join in on one of the Community Music Center’s monthly Family Friday Concerts.  This month's musical guest is White Rhino Marimba.  Show starts at 7:15 and is free, although there is a $5-15 suggested donation.     

Saturday is Neighborhood Toy Store Day across the country.  Lots of stores in Portland and surrounding areas are participating.  Some highlights include Presto the Magician a Green Frog Toys at 10:30; a puppet show by Dragon Puppet Theater at Child’s Play at 9:30; and the Alphabeticians at Frog Pond Toys in LO at 1.  Support your local toy store!

Check out Firefighter Storytime at Black Wagon this Saturday from 10 to 12.  Firefighters will read from their favorite kids’ books and give a tour of their fire truck.  This is a kickoff for the Metro Toy Drive. Admission is free, but donations of toys and books are encouraged.

Baby Loves Disco will be at Pioneer Courthouse Square on Saturday at 1 and Clackamas Town Center on Sunday at 1.  Join the Disco Daddy, DJ Cap­tain Jack and the rest of the crew as we shake it up, shake it down, and shake-shake-shake it all around. Free!

Cast member of “Between the Lions” Aaron Nigel Smith performs music for kids at the Lake Oswego Library on Saturday at 11. Free!

Laura Veirs performs songs from her new children's album "Tumble Bee" at the Music Millennium on Burnside this Saturday at 3.  Free! 

Professor Banjo is back in Portland this weekend to play a gig with the Alphabeticians at TaborSpace on Saturday at 3.  Tickets are $7 adults and $5 kids.  Tickets can be purchased in advance here.  

Explore the Stage wraps up at the Children’s Museum Sunday with performances by storyteller Rick Huddle at 11 and 12:30.  Free with admission ($9 for ages 1 and up).   

Every week the Art Museum offers free guided tours of the art museum with a docent specially skilled at engaging visitors of all ages.  Sunday at 12:30.  Tour is free with admission, and free for kids 17 and under.   

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Not sure what to do with all that leftover Halloween Candy?  You can bring it by World of Smiles Pediatric Dentistry in SW PDX all weekend in exchange for prizes.  Candy will be donated to the troops. 

Green Bean Books hosts its monthly Spanish storytime this Friday at 11:15 with Kara from Portland Early Learning Project.  Free!

Friday is Free First Friday at the Portland Children's Museum from 4 to 8. See all the great exhibits at PCM - including the new Lego exhibit - for free!

Opening night of the Krayon Kids' performance of Foiled: A Frantic Fairy Tale About Villains Experiencing Failure is this Friday at 7, with additional shows Saturday at 2 and 7 and Sunday at 2. Tickets are $10-15. At the Barclay Theater in Oregon City.

The 77th Annual Verboot Sausage and Sauerkraut Community Dinner is this Saturday from 9 to noon in Forest Grove.  Meet your neighbors and have some food! 

Hooray, hooray train enthusiasts! This weekend and every weekend throughout November the Columbia Gorge Model Railroad Club opens its doors for the 2011 Model Railroad Show. Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 5 on N. Vancouver in Portland. $6 adults, $2 ages 3-11.

Honor our veterans with a parade at Fort Vancouver. The parade will start with an Air Force flyover and 21 gun salute fired by Howitzer cannons. Saturday beginning at 11. Free!

Hooray for newts! Come celebrate newts at Newt Day at the Tualatin Hills Nature Park Saturday from 12 to 4. Take part in a scavenger hunt, explore the trails, and of course - learn about newts! $2 or 2 cans of food per person.

Get ready for the latest adventure on the kindie music scene! Starting this Saturday from 4 to 6, E.A.T. will be hosting a weekly happy hour and music extravaganza featuring some of our favorite local musicians. Cost is by donation.

On Saturday at 4, head over to a Hoedown to help benefit three SE public schools at Ford Food and Drink.  Kid-friendly entertainment includes performances by Mo Phillips, the Snail People, and LodeStar and Olive Rootbeer will be there making amazing animal creations.  Suggested donation of $5/person or $10/family.

Sunday from 9:30 to 5:30, admission to OMSI is only $2!

This Sunday from 2 to 4, head over to Tryon Creek to learn a bit about worms and then make your own worm bin to take home. Cost is $20, which includes all materials. Please preregister to attend.

If you’re willing to make a trip, head out to Multnomah Falls on Sunday from 10 to 4 for the annual Salmon Festival.  Watch salmon chasing and circling in Multnomah Creek, and learn about the state of salmon and other endangered species.  Free!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Halloween is in the air!  But there's plenty to do for those who celebrate All Hallows and those who do not.  Here's just a sample of what's going on.  For all there is out there, check out PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page!

I'm amazed by the amount of Halloween fun going on in this city!  There's more than I could fit here - and by a lot.  Check out the "Community Happenings" under the PKC fall guide for a more comprehensive list.  But here are a few top picks. 

There are Halloween/Harvest festivals going on Friday evening at the St Johns Community Center (starting at 5:30, free!) and at Peninsula Park (starting at 6, free!) and Mt. Dishman (starting at 6, $3) community centers.  Expect games, costume, and fun!  May be an extra cost for carnival game tickets.  Check Portland Parks for all the details.  

The PSU Farmer's Market is having it's annual great pumpkin event on Saturday from 9 to 12.  Pumpkin carving, a costume parade, and goodies!  Free!

Make a trip up to nearby St. Helens to enjoy a town truly dedicated to Halloween! There will be a fair, parade, spooky movies, and lots more to get your in the spirit.  Saturday beginning at 10.  Free!

Green Halloween is coming to PDX, with healthy treats, a costume constest, face painting, and more.  Sugar-free and organic snacks will be served.  Friday from 1 to 6 on NW Thurman. Free!

The Alphabeticians, one of the area's favorite Kindie Rock bands, will be playing a Halloween gig at Mississippi Pizza on Saturday at 4.  Wear a costume, win prizes, and dance to some spooky songs!  $10/family suggested donation.

On Sunday, Portland Children's Museum gets in the Halloween theme with arts & crafts, stories, a scavenger hunt, and a spooky performance by Penny the Puppeteer.  Sunday from 10 to 3.  Free with admission.

Special scary storytime at Green Bean Books this Sunday from 2 to 2:30!  The stories won't be too scary for little ones.  Free!

Westmoreland's annual Monster March is this Sunday at 3.  Take your costumed goblins, or just watch the fun!  Starts at Llewellyn Elementary.  Free!

And on the non-Halloween side of things:

The annual squishing of the squash at the Oregon Zoo is this Friday at 10:30.  Elephants squishing giant pumpkins?  Yes please! Free with zoo admission.

Free admission to the Portland Art Museum this Friday (and every last Friday of the month) from 5 to 8. 

The Friends of the Library are having their annual used book sale this weekend.  Starts Saturday at 9 and continues through Monday.  At the DoubleTree on Multnomah.

The Kennedy School hosts a You Who kids' rock variety show this Sunday from 12 to 1.  In addition to music by the Fruit Bats, there will also be a magic show, art, balloons, and more activities than you can shake a fist at.  $10 adults, $5 12 and under.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Head to Mt. Scott Community Center on Friday from 6 to 9 for a fall family fun night.  Enjoy crafts, an obstacle course, roller skating, face painting, and lots more.  4 tickets for $1, and 1 ticket for most activities.  

Take your child to an Owl Prowl at Whitaker Ponds! Learn about nighttime predators with this evening hike.  Best for ages 5 to 12.  Friday from 7 to 9.  $5 donation.  Please register in advance.  

Enjoy one of the Community Music Center’s Family Friday Concerts on Friday at 7:15.  The featured artist this month is the group Whistlin’ Rufus, a band with its roots in Classical, Irish, Folk, Bluegrass, Rock n Roll, and Jazz.  $5-15 suggested donation. 

The 8th Annual West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta is happening this Saturday from 9 to 4 around the lake at Tualatin Commons.  In addition to the regatta, you can also take part in pumpkin decorating, live music, clown shoes, pie eating contests, and more.  Free!  

OMSI's FIRST Robotics competition takes place this Saturday from 10 to 4.  See high school students from around the country show off their robots!  Free with museum admission. 

Green Bean Books is hosting a Super Duper Dog Park release party this Saturday from 2 to 3.  Local cartoonist Aron Nels Steinke will read from his new book, and then your kids can take part in a canine-related craft.  Free! 

The 14th Annual East Portland/Montavilla Costume Carnival is this Saturday from 5 to 7.  Head to the East Portland Community Center for some good old-fashioned Halloween Fun!  

Brother Askari, a native of New Orleans, comes to the Woodstock Library on Saturday from 3 to 4 to tell cultural folk stories and sing songs that will educate, inspire, and entertain families.  Free!   

Meet the 12-year-old inventor of the game Mermaid Beach, Emily Ehlers – who also happens to be a Portland native! – as she talks about how she invented the game and invites you to play.  At Thinker Toys on Saturday from 11 to 1.  Free!  

Witness the return of wild salmon to one of the Pacific Northwest’s premier rivers.  11 to 3:30 on Saturday and Sunday at Oxbow Regional Park, with special activities each day.   $5/car.  

Learn more about the Day of the Dead and make Sugar Skulls (Calaveritas de Azucar) at the Fairview-Columbia Library this Sunday from 1 to 3.  Free!  (This is a bilingual event.)  

Here’s a fun fall craft- make a simple plastic placement using pressed leaves and flowers at the Holgate Library this Sunday from 2:30 to 3:30.  Free! 

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

The Apple Tasting Festival at Portland Nursery begins this Friday and continues through the weekend.  Kid-friendly activities include live music, cooking demos, face painting, crafts, a scavenger hunt, and hula hoops.  Friday through Sunday 10 to 5.  Free!

The St Johns Library is hosting Autumn on the Farm, a play by Penny the Puppeteer, this Friday at 11.  Free!  

Looking for a pumpkin patch to go to this weekend?  Or a haunted house for the older kids?  PDX Kids Calendar has put together a comprehensive list of local patches, haunted houses, and other Halloween-y events.  Check it out here.

Make a recycled jar "Jack o Lantern" at Queen Mab this Friday from 11 to 12 with Heather Stellpflug.  A great way for your elementary schooler to get into the Halloween spirit!  $6.

Dr. Bob Sears, author of the vaccine book, visits Lewis & Clark college this Saturday from 11 to 1.  Join to ask questions and meet other local parents.  $20. 

Saturday is Family Day at the Oregon History Museum. Celebrate the Oregon Archives Crawl this October at Family Day! Read and transcribe entries from the journals of famous Oregonians using ink and a feather pen. Make a personalized journal to take home and start recording your own history! See what curiosities await you at the OHS "What Is It?" table. Enjoy the classical musical stylings of Banjo Clyde.  Free for Multnomah County residents; two children admitted free with one paid adult for all others.

Saturday is also Storm Day at Pittock Mansion.  From 11 to 4, learn about the impact of the 1962 Columbus Day Storm, take part in OMSI-led, weather-related activities and demos including a small tornado and weather balloon, and check out some other cool hands-on projects.  Free with admission (0-$8 depending on age).

Children's author Nick Bruel visits the Hollywood Library this Saturday from 3 to 4.  Mr. Bruel is the author and illustrator of the popular children's book series Bad Kitty and creator of the NYT bestseller Boing!  He is also the winner of Oregon's own Beverly Cleary award.  He'll read from his books and teach you how to create your own story ideas.  Free!

Here's a fun and spooky activity - check out one of the sveral Nighttime Hoots and Howls going on around town on Saturday from 6:30 to 8:30.  Meet a Portland Parks naturalist for an after hours walk, where you can hear birds, owls, and other night time activity.  No strollers.  Please pre-register.  $2/individual or $5/family.  Going on in Whitaker Ponds, Hoyt Arboretum, and Mt. Tabor Park.

This Sunday is Doggie Palooza at the World Forestry Center.  Bring your pup, or enjoy watching other people's doggies, while learning from a variety of presentations and demonstrations.  10 to 5.  Free with admission (0-$8).

Explore the Stage at the Children's Museum continues this Sunday at 11 and 12 with a performance by the Toy Trains.

The Oregon Symphony is performing Peter and the Wolf this Sunday at 2 as part of its Oregon Symphony Kids Concert series.  Designed for ages 5 to 10, this class is joined with other musical tales.  Call ahead for tickets, they're almost sold out.  $10 and up.

The Rockwood Library is presenting Understanding Your Preschool Child's Need for Independence this Sunday from 2 to 3.  This presentation will help parents become more aware of wht their children can do for themsleves and how they can guide and facilitate their independence at home.  Free!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Penny the Puppeteer is performing one of her new shows this Friday at the Off Broadway Central Lutheran Church at 10 - Basil the Bookworm and her Trip around the World.  $5 each or 4 for $17. 

It's the first Friday of the month - that means free admission to the Children's Museum from 4 to 8 plus fun activities, like storytelling and puppet making.  Free!

Make a recycled jar jack o’lantern at Nurture this Friday at 3:30.  $5.  Come share a creative, fall-festive activity with your kids!

Saturday from 10 to 2 is Family Day at the Washington County Museum.  This month, make scarecrow marionette masks and enjoy a mobile museum presentation.  Free!

 The 25th Annual Great Onion Festival is in Sherwood this Saturday from 9 to 4.  Sample activities include face painting, live entertainment, Best Dang Onion Dish amateur contest, vendor and craft booths, onion rolling, and kids’ games.  Free!

Listen to African storytelling with Habiba at the Capitol Hill Library on Saturday at 2.  Habiba offers an interactive, multi-cultural performance with authentic West African costume spiced with singing and movement.  Free!

Check out the Wonderful World of Bugs at the Leach Botanical Gardens on Saturday from 2 to 3:30.   Learn more about creepy crawlies from two entomologists, meet some, and go on a bug hunt.  Please register to attend.  $5/person or $20/family.

Let your kids explore the magic of books this weekend at the Wordstock Festival at the Convention Center, beginning at 9 AM on Saturday and Sunday.  Sample kid-friendly activities and events include readings by children's authors and illustrators, books in the Story Corner, opportunities to write their own stories, and arts & crafts activities like bookmaking.  (Lots of adult-friendly events too.)  Free for kids under 13, $7 adults.  

The BirdFest and Bluegrass Festival at the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge is all day this Saturday and Sunday.  Scheduled events include Audubon-guided tours, raptor shows, and bluegrass entertainment.  Free, although some activities are an additional cost.

Notice a lot of closed streets and runners going by on Sunday?  It's MARATHON day in Portland!  Cheer on your favorite runner, or just provide support for all those brave souls.  Race starts at 7. 

Come out and support a wonderful organization - and have a lot of fun doing it.  Cafe au Play Day is this Sunday from 10 to 2.  Celebrate one year of Cafe au Play with music, movement, toy workshops, and lots more.  Free, but donations gladly accepted.

Explore the Stage begins this Sunday at the Children’s Museum.  This week – catch a performance by Tears of Joy puppet theater.  Sunday from 11 to 11:30 and 12 to 12:30.  Free with admission ($9). 

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

The 60th Annual Greek Festival is this weekend at the Green Orthodox Church in NE PDX.  Experience the culture, traditions, and yes - the food! - of Greece.  Friday and Saturday from 10 to 10 and Sunday from 12 to 8.  Free to enter, extra for dinner.  

There’s a craft workshop at Spielwerk Toys in North Portland this Friday from 3:30 to 5:30.  Kids ages 5 or younger can make a kite out of drinking straws.  $5.  Registration required.  

Children’s Museum members can get a sneak preview of the newest exhibit Lego Castle Adventure on Friday from 5:30 to 7:30.  Not a member?  Ask a friend who is to take you along for $3.   Or wait until Saturday for the grand opening!

Play After Play's new show, "The Snake with Seven Heads," a story from South Africa, debuts this weekend.   First watch the play, then come down on stage and play!  Saturday at 10, Sunday at 2 at Brooklyn Bay.  $7.

The Portland Juggling Festival begins this Friday at Reed College.  Enjoys shows, workshops, unicycling, and more.  Friday beginning at 6, and Saturday and Sunday beginning at 10.  Full festival passes begin at $20.

Family Adventure Day at Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge is this Saturday from 10 to 1.  Nature enthusiasts of all age are encouraged to join the fun and explore the signs of the season.  Free!

Saturday from 1 to 4 is Family Harvest Day at the Oregon Garden.  The event includes educational harvest activities, crafts and games throughout the Garden. Kids will be able to learn about tractors, scarecrows and more, and will go home with a bag of fun harvest goodies. $5 in addition to garden admission ($0-7 based on age).

The Old Apple Tree Festival in Vancouver is this Saturday from 11 to 4.  Celebrate the Northwest's oldest living apple tree with music, children's activities, cider pressing, a scarecrow contest, and more!  Free!

Sunday is $2 day at OMSI.  Only $2 admission!  

Check out an advance screening of kindie musician Van Oodles’ Flossophy 101 video at EAT (Eat Art Theater).   Sunday from 1 to 2.  Free!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Head over to Pioneer Courthouse Square on Friday from 12 to 7 for the 6th Annual American Indian Day Celebration.  The event will include Northwest Tribal leaders, Indian advocates, drum groups, dancers, and arts & crafts vendors.  Free!

An annual tradition - Oktoberfest at Oaks Park.  There will be authentic food and beverages, live oompah music, dancing, pretzel tosses, wiener dog races, Kinderplatz children activities and more.  Friday from 3 to midnight, Saturday from 11 AM to midnight, and Sunday from 11 to 7.  $2-5 gate fee based on age.

Professor Banjo is back in town to celebrate the release of his new album at the Secret Society Ballroom on Friday from 6 to 8.  $8 adults, $6 kids, free 3 and under.

Reed College is celebrating its 100th Birthday on Saturday from 8 to 3 and 7 to 9.   Activities include games, a bouncy house, spin art, scavenger hunt, balloons, juggling, food, movies, tours of Reed Canyon, Portland Taiko, a pet parade, fireworks....  The list goes on!  And it's free!

Celebrate National Public Lands day at Tryon Creek from 9 to 12 on Saturday by volunteering to beautify and proteect the park.   Free!

Saturday is Smithsonian Free Museum Day!  Lots of museums around town - like the Washington County Museum, the Oregon Historical Society, the World Forestry Center, and many others - are waiving admission for you and a guest!  You just need to download your ticket here. 

There’s a free street fair and live screening of a Portland Opera performance outside Keller Auditorium this Saturday, followed by a screening of the Marx Brother’s movie “A Night at the Opera.”  Festivities begin at 5 and screening starts at 7:30. 

The World Animal Festival at the Oregon Zoo is this Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 4.  Learn about the animals at the zoo, and take part in music, dance, storytelling, crafts, keeper talks, and various other activities.  Free with admission.

The Portland Polish festival is this Saturday in North Portland from 11 to 10 and Sunday from 12 to 6.  There will be dancing, music, a polka contest, and of course - delicious Polish food.  Free admission.

The Sixth Annual Green Sprouts Festival is this Sunday at Peninsula from 10 to 5.   This event celebrates the nurturing of life through nature from pregnancy to childhood.  There will be 90+ exhibitors, workshops, music, entertainment, and family fun.  Free!

It must be the end of the summer - the last Portland Parkways of the season is this Sunday from 12 to 5.  The 8-mile route in NE will have two loops, connecting Woodlawn, Alberta, Fernhill Parks, plus Cully Blvd.  Food, music, and activities will be provided along the route.  Here's the map.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

While the weather is still decent (fingers crossed), check out a Ladybug Nature Walk.  This week's walk is through Irving Park.  Intended for preschoolers and a guardian.  Friday from 10 to 11.  $3/preschooler.

OSU fan?  Head over to Pionner Square for the annual OSU rally.  Benny the Beaver will be there - along with some birthday cake!  Friday from 12 to 2.  Free!

Hillside's 5th Annual Ice Cream Social is this Friday from 6:30 to 8:30.  Enjoy free ice cream and crafts and activities at the Hillside Community Center.

DINO-rama! is at Green Frog Toys this Saturday from 10:30 to 11:30.  Make a paper dinosaur, play follow the dinosaur and toss a ring on the triceratops, and win prizes!  Free!

Check out the Children's Book Fair at the North Portland Library.  Get free books and enjoy entertainment and activities, including book making, button making, and art tables.  Storytellers and professional readers will also be in attendance.  Saturday from 11 to 2. 

Saturday from 11 to 3 is Family Day at the Oregon Historical Society.  The theme this month is music.  There will be performances by the percussion group STLS as well as percussion instruments for you to bang on.  Children can also craft their own rock and roll gear to take home.  Free for Multnomah Residents, 2 kids admitted free for one paid adult for all others.

Take part of the Aquifer Adventure at the Columbia Slough Watershed on Saturday from 12 to 4.  Big and little pirates are welcome to join in this festival about groundwater.  Play fun games, listen to live music, and go on a canoe ride in search of hidden treasure.  Wear your pirate gear!

Check out the annual Campfires and Candlelight at Fort Vancouver.  Walk through a timeline of historical reenactors and then watch a reenactment of "The Night of the Shark."  Saturday from 4 to 10:30.  Free!

La Luna Nueva Festival with Milagro Theater is performing Nuestros Cuentos with Viva La Cultura this Sunday from 2 to 4.  Take part in this interactive, dynamic, and culturally rich presentation of folktakes, and folkloric dances and traditions of Africa, Mexico, Cuba, and Brazil.  $7-14. 

Take in a free opera performance by Portland Opera this Sunday at Director Park from 2 to 5.

The Nursing Mother's Counsel is hosting a benefit in Lake Oswego called Tunes for Tots.  Many of Portland's favorite kid-friendly musical acts will be there, like The Alphabeticians, Van Oodles, the Snail People, and Matt Clark.  Sunday from 3 to 7.  $10/person, $30/family.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Check out a craft werkshop at the North Portland Spielwerk Toys. This session, you can make an upcycled tin can shaker. For ages 3+ with parental help. Registration required. Friday from 3:30 to 5. $5.

How about a story and stroll at Tryon Creek? Join a park naturalist for nature story time and a brief stroll through the park. This program is geared toward families with young children (preferably ages 3-6 but all are welcome). The theme this week is Apple Pie Tree. Friday from 1 to 2. Registration required.

Under the Autumn Moon Festival in the historic Chinatown/Japantown district. Enjoy the harvest celebration with lion dance, dragon dance, lanterns, moon cakes, live entertainment, food, games, and fun for the whole family. Saturday from 11 to 5. Free!

The Belmont Area Street Fair is Saturday from 12 to 8. The theme is "Imagine," and the fair will feature music, entertainment, fun, and food! Between 33rd and 37th on Belmont. Free!

 Children's Discovery Carnival. Come explore Johnson Creek at five interactive activity stations (like make your own bird feeders) designed for kids 12 and under. Saturday in Sellwood Park from 1 to 4. Free!

Family Day at the Washington County Museum is this Saturday from 10 to 2. Enjoy free admission, a bookmaking project, and pioneer toys.

The Muddy Boot Festival is this weekend outdoors at the St Philip Neri Catholic Church! After a keynote on Friday, the fun continues on Saturday and Sunday with music, foods, workshops and lots of kids' activities like apple pressing and foam archery, animal track casting, eco-friendly face painting, veggie derby car racing, and lots more. Saturday from 12 to 9 and Sunday from 12 to 6. $5 in advance, $7 at the gate.

The West Linn Arts Festival is this Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 5. There will be a wide variety of artwork from 100 top artists, great music, food, and drinks.

 You Who Kids' Rock variety show at the Kennedy School, as part of Musicfest NW. You Who is a monthly children's rock variety show featuring DJs, interactive dance parties, stories, skits, sing-a-longs, cartoons, artists, puppets, parades, and performers. This month, the featured musical guest is AgesandAges. Sunday at 1. $10 adults, $5 12 and under.

Check out the Boring Celebration and Car Show this Sunday from 10 to 4. This community event features community organization and service groups. Events include pony rides, a dunk tank, balloon artists, face painting, BBQ, ice cream, music, and more.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Happy Labor Day Weekend everyone! There are lots of weekend-long events to take part in.

The Pumpkin Patch's Annual Harvest Festival is Saturday to Monday from 9 to 6. Admission is free, and so are the hayrides and farm crafts. Also check out the cow train, corn maze, the giant slide, and enjoy some late summer treats.

CHAP's Labor Day Weekend Bacon, Arts and Cupcake Festival is this Saturday and Sunday from 10 to 6 and Monday from 10 to 5 at the KitchenCru Parking Lot. Enjoy a weekend of art and food to honor Austin Winters and Luke Jensen, creators of Bacon Boy and Sinister Sauce. Both of these young boys bravely battled Leukemia until the end of their short but brilliant lives. There will be food, friendship, and art demonstrations. Free to enter.

Check out the Reptile and Amphibian Show at OMSI this Saturday through Monday from 9 to 7. Over 100 animals on display, a special hands-on area, and experts to answer questions. Free for OMSI members, $3 on top of admission for non-members. (Plus Sunday is $2 days!)

The 6th Annual Pirate Festival is this Saturday and Sunday from 10 to late at the St. Helen's Historic Waterfront. Kid-friendly entertainment includes puppets, swordplay, scavenger hunts, cannon shows, balloons, and face painting. Tickets are $5-12 for a one-day pass.

The Annual Art in the Pearl Festival is this Saturday through Monday from 10 to 6. (10 to 5 on Monday.) Over one hundred artists selling their work, a World Music Stage with a variety of music and theater, and a pavillion featuring hands-on art activities for kids and adults. Free!

And some other options. Friday is First Friday at the Children's Museum. Enjoy free admission to the museum from 4 to 8. This month, there will also be bookmaking activities and English and Spanish storytimes.

Also this weekend, you can enjoy some back to school art projects at the Children's Museum. On Sunday from 10 to 4, decorate a reused binder or plastic folder. ($1-3 on top of admission.) For ages 5+ only please.

Check out the Portland Youth Spelling Bee at Mississippi Pizza this Saturday from 1 to 2:30. Kids ages 5 to 18 are invited to participate. Free!

Saturday is also international vulture awareness day at the Audubon Society. Learn about the beauty of vultures and take part in some children's activities. Saturday from 11 to 3. Free!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

All day this Friday to Sunday, head over to the southwest waterfront for RiverFest. RiverFest offers a family-friendly chance to come down by the riverside, get out on the water, take river tours, enjoy live music, learn first-hand about the river's history and environment, clean-up the riverbank, and view river spectacles. Free!

Get your dancing shoes on - it's time for a dance party at the Garden Home Community Library! Friday from 11 to 12. Free!

Fulton Park's 5th Annual Ice Cream Social is this Friday from 6:30 to 8:30 PM. Bring your family and make your own ice cream sundae, get your face painted, climb a rock wall, and meet neighbors! Free!

It's that time of year again! Multnomah Days are here again this Saturday from 9 to 4. Fun for the whole family! Huge kids zone with activities for the whole family. Live music and performances, MAC arts & Crafts sale, and a parade.

This Saturday from 11 to 3 is Family Day at the Oregon Historical Society, celebrating The Portland Timbers. Meet Timbers alumni and get Timber Joey to sign an autograph. See if you are ready to be the next Timbers player in a Wii soccer tournament, and make your own Timbers -themed craft to take home! Two kids admitted free with one paid adult, and all Multnomah County residents are now free (all the time!).

Grammy award nominee kindie musician Justin Roberts, with his band the Not Ready for Naptime Players, will be perfomring songs for families at Mississippi Studios on Saturday from 11 to 12:30. Tickets are $10 in advance, $12 at the door.

Beloved, local author and artist, Johanna Wright will visit Green Bean Books on Saturday at 2 to share her new book, Bandits! It's a charmingly artful story about a family of mischievous raccoons. Free!

Take in some culture with Portland Actors Ensemble's performance of Much Ado About Nothing this Saturday and Sunday at 3 at Gabriel Park. Free!

The India Festival is this Sunday from 11 to 9 in Pioneer Courthouse Square. Come down and enjoy live music, dancing, food and entertainment throughout the day. Get a glimpse of India and its subcontinent's culture, history and people. Free!

An oldie but a goodie - the Alphabeticians play their bi-monthly show at Flying Cat this Sunday at 10. Enjoy some alphabet-related songs by this zany and funny kindie rock duo.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Bite of Oregon!  There's something for everyone at this yummy festival on the SW Waterfront.  In addition to food and drink, there's also a kids' fair, which will include kids assisting local chefs in a head-to-head cooking competition, puppets, balloons, and lots more.  Friday and Saturday 11 to 10, and Sunday 10 to 8.  $5-$15. 

The Tualatin Crawfish Festival also gears up this weekend. The festival offers a wide variety of food, entertainment, and activities – including a parade on Saturday.  Friday, there is no admission.  Saturday, admission is $4 general admission ($2 seniors and free under 2).  Friday from 5 to 10, Saturday from 7:30 AM to 11 PM.

Check out the Galaxy Dance Festival in Director Park this Friday and Saturday.  Explore the rich diversity of dance from culturally-based dance forms such as flamenco, tango, hip hop, as well as classical, contemporary, and ballroom dancing.  This is a free, all-day event.

Despicable Me is showing at this Friday's flicks on the bricks in Pioneer Courthouse Square.  Pre-show entertainment by Pilar French begins at 7, movie begins at dusk.  Free!   

The Portland Soapbox Derby is at Mt. Tabor this Saturday starting at 10.  While the derby-ers must be adults, this is a great spectator activity.  Bring a blanket and a snack and watch some fast and zany cars!  

The Alberta Street Fair is this Saturday from 11 to 7.  There will be a kids' parade, shopping, dancing, music (including by Mo Phillips), face painting, and children's performances. 

Adoption Mosaic’s 4th annual garage sale and fundraiser is this weekend in SE Portland beginning Friday at 9 and ending Saturday at 3.  Buy for a good cause, or donate your own lightly used items (tax deductible). 

Head to Tryon Creek on Sunday from 2 to 3 for the free Forest Music Series, featuring Millennium Clarinets. 

Or check out some local kid-friendly music on Sunday.  Mo Phillips is playing his bi-weekly show at Flying Cat on Sunday at 10, and Mr. Ben is playing a show at Kenton Park on Sunday at 10.  Suggested donation for both.

The Unscriptables present Fairytale Theater in Dawson Park (No Po) on Sunday at 1.  Anything can, and will, happen in these delightful, never before seen fairytales!  Stick around, because at 3 they present Fakespeare in the Park.  Free!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check the newly relaunched PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

The Washington Park summer festival kicks off on Thursday.  Enjoy music in the park by the Rose Garden Amphitheater stage every night through August 13th at 6.  This weekend's musical acts include Linda Hornbuckle & the Divas of Soul, Portland SummerFest Opera in the Park, Dr. Theopolis, and Portland Festival Symphony.

Friday is the first Friday in August.  That means free admission to the Portland Children's Museum!  This month, enjoy musican performances by Brad Hirsch and rocket ship building.  Friday from 4 to 8.

The Clark County Fair is this weekend and beyond.   Enjoy entertainment, family activities, the fair court, free grandstand entertainment, concerts, and lots more at this fun family-friendly event.   Admission ranges from  $7-10 and is free for kids under 7.  Ride coupons are an additional cost.

The Beaumont neighborhood's annual Fremont Festival is this Saturday from 10 til evening.  Enjoy shops, food, music, street performers, and a kid and pet parade.

Breastfeeding mamas - the Big Latch On is this Saturday at 10:30 in participating stores like Plue, Milagros, and The Warehouse Cafe.  Take part in history as you try to break the record for most women bresatfeeding at the same time.

Check out Play after Play's latest performance of The Faeries and the Cake Baker on Saturday at 10 and Sunday at 2 in SE PDX.   $7 per ticket.  

Have you gotten your tickets for the PDX Bridge Festival on Hawthorne Bridge?  Portland's favorite extreme food picnic is back, turning Hawthorne Bridge in a grassy park, complete with trees, picnic tables, and croquet.  Plus voodoo donuts will be attempting to break the world record for the biggest box of donuts.  Saturday from 10 to 2.  $25 adults, $10 ages 6-11.

Check out fun in the park in Wilsonville's town center park. Enjoy tons of family-friendly music, animals, face painting, demos, balloon animals, arts & crafts, legos, a water slide, rock climbing wall, bubbles, food, and a whole lot more.  Free!

Sundae in the Park in Sellwood park.  Come party at Sellwood Park on Sunday from 11 to 10.  Ice cream, music, and movies in the park (Yogi Bear). 

The Slants and Portland Taiko present as part of How We Can Create a Nuclear-Free World at the Waterfront Park.  Sunday from 1 to 4.   Free!

Enjoy $2 discounted admission to OMSI on Sunday from 9 to 7. 

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Rumor has it the elusive sun may be making an appearance this weekend. Here are some outdoor options.

First – the festivals! There are lots going on this weekend.

The Oregon Berry Festival is Friday from 12 to 6 and Saturday from 11 to 6. This is a fun family event with a children’s activities, live entertainment, a Portland chef berry cook-off and a chance to win a Trek Allant bike and eat your fill of Oregon berries. At the Ecotrust parking lot. Free to enter.

Check out the East Portland Exposition this Saturday and Sunday from 11 to dusk at the Ed Benedict Community Park. EPO XPO is co-sponsored by all 13 East Portland Neighborhoods. It is the largest multicultural event in the City of Portland and features both traditional and contemporary performances as well as numerous exhibitors, food, and free activities for children and families. Each evening ends with a movie in the park (Iron Man 1 and then 2). Free!

The Division/Clinton Street Fair and Parade is this Saturday from 10 to 10. Celebrate Division/ Clinton’s 25th birthday, check out bargains at the Richmond Neighborhood sale, and enjoy the 19th annual street fair. Includes music and children’s activities. Free!

Portland Sunday Parkways: NW/Downtown is happening this Sunday from 11 to 4. The 6.4-mile NW/Downtown Portland Sunday Parkways route will have two loops, connecting Downtown, Old Town Chinatown, Pearl District and Northwest neighborhoods. Activities, food, and entertainment will be in Shemanski Square, Wallace, Couch, Waterfront Parks, plus along the route. Map is here.

And some theater-y outdoor fun.

Flicks on the Bricks gear up at Pioneer Courthouse Square. Enjoy a showing of Top Gun, with pre-movie entertainment by Tyler Stenson. Friday at dusk. Free!

Original Practice Shakespeare performs Twelfth Night at Director Park on Friday at 7. The Ops Fest performs using the same performance techniques as they did in Shakespeare's own time, which means limited rehearsal; an onstage prompter; fast-paced, energetic acting; and lots of audience interaction.  Free! Ops Fest is also playing A Midsummer’ s Nights Dream at the Waterfront Park on Sunday at 11.

The Shakespeare Liberation Army in partnership with MAC presents Over the Cliff Notes on A Midsummer Night’s Dream. If you don’t get Shakespeare, you will now! At the MAC Outdoor Courtyard on Saturday and Sunday at 2. Free!

Mr. Ben performs an outdoor show at Kenton Park! Join Mr. Ben to sing out in the sun! Stick around to play Mr. Ben’s ukuleles or go play in the park. Weather permitting. Sunday at 10. $5-10 suggested donation per family.

Just in case, some activities of the indoor variety at some of our fabulous museums.

Free Fourth Fridays at the Portland Art Museum. Due to the popularity of Allure of the Automobile, you must advance your free tickets ahead of time on the museum website. Friday from 5 to 8.

OMSI is busy this weekend. Fastest Ice Cream in the West is Saturday at 3. OMSI's science chefs whip up the fastest-freezing ice cream in the West! Join OMSI's educators as they freeze ice cream with super-cold, super-cool liquid nitrogen! Plus all day Saturday is Astronomy Day. OMSI presents a full day into night festival of all things celestial. Camas-born, former “OMSI kid” astronaut Mike Barratt is the featured guest and speaker. 10 to 4 (free with admission), with a star-gazing party at 9:30 in the OMSI parking lot. THEN from 7 to 10 is Teen Science Night, a special free evening at OMSI just for visitors ages 13-18. Teens can explore the featured exhibitions Game On and Narnia, rock out to a live DJ, ride the Segway, play games, and more!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Some fun festivals going on this weekend.

Sand in the City is this Friday to Sunday in Pioneer Courthouse Square. In addition to tons of sand castles, the event includes, arts & crafts, science in the city, face-painting, public sandbox, root beer floats, and more! The fun starts at 9 and goes late. Suggested $3 per person before 6:30, $5 after, or $10 per family

The NE Broadway Street Fair is this weekend as well, with music, kids’ activities, food, pet fair, wellness fair, vendors, and super sales – and even fire jugglers on Friday! Friday starting at 5; Saturday from 11 to 7; and Sunday from 11 to 5.

If the weather’s nice, there are some fun outdoor options.

MudeyePuppet Company performs a Lot13 Garden Show in North Portland: Deepsy Diver. Puppetstock is Back!! An exciting outdoor summer festival of puppet theater. All puppets are handmade entirely from reused materials. Stick around after the show to meet the puppets up close and ask questions about how they were made. $5 per person. Friday at 10.

Try out some Dutch Oven Cooking at Tryon Creek. Enjoy an Outdoor Demonstration led by a park ranger to learn more about cooking in the outdoors before sharing a treat. Saturday from 3 to 4:30.

Also at Tryon Creek - Kids in Nature Sundays: Berry Bonanza is happening Sunday from 10 to 11:30. Go on a scavenger hunt for the all the berries that abound in the park. Learn how important these berries are to Tryon’s wildlife as you search for signs of their use. Pre-registration required. For ages 4-7. $10 per child.

Listen to the Pacific Crest Wind Symphony Performance at Director Park. Partial playlist: American Salute by Gould, Serenade by Bourgeois, Poet and Peasant Overture by Von Suppe, Visions of Flight by Sheldon, Star Wars Medley by Williams, America the Beautiful arranged by Carmen Dragon. Sunday from 6 to 7. Free!

Check out a concert in the park at McCoy Park, featuring Tezeta Band (Ethiopian dance music). Sunday at 6. Free!

Feel like dancing?

Take a kinderdance class at the Warehouse. Kinderdance is a developmental dance, motor development and fitness program teaching the basics of Ballet, Tap, Acrobatics and Creative Movement while blending educational concepts. Friday from 12:15 to 1. Best for ages 3 to 5. $10 drop-in.

 Or head to a dance party at the Garden Home Library on Friday from 11 to Noon. Free!

Some other options - Attend a fairy party at Green Bean Books. Enjoy fairy stories and found object fairy-house building in the garden behind Green Bean Books. RSVP requested. Saturday at 2. Free!

It’s an Itty Bitty Beach Party at the East Portland Community Center - a splash party for ages 6 months to 6 years. The fun includes a water parade, fish in a pond, a penny hunt, and more. Saturday from 11:30 to 1. $5 adults/$3.25 ages 3-13/Free 0-2.

Saturday is Family Day: Summer Potluck at the Oregon Historical Society! From quilts to fast rides to food vendors – should be fun! Saturday from 11 to 3.  Two children admitted free with one paid adult ($11); free for Multnomah County residents.

Check this out - Summer Kids’ Edition of The First Rule of Book Club at the Baghdad Café. Read and discuss Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Stick around for a sing-along movie viewing! Sunday at 12; screening at 2. Movie is $3 adults, $1 kids – but free if you attend the book club!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Happy Fourth of July urbanMamas and Papas! Ready to celebrate? Here are some ideas. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Here are a few wonderful summery options this 4th of July weekend.

Slip & Slide is back at the Hillside Community Center! Every Friday (weather permitting) from 12:30-2 enjoy some slipping and sliding for free!

It’s Summer Fun Day at the East Portland Community Center Pool on Friday from 1 to 3:15. Special activities like biggest splash contest, penny hunt, pea (with an a) in the pool contest, and more. $5 adults/$4 ages 14-17/$3.25 ages 3-13.

This event follows their 4th of July parade at 11, complete with face painting, hotdogs, and a climbing wall. Fun - and free!

A couple of movies in the park going on this weekend. The Multnomah Arts Center is showing The Social Network on Friday at dark. Then at Harrison Park on Saturday, check out The Blind Side. The movie begins at dark, but the pre-show entertainment (Moonlight Mile) starts at 6:30. These are free!

And even more outdoor summery fun - Square dance at Pioneer Square. Head down to the Square and enjoy a free electronic music festival that will feature talent from all across the west coast! Saturday from 12 to 10. Free!

JUST in case it rains this weekend, there are some fun indoor options too.

Friday from 4 to 8 is free admission to the Children’s Museum. Musical performance by Terry Baber and an art activity involving rocket ships!

Mr. Ben is playing live music for kids at the Warehouse on Saturday from 10 to 11. If you haven’t seen Mr. Ben perform yet – you should. He’s fabulous. $5 suggested donation.

Your teens can learn to Krump Dance at the North Portland library on Saturday from 11 to 12:30. The krump dance is characterized by free, expressive movement involving the arms, head, legs, chest and feet. Free!

And younger kids will enjoy making puppets with recycled bits and pieces during Mudeye Puppet Company’s Scrap Heap Puppet Laboratory at the Albina library on Saturday from 2 to 3:30.

Not a ton going on Sunday as the City gears up for the fourth. But you can check out The Alphabeticians regular show at Flying Cat Coffee on Sunday at 10. They play a mean set of alphabet songs sure to please the younger set. $5 suggested donation.

And two good options at Tryon Creek.  Join in on a Scavenger Hunt as part of the Junior Ranger program on Sunday from 1 to 2 (for ages 6-12) – free! And then from 2 to 4, enlist the whole family for Family Fun with Worm Bins.  Discover worms in their natural habitat and see first-hand how truly invaluable these invertebrates are to the park’s ecosystem. Then make your own worm bins for your household composting needs. Preregistration needed on this one. $18 members, $20 nonmembers (includes all supplies).

On to the Fourth!

There’s a 4th of July Parade and BBQ at the Hillside Community Center. Join for a parade, and then a BBQ with hot dogs, chips, and drinks – and bring your own for potluck sharing. Neighbors with last names A-L bring desserts; M-Z bring salads. Parade starts at 11. Free!

 Eastmoreland’s Annual Fourth of July Parade is also on Monday at 11. Kids decorate bikes and wagons and dress in costume. Pets welcome! The parade is led by a police car and fire engine. Afterwards everyone is welcome to free Otto's hot dogs, ice cream, and soda. Starts at Duniway school. Free!

And of course, there are the fireworks at Oaks Park and as part of Portland’s Blues Fest. If you’re looking to get out of Portland, check out the comprehensive list of firework displays and other 4th of July activities done by PDX Kids Calendar here.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Happy solstice everyone!  Lots of fun ways to celebrate the start of summer.

Farm tunes kick off at Kruger Farm with music by The New Iberians, hayrides, farm animals, and u-pick berries.  Thursday from 6:30 to 9:30.  $10 per car.

Sunday Portland Parkways is happening in North Portland this weekend.  The 8 mile stretch will have two loops connecitng Peninsula, Arbor Lodge, Kenton, and McCoy Parks, plus the Willamette Bluff.  Plus food, music, and activities along the routes. Sunday from 11 to 4.  Free!

The first movie in the park is this Sunday at Peninsula Park.  Catch a showing of Despicable Me and music by Moonlight Mile.  Sunday at 6:30 (music), with the movie beginning at dark.  Free!

The 83rd annual Scandinavian Midsummer Festival is going on at Oaks Park this Saturday from 11 to 6.  Enjoy music, dancing, Scandinavian foods, vendors, and crafts.  $6 adults, $3 ages 6-12, or $15 per family.

Another great festival - the 19th Annual Good in the Neighborhood Muticultural Food Festival and Parade is this Saturday and Sunday at King School Park.  Ethnic food, a KidSpace, a basketball shoot-off, multicultural entertainment, plus a $5 helmet sale - and oh, a parade too!  Saturday from 12 to 9:30 (parade starts at 11 at Dawson Park) and Sunday from 12 to 7:30.  This one is free!

Plenty of good indoor options too just in case PDX doesn't realize it's summer yet. 

If you haven't seen Teeny Tiny Theatre, led by Yvonne Anselmi, you are missing out.  This program will delight audiences and spark imagination through interactive storytelling, songs and puppetry. Registration required: 503-988-5397. At the St. Johns library on Friday at 10:30.  Best for ages 1 to 5.

Get crafty by making some Corn Husk Figurines. Under the instruction of Nelda Reyes and Gerardo Calderon, each participant will craft and decorate their own flowers made out of corn husks. At the Midland library on Friday at 3. 

Local Favorites Johnny Keener and Jason Greene have just released a new CD - and they're going to celebrate it with a CD release party this Saturday from 4 to 6 at the Curious Comedy Theater.  Mo Phillips might be stopping by to jam as well!  $10 per family. 

Celebrate Scotland Day at Green Frog Toys on Saturday from 10:30 to 11:30.  Join for Scottish storytelling and Highland Dancing by the Sherwood Dance Academy - then learn to dance some Scottish moves yourself!  Free!

Head over to OMSI on Saturday at 3 for some fast-frozen ice cream made with... liquid nitrogen!??  Woah, have to taste to believe it I guess! 

Here's your chance to belt out Tomorrow with the best of 'em - Fleur de Lethal Cinematheque presents Annie, an all-ages sing-out summer matinee.  At the Baghdad Theater on Sunday at 2.  $3 over 12; $1 under.

Annie a little tame for you?  Check out the Willy Wonka 40th Anniversary Sing-Along at the Crystal Ballroom. Along with a screening of the movie, see the Ballroom transformed into a candy wonderland!  Sunday at 3.  $6 per person.

 Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Happy Father's Day, Papas!  You hardworking daddies out there deserve some celebrating.  Luckily, Portland has plenty to choose from.  Here are some options for how to spend your Father's Day.

Enjoy breakfast and scope out sports cars?  Thank you Art Museum!  Check out the built-from-scratch 2006 Cambellini and then have your fill of pancakes.  Sunday at 9.  $20 non-members, $10 members.  Advance purchase recommended. 

You can also get special deals at both the Portland Japanese Gardens and the Children's Museum this weekend.  At the Gardens, enjoy discounts at the gift store while your kids explore the garden with a treasure map.  Sunday from 10 to 7.  At the Children's Museum, dads are admitted free with one paid child.  Plus, there will be some RC Car demos and giveaways from 10 to 2.

Is Dad a jazz lover?  Check out Portland's First Annual Cool Summer Sunday of Jazz at Pioneer Courthouse Square on Sunday starting at noon.  With artists like Mike Philips, Kim Waters, and Soul Vaccination, it's sure to please.  Tickets are $35 for general admission.  Kids under 12 are free.

Dads - and the rest of the family - can also enjoy BBQ and some eclectic music (Romanian bluegrass?!?) at Mocha Momma's this Sunday.  BBQ starts at 11, and music at 12. 

And here are some ideas beyond Father’s Day.

Enjoy a Comedy Juggling Show at the Gregory Heights Library on Friday from 3 to 4.  Juggler Charlie Brown presents a dazzling show of juggling feats you won't see anywhere else.  Free!

Two great biking activities this weekend:  as part of Pedalpalooza on Friday, OMSI presents OMSI Pedals Science.  Science outreach instructors lead you on an Eastside loop with science pit stops.  Friday at 12:30 - Free!  Then on Saturday at 1:45, take part in Kidical Mass, featuring Squaredance Paul (aka Professor Banjo) who will call a wild & crazy squaredance!   This will be a 3 mile loop beginning at Overlook Park. Free!

PSU Portland Farmers Market turns 20 this Saturday! Celebrate its birthday with food, fun, and festivities for all.  The market starts at 8:30 and special presentations begin at 11.  Free!

Play after Play hosts Community Sing to benefit Play after Play Saturday at 10 and Sunday at 2 at the Brooklyn Bay.   This special event features songs from around the world, dancing, and celebrating, followed by some play time with the artists.  Reservations are requested.  Suggested donation of $20 per person, or $50 per family.  If you don't know about this great organizaiton, read about it here. 

Here's another great organization to support, and have fun while doing it.  SCRAP's carnival is this Saturday from 10 to 2 in the SCRAP parking lot.  Games, facepainting, and - of course - reuse activities.  Bring pocket change to join in on the fun - all proceeds go to benefit Camp SCRAP scholarships.

Kruger's Farm Berry Jam Festival is this weekend out on Sauvie Island.  Free hayrides, music, farm animals, face painting, pony rides, and more.  Saturday and Sunday from 11 to 4.  Admission is free, but there is an additional charge for some events.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Hoping for a repeat of this past weekend, because there are lots of other outdoor options.

Grab your bike and get out into Portland, folks!

Pedalpalooza kicks off with a ride and picnic. Bring your streamers, sequins and sass--and don't forget your bike. Kickoff Pedalpalooza in style on this costumed bike parade to celebrate our favorite Portland season. Ride is less than 5 miles long and is not a loop – ends under 2 miles from start location (King School in NE). Thursday from 6 to 8:30. Free! Pedalpalooza continues through the 26th with lots of kid-friendly options.

On SUNDAY from 11 to 7, head out for Cirque du Cycling. Cirque du Cycling, presented by Laughing Planet Cafe, is a street festival, a circus, a bike race and a parade - and a benefit for Albina Youth Opportunity School. There's also a free family ride (please register) and a family fun zone. Free!

Of course, The Rose Festival Grand Floral Parade is this Saturday at 10. The Grand Floral Parade is the crown jewel of the annual Rose Festival, anticipated annually by both locals and festival guests. In 2011 the parade will offer an extravaganza of the Rose Festival's theme, 'Carnival of Roses,' displaying the colors, variety and excitement of a mardi gras style carnival celebration. Reserved seating starts at $15.

Raleigh Hills Business Association Community Fair. Handcrafts, food, music, entertainment, children's activities (including Eartha the Clown and facepainting). At the Executive Building Parking Lot, in the 6500 Block of SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy. Sunday from 11 to 4. Free!

And on the music front:

The Alphabeticians play for a benefit for Eastside Family Coop at Burgerville. Yum! 10% of all proceeds go to the Coop. The benefit is Friday from 5 to 8, and the Alphabeticians play from 6 to 7. Free to listen.

The talented kids of School of Rock present "Rush." Enjoy this live performance from local kids at the Kennedy School! Friday at 6 (doors open at 5:30). $13 at the door, $10 in advance.

Bar Bar Summer Patio Sessions on the Bar Bar Patio. This week: Alameda, and Mike Coykendall. At the Bar Bar Patio on Mississippi on Saturday from 4 to 7. Free!

Also on Mississippi: Lorna Miller’s Little Kids’ Jamboree at Mississippi Pizza on Saturday at 4. $5 per family.

Some other fun ideas:

It's the annual ice cream social at Peninsula Park on Friday from 6 to 8. Free!

Author visit at A Children’s Place bookstore! Author and illustrator Carolyn Conahan shares her newest book, The Big Wish. Saturday at 2. Free!

Saturday is Family Day at Washington County Museum. Join Museum staff and Print Arts Northwest volunteers to celebrate with free hands-on history and art activities for the whole family. Bring the kids and make sun swirls, sun prints and more. 10 to 4. Free!

Learn about handling discipline with your small child at Cafe au Play. Come join Sarah Nuxoll, mother of two, for this enjoyable and interactive sharing of suggestions & getting new ideas. Sunday from 11 to 12:30.

The Curious Garden is back! Come see our old friends Razzie the Fairy, Daisy the Flower and Jojo the Lawnjockey - and meet our new garden friends Ribbit the Frog, Dottie the Ladybug and Flappy the Chicken! And remember each episode ends with an open mic where you can sing, dance, tell a joke and show off your talent at the Curious Garden. Sunday at 10:30. Best for ages 0 to 8. $5 suggested donation.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

It's a Portland tradition: the Portland Rose Festival's Starlight Parade is this Saturday beginning at 8:30. Join 250,000 spectators in watching this traditional Portland parade. Do you have a favorite viewing spot? Free!

Some fun opportunities to support good causes this weekend.

Llewellyn Elementary hosts a carnival for kids of all ages. Enjoy a super fun, environmentally friendly event, where prizes are reclaimed, decorations last, and games are remembered for their fun! Friday from 5:30 to 8. $5 per child; adults play free.

Professor Banjo (as Squaredance Paul) calls an all-ages hoedown at the Village Ballroom. Uncle Wiggily will provide the live music. Donations will go to support those affected by the April tornado disaster. Friday at 7:30. $5-50 sliding scale admission fee.

Have fun while supporting a great cause with the Know thy Food Fundraiser and Anniversary Party at the Warehouse. Performances by The Alphabeticians, Professor Banjo, and Van Oodles, plus balloons, food, giveaways, and more. Sunday from 2 to 6. Suggested $5 donation per person or $20 per family.

On the museum front, there are some great admission offers this weekend.

It's Free First Friday at the Children’s Museum. Enjoy free admission at the museum, along with fun events like excerpts from the Oregon Ballet Theatre's traveling performance for children and art with Lori Raydo. Friday from4 to 8.

$2 days at OMSI. Get discounted admission to OMSI this Sunday from 9:30 to 5:30.

Let's hope the weather cooperates, because there are some fun outdoor options this weekend.

 Check out the Junior Ranger Program: Ethnobotany: Plants for Food. Join a park ranger and learn how you can help protect our natural resources, plants and animals. Participating in nature games, nature crafts and park explorations will help junior rangers earn their badge. For ages 6 to 12. Saturday or Sunday from 1 to 2. Free!

Also at Tryon Creek, on Saturday from 7 to 8:30 PM, take a Night Senses Hike. Are you a night owl? Ever wonder how animals see and hunt at night? Naturalists will answer these questions and others, while exploring individual senses during a moonlit stroll. Free!  

Take a Ten Toe Express Walk through Alameda Ridge and stairs. Wind through this historic and beautiful neighborhood, enjoying views and boosting your heart rate using seldom seen public stairways. This is a difficult walk – may not be appropriate for the youngest of little ones. Saturday from 9 to 11. Free!

And some other fun ideas.

Expose your preschooler to Sing, Sign and Storytime: Farm Animals. Join local children's author Dawn Babb Prochovnic as she leads a lively, interactive storytime filled with songs, stories and signing activities. This hands-on workshop incorporates American Sign Language (ASL) into familiar children's songs and rhymes! Participants will learn the ASL signs for various animals including cows, ducks and mice. At the Albina Library on Saturday from 10:30 to 11:30. Free!

Author Maggie Rudy shares her new book “The House That Mouse Built” at Green Bean Books on Saturday from 2 to 3. Free!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Here’s the scoop for the weekend. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Fingers crossed for nice weather. Here are some outdoor options.

Leach Botanical Garden’s Annual Children’s Nature Fair is this Saturday from 10 to 2. Children of all ages are invited to spend a fun day exploring the garden – plus hands-on activities by local environmental information. $2 per child, free for adults.

The 49th Annual St. Johns Parade and bazaar is going on this Saturday. The bazaar starts Saturday at 10, and parade at noon. Free!

There are two great events going on at Tryon Creek on Sunday. At 10, catch Kids in Nature: Coyotes. Kids in Nature is a year round monthly program for children ages 4 – 7 accompanied by an adult. Activities include age appropriate science lessons, stories and hand-on creations. Pre-registration required. $10/child.  And then at 2, attend A Celebration of Woodpeckers. Activities feature the industrious habits of woodpeckers. Pre-registration recommended. Free!

There are lots of music options this weekend.

The Community Music Center’s Family Friday Concert is this Friday at 7:15. This month: Jazz Pianist Ezra Weiss will perform with his quartet. Free, with a suggested donation of $5-15.

The Portland Girl Choir presents its Music in the Making Concert at the Zion Lutheran Church on Saturday at noon. $10.

The Oregon Repertory Singers youth choirs is in concert this Saturday and Sunday at 2. They are presenting Animalia. Hear 5 amazing youth choirs in concert as they present a concert featuring music about the animal kingdom and more. At the Moreland Presbyterian Church. $15-25.

The Portland Youth Harmonic presents its Spring Concert at the Schnitz this Sunday at 4. Tickets start at $26.50.

If you like puppet shows, there are plenty of options to get your fix.

Penny the Puppeteer performs Betty the Clumsy Ballerina at The Off Broadway Central Lutheran church on Friday at 10. Tickets are $5 each or $17 for 4.

Party with the Mudeye Puppet Company and Professor Banjo at Taborspace on Saturday from 3:30 to 5:30. Tickets are $8.

Tears of Joy Theatre presents Puppets for Tiny Tots: Who’s in Hare’s House? Come early to make your own puppet! At the Alexander Preschool for the Arts Saturday at 10:30 and 11:30. $6 per person.

With all the farmers markets gearing up, you may be inspired to make some healthy food. Here are a few options.

Attend Easy Snacks Kids and Grownups Can Make at the Midland Library on Friday from 4 to 5. Cookbook author and food historian Jean Johnson will teach you how to make Quinoa Poppers. Free!

Or attend a Growing Gardens gardening workshop on Saturday from 10 to noon. This workshop is called Munch and Crunch: Feasting from the Garden. Taste fresh produce from the garden. Learn how to harvest, store, and care for vegetables. Learn easy recipes and how to encourage kids to eat fresh veggies. Please pre-register. Suggested $5-20 donation.

A few other things that sound fun.

Northwest Children’s Theater Kid’s Company NW comes to the Children’s Museum on Saturday at 2 and 3 for a performance of Fly to the Moon. Free with admission.

Saturday from 10 to 4 is Family Day at the Washington County Museum. This month: Celebrate Spring. Kites to fly and fish to print – stories about Washington County then and now. Admission is free!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Happy Mother’s Day all you urbanMamas! Portland is pulling out all the stops this weekend in honor of all of us mamas. Seriously, the amount of fun stuff going on this weekend is insane. Seriously. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Let’s celebrate Mother’s Day, folks!

Run Mama Run!, a 10K run, 5K walk is this Sunday at Mt. Tabor Park. This should be great! Kids fun run, crafts for kids by the Children’s Museum while you run or walk, breakfast, and sweet swag bags. Kids run starts at 9:30, grown-up runs at 10. $45 (same-day registration allowed), with all proceeds going to the Adoption Mosaic.

Make Mother’s Day Pop-up Cards at Isobel’s Clubhouse with Linda Candello. Best for 9 year-olds through adults. First activity in the new location at 1542 NW 14th! Please register to attend. $13 (includes all supplies).

Go for a Mother’s Day Wild Flower Walk at Tryon Creek on Sunday from 10 to noon, and again from 2 to 4. Bring your mother to the park for the opportunity to take a guided wild flower walk. Pre-registration requested.

Fingers crossed it’s nice out this weekend because there are some other fun outdoor options.

The 27th Annual Cinco de Mayo Fiesta, featuring rides, fireworks, a children’s stage, folklore, dancing, and more, runs through Sunday along Naito. 11 AM to 11 PM. $6 ages 13 and up, $3 ages 6-12, free under 6

Come to the Japanese Gardens on Saturday from 1 to 3 for Kodomo no Hi, or Children’s Day at the Japanese Gardens, with a variety of children’s activities and performances for families, including a Taste of Tea for children, taiko drumming, and other perennially popular Children’s Day activities for the entire family. Free with garden admission ($9.50 adults, $7.75 seniors and students, $6.75 ages 6-17, free for children under 5).

Celebrate National Train Day. Learn about trains, railroads, and meet Gadget and Cha-Cha the clowns. Prizes throughout the day. At Portland Union Station on Saturday from 10 to 4. Free!

The Festival of the Birds is on Saturday from 9 to 3 at Sellwood Park. Songs and stories about birds, make your own binoculars and vulture planes, gardening for the birds, bird feeders, live birds from Audubon, Bird Olympics, build an eagle's nest, identification of bird songs, and many other activities are included. Birding walks will be led by naturalists every half hour beginning at 9 AM until 2 PM. Free!

And check out all these cool free gardening workshops.

Design and Create a Children’s Garden with Ruth Hampton, founder of Sprouts, LLC, who will teach the basics of designing a children’s garden. At the St. Johns Library on Saturday from 10:30 to 11:30. Ruth will be doing another workshop, What’s in Bloom for Mother’s Day, at the Woodstock Library on Saturday from to 3.

Come to the Rockwood Library on Sunday from 3 to 4 for From Garden to the Table. Join cookbook author and four-season organic gardener Jean Johnson in planting seeds to take home to your garden while tasting some of Portland’s seasonal bounty. For teens and adults.

And JUST in case, some indoor options:

Free admission to the Children’s Museum is on Friday starting at 4.

Local kids’ musician Van Oodles is having a CD Release party at Café au Play on Saturday at 10. Special appearances by Professor Banjo, The Alphabeticians, Mo Phillips, and Olive Rootbeer. PDX Kids Calendar will be there with giveaways!

Crafty Wonderland’s spring sale, featuring tons of crafts from the folks at Collage and SCRAP, author signings and more, is Saturday from 11 to 6 at the Convention Center.

Gustafer Yellowgold comes to the Warehouse for a special Mother’s Day celebration! Created by Morgan Taylor who performs a family friendly/indie cross-over multi-media show of live music and animated illustrations, telling the story of Gustafer Yellowgold, his journey to earth from the Sun, and the weird a funny friends he's made since he arrived. Sunday from 2 to 3. $10.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Can you believe MAY starts this weekend? Hopefully that means the beginning of some sun! For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Here are a few ways to celebrate May.

There’s a May Day celebration at the Kennedy School. Enjoy maypole dancers, music, face painting, and Joe the Balloon Guy. Sunday from 2 to 9.

Enjoy a May Day Craft Program for Kids. Come draw, color, and make a simple flower craft to celebrate spring. For ages 3-8. At the Hillsdale Library on Sunday from 12 to 1:30.

If the weather’s good, you and your toddler might want to check out a Ladybug Nature Walk. Walk through parks, gardens, and natural areas with your preschooler. This program is at a different location each week – this week’s is at Creston Park on Powell. Friday at 10. $3 per preschooler.

There are plenty of great theater performances going on this weekend.

The School of Oregon Ballet Theatre’s annual performance, featuring Coppelia, is at the Newmark Theatre this weekend. Friday at 7:30, and Saturday at 2. Tickets start at $25.

Oregon Children’s Theatre opens “How I Became a Pirate,” a musical appropriate for all ages. At the Winninstad Theatre on Saturday and Sunday at 2 and 5. Tickets are $19-24.

Portland Taiko presents Ponta and The Big Drum at Brunish Hall. Saturday at 11 and Sunday at 11 and 1. Tickets are $12.25 for students, children and seniors, and $18.25 for adults.

Check out all these amazing kid-friendly music option.

The Kindie Music BLOWOUT continues with Johnny Keener, The Toy Trains, and Mo Phillips at Curious Comedy Theater. Saturday from 10 to noon. $4 per child, $8 per adult.

Singers and Stompers with Mr. Ben is at Mississippi Pizza this Saturday at 4.

And there’s family Music with The Snail People at Branch & Birdie on Saturday at 2. $3 donation.

Wanna dance?

Join a Dance Party at the Garden Home Community Library on Friday from 11:45 to 12:15. Free! 

Or check out Hip-Hop Kiddy Bop. Dance and groove with your little dudes to some cool hip-hop music that will make you move. Then listen to a few books that have a rock’n beat that will make you wanna get up and tap your feet. This is an interactive storytime for parents and children ages 2-5. At the Kenton Library Saturday from 10:15 to 11. Free!

And some other options.

Take a Write Around Portland Workshop, an all-ages writing workshop at Cafe au Play. Saturday from 10 to noon.

There’s a Green Bean Kids’ Poetry Reading at Green Bean Books on Saturday from 4 to 5. Free!

C0me see Floreo de Soga. With grace and finesse, the Mendoza family presents traditional rope maneuvers and bailables of charros (Mexican cowboys) that have been passed on for generations. At the North Portland library on Saturday from 11:15 to 12:15. Free!

Enjoy $2 days at OMSI. Discounted admission all Sunday!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Happy Easter to those celebrating, and Happy Earth Day to all. There’s plenty to do to celebrate either occasion (or neither!). For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Easter egg hunts abound in Portland and the surrounding neighborhoods this weekend. Many neighborhood associations have a hunt, like Sellwood-Moreland. Woodstock, Beaumont, and Concordia.

There are also some events put on by other organizations, like Alpenrose Dairy, the Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals (eggs contain prizes like crystals and thundereggs!), and the Washington County Fair Complex (petting zoos, bouncy castles, and more!).

There are dozens of other egg hunt options - it would fill up the whole post!– check out PDX Kids Calendar's Egg Hunt page for a larger list.

Want to celebrate Earth Day by doing good?

Help restore native habitat in Forest Park on Earth Day. Join the Conservancy for one of its largest volunteer stewardship events of the year. Habitat restoration projects will take place throughout the park. Advance registration required. Friday from 9 to 12:30. Free!

Take part in the Great Cloth Diaper Event. Attempt to set a Guinness Book record by changing the most cloth diapers simultaneously at Milagros on Saturday at 9. (Arrive by 8:30.) Free!

There are lots of opportunities to be crafty and celebrate the Earth this weekend.

On Friday from 3 to 5 at the Kenton Library, make Recycled art. Under the instruction of artist Lisa Kagan, participants will learn how to create sculptures and unique works of art out of recycled materials such as cans, newspapers, containers and other uncommon treasures. Free! This event will also be at the Midland Library on Saturday from 2 to 4.

Come to the Earth Day Bazaar at SCRAP, featuring 15-20 reuse artisan vendors, free crafts, food carts, and live music. Saturday from 10 to 6. Free!

Head to the Albina Library on Saturday from 2 to 4 for The Art of Bookmaking with Recycled Materials. Under the instruction of local artist Joy Leising of the 100th Monkey Studio, each artist will learn the art of bookmaking. After creating the book, participants can personalize their books by adding decorations and collage. Free!

Some other plans for Earth Day:

Celebrate Earth Day at the World Forestry Center. Activities include arts & crafts, guided clean-up hike, and more. Friday and Saturday from 11 to 3:30. Free with admission ($8 adults, $7 seniors, $5 children, free 2 and under).

The City Repair Project’s 11th Annual Earth Day Celebration. Live music, food, and a kid’s village. At the Washington High School Field on Saturday from 10 to 7. Free!

And non-earth, non-Easter fun options:

Pendulum Aerial Arts invites the community to an intimate evening “In the studio” featuring new works choreographed by company members. Known for their dynamic, evocative, pioneering work in the aerial arts, the company plans to showcase diverse sensibilities including roller skating with straps, daring aerial acts, and levitating acrobatics. At the French American International School on Friday and Saturday at 7:30. $15 adults, $10 youth and seniors, free under 6.

Kindie Music BLOWOUT! The Alphabeticians, Mr. Ben, Professor Banjo, and Matt Clark will all be performing at Curious Comedy Theater. Next week, more local musicians will be performing! At the Curious Comedy Theater on Saturday from 10 to noon. $4 per child, $8 per adult.

Take a family tour of the Portland art museum and do a fun arts & crafts project. The theme this month is Spaces and Places. Sunday from 12:30 to 3. Free with admission, and free for kids under 17.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Wow there’s a lot going on this weekend, so let’s get right to it. For more ideas on what to do this weekend, check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

Earth Day is April 22. Do you have plans on how to honor the Earth this weekend? Here are some options.

In honor of Earth Day, Solv is hosting dozens of clean-up events around Portland and beyond. See website for full details. Saturday from 9 to 11.

PSU, OSU Extension, PPS & the City of Portland host an Earth Day Celebration. Free food, live music, organic gardening workshops, and activities for kids. At the Learning Gardens Lab at Green Thumb. Saturday from 11 to 1. Free!

This month is Hispanic Heritage Month. The local libraries have lots of options celebrate.

There’s Dia de los Ninos y Dia de los Libros at the Kenton Library on Saturday at 11. Celebrate the power and magic that books bring to children. Join us for music, performances, arts and crafts workshops and other fun activities. (Bilingual in Spanish). This same program will be at the Midland Library on Sunday at 2.  Free!

The Kenton library is also hosting Legends of Mexico/Leyendas de Mexico. The group Nuestro Canto has gathered legends from all over Mexico and has composed music especially for the legends they narrate during their performances. Presented in English and Spanish. Saturday at 12. This program is also being offered at the Midland library on Sunday at 3. Free!

Make Quinceanera Dolls/Munecas de Quinceaneras. Local artist Maria Alvarado will show you how to create a stunning Quinceañera doll. This workshop is for mothers and daughters. All materials provided. Registration required. At the Rockwood Library on Saturday from 3 to 5.  Free!  

There are also some great music and theater options this weekend.

This Friday at 7:15 is the Family Friday Concert at the Community Music Center: Portland Boy Choir with I Raggazi Baroque. Free, with a suggested donation of $5 per person or $15 per family.

The Tik Toks, Do Jump’s youth performance troupe, presents 100 Echos, an original show using aerial dance, acrobatics, physical theatre, and humor at the Echo Theater. Saturday at 7, and Sunday at 1 and 4:30. $5 kids, $10 adults (no one turned away for lack of funds).

This Saturday is the Girls Choir’s Spring Gala Concert, with the Portland Youth Ballet. At the Zion Lutheran Church on Saturday at 2. $10-20.

Some other fun options:

 Tryon Creek Park presents Kids in Nature: Signs of Spring . Go on a scavenger hunt for signs of spring, use art and flowers to understand spring colors, and conduct science experiments to learn the springtime behavior of plants. For ages 4 to 7. Please pre-register. Sunday at 10. $10/child.

Kidfest at the Expo Center. Non-stop entertainment, family fun zones and fun for the entire family. Plus hundreds of interactive exhibits for babies, kids, teens and parents. There will also be an Easter egg hunt benefitting Easter Seals. Check the website for full details. At the Portland Expo Center Saturday from 10 to 6 and Sunday from 10 to 5. There will be an Easter Egg hunt benefitting Easter Seals at 9 AM. $5 for adults and kids (free under 3), and $10 additional for the hunt.

The Pearl District’s Annual bunny Hop is this Saturday from noon to 4. Join the bunny trail as more than 20 merchants offer interactive experiences, treats and more. Oblation Papers and Press will create your own 100% cotton rag paper, and at Green Frog Toys you may visit with The Easter Bunny himself. Ben & Jerry’s will offer colored eggs with candy surprises, Lexidog will give all visiting dogs treat bags and a free Easter Bandana. Free!   

You can check out more ideas for Easter Egg Hunts here.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Is the weather driving you crazy yet? I can deal with the rain. It’s the it’s rainy, no it’s sunny, no it’s rainy AND sunny that drives me bonkers! Rain or shine, there’s plenty to do this weekend. And whatever the weather, this Friday my baby boy turns 1 – now that’s something to celebrate! Happy Birthday Grady!

For more ideas on what to do this weekend (besides wish Grady a happy birthday), check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page.

There are lots of activities going on to celebrate Arbor week this week.

On Thursday from 10 to 12:30, there’s a guided hike in Forest Park with the Forest Park Conservancy's stewardship director and naturalist Stephen Hatfield. Exact location provided with registration. $10.

On Friday at 10, there a free Magnolia Tree Walk in Hoyt Arboretum.

 On Saturday at 9, celebrate Arbor Week with a bike ride where you get to see the coolest trees in Sellwood, Reed, and Eastmoreland. So fun!  Free!

Also on Saturday, the World Forestry Center is celebrating Tree-Mendous Second Saturday. Enjoy crafts, learn about trees and forests of the world, and go for a guided hike in Hoyt Aboretum! 10:30 to 3, and free with admission ($8 adults, $5 kids, free 2 and younger).

Speaking of museums, there’s some other great stuff going on around town in our museums this weekend.

The Portland Art Museum’s monthly Learning to Look Together is this Saturday. Join a Museum educator on a guided exploration of the galleries, learning simple tips and techniques for making art approachable and enjoyable to investigate as a family. Please register to attend. There’s one for ages 3 to 5 at 10, and one for ages 6 to 11 at 11. Cost is $5 for members and kids, and $12 for non-members.

You can also enjoy Family Day at the Washington County Museum this Saturday from 9 to 4. This month celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with Prints done with an etching press, Hispanic paper dolls -”The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshoppers Feast” poem, a butterfly jigsaw puzzle and a grasshopper bookmark. Free!

If the weather is nice, here are some fun outdoor options. The Hollywood Library is hosting three tours called Walking with Ramona. Join Portland walking author Laura O. Foster on a tour back in time, to the 1950s world of Ramona Quimby and friends. Saturday at 11, 3, and Sunday at 4. All free.

On Sunday from 1 to 4, join wild food expert and author John Kallas for Wild Foods of a Forest Park Spring. Learn about edible wild plants found in northwest forests. Suitable for ages 8 and up. Advance registration required. $24 for adults, children pay their age.

And some other cool things going on this weekend.

Growing Gardens is offering a workshop: Super Seedlings, Planting Seeds for Your Garden. Families will learn the basics of how to start seeds, care for them, and when to transplant them to have a summer full of fresh vegetables. For ages 6 to 12 with parents. Please pre-register for specific location (which is in NE Portland). Friday from 6 to 7.

Penny the Puppeteer is presenting Mixed Up Fairytales, a fun puppet show for kids, at the Off Broadway Central Lutheran church in the Fellowship Hall. Friday at 10. $5 each or $17 for 4. Penny is also performing a free show at the Central Library on Saturday at 2.

Presto the Magician does his magic at Green Frog Toys in the Pearl. Saturday from 10:30-11:30 AM. Free!

Read and write haiku poems at A Children’s Place bookstore on Sunday at 2. Best for ages 7 and up.

 Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

If you've gotten a bit stir crazy during spring break, don’t worry – there’s lots going on this weekend in Portland.  And much of it free or low-cost. There’s only room for a small sample here, so check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page for more ideas.

This weekend is Portland’s Better Living Show. In addition to being an eco-friendly home and garden show, the show invites kids to master a recycling gridiron game with Atlanta Falcons Ovie Mughelli, go on an Oregon Adventure with Radio Disney, and more in the Planet Kids area. At the Expo Center Friday from 12 – 9 PM; Saturday from 11 to 9; and Sunday from 11 to 5. Free!

There are some other great shows going on this weekend.

On the theater front, Play after Play presents The Rat’s Tale, a story from China. After the performance, kids can play with the performers onstage! Check out a great review here. At the Brooklyn Bay in SE on Saturday at 10 and Sunday at 2. $7, free for ages 2 and under.

Northwest Children’s Theatre performs Go, Dog. Go!, based on the classic children’s book by P.D. Eastman. Most enjoyed by ages 4 and up. Shows are going on all weekend and throughout the week – check the website for details. Tickets are $22 for adults, $18 for youth.

David Freleng performs Shadow Puppet Theater at Green Frog Toys in the Pearl. Saturday at 10:30. Free!

And on the music front, take part in Lorna Miller’s Little Kids Jamboree at Mississippi Pizza. Saturday at 4. $5 per family.

Papaccino's Coffee in Woodstock hosts The Alphabeticians, with a special appearance by balloonist Olive Rootbeer! Saturday at 4. Donations gladly accepted to support the artists.

Catch some free opera on Sunday at 2 at the Central Library with Portland Opera’s Preview of The Spanish Hour & The Bewitched Child.

And some arts & crafts options:

Have fun with some Papertoy Monster Making at Green Bean Books in NE. Come any time throughout the day on Saturday (11 to 6) to learn how to make a paper monster and take it home for free! Best for ages 8 and up.

Head to the Capitol Hill Library on Saturday at 10:30 for The Adventures of Flat Stanley. During this workshop, you will make our very own Flat Stanleys and take them on new adventures – all for free!

And finally, here’s the museum round-up.

Enjoy free admission to the Portland Art Museum on Friday from 5 to 8.

Get ready for a Superhero Celebration at the Children’s Museum. Make capes and secret identity masks or join the Cloud City Garrison. Come dressed as your favorite Superhero! Saturday from 10 to 3 (check the website for times for activities). Arts & Crafts activities cost an additional $2-$5 over the $9 admission price.

NanoDays at OMSI. Celebrate NanoDays with several hands-on nanotechnology activities demonstrating some really big ideas about really small science. Saturday from 11 to 3:30. Free with admission.

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Happy St. Patrick’s Day and happy end of winter everyone! Let’s get out there and celebrate! There’s even more to do than usual this weekend and next week during Spring Break. Check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page for more ideas.

Here are some options to celebrate the Irish in ya.

Take an Irish dance and culture workshop. Learn basic steps and take part in Irish-themed crafts, hear Irish folklore and sample Irish foods. At Portland Metro Arts on SE Stark Friday from 9 to noon or 1 to 4. $15.

What better place to celebrate St. Patrick’s day in PDX than Kell’s Pub? Head over to the Kell’s Irish Festival in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. Kid events in the festival tent including arts & crafts, live music, Irish dancers, and face painting. Saturday starting at 11:30. Free!

There are also some options to get in the spirit of spring.

Make paper flowers for spring with Artist Shanon Schollian at the Northwest Library. Saturday at 2. Free!

Or make some of those spring flowers at Green Bean Books on NE Alberta. All ages welcome! Sunday between 10 and 5. Free!

You can also celebrate spring by getting outside!

There are full moon nature walk at Columbia Children's Arboretum, Hoyt Arboretum, Powell Butte, and Gabriel Park on Saturday at 7:30. Cost is $2 per person or $5 per family. Please register ahead of time.

You can also take part in the March Kidical Mass bike ride – celebrate spring with Urban Farm Adventure! Join for a 3.5 mile loop including visits to the Rigler school garden, Harvey Scott Elementary, the Handmade Gardens edible forest, and the in-progress Cully Cycle Track. Special surprises may include mud, seeds, and chickens! Meet at Rigler Elementary on Saturday at 2:45. Free!

Don’t want to go outside? Here are some fun and free indoor opportunities – all at your local libraries!

If you have a kid in grade 6 or up, head over to the North Portland library for Uke can do it! Entertainer Cinda Tilgner leads this ukulele workshop for both musicians and non-musicians. She brings thirty ukuleles and instructional books to teach teens simple chords and songs. Saturday at 11.

Make Recycled Art. Under the instruction of artist Lisa Kagan, participants will learn how to create sculptures and unique works of art out of recycled materials such as cans, newspapers, containers and other uncommon treasures. At the Albina Library Saturday at 2.

Head over to the Gregory Heights library Saturday at 2 for Mi Pinata. Under the instruction of Nelda Reyes and Gerardo Calderon, participants will craft their own traditional cardboard piñata and decorate it with colored papers.

Or get yourself to the Central Library on Sunday at 2 to hear Baba Wagué Diakité. Baba Wagué Diakité is a well known artist and storyteller from Mali, West Africa. Baba will tell the 13th century epic story of the creation of the Mali Empire.

A few other options –

There’s a Dance Party! at the Garden Home Community Library on Friday at 11. Shimmy, shake and play music, treats, and instruments. Appropriate for all ages. Free!

And Saturday from 11 to 3 is Family Day at the History Museum. Enjoy the museum’s new exhibit: Peace Corps and visit with animal guests from around the world courtesy of the Oregon Zoo’s ZAP program. Make a Guatemalan craft from recycled materials. Two children are admitted free with one paid adult. (Adult admission is $11.)

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

Happy pre-St. Patrick's day weekend everyone!  Whether you choose to begin your celebrations early or not, there are options for everyone.  Here's a small sample of all that's going on. Check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page for more ideas. And enjoy!

Professor Banjo as his alter-ego Square Dance Paul calls the PCDC Family Dance at the Fulton Community Center. This program will feature a range of dances, from figures geared toward preschoolers, to simple squares and reels that school-aged kids will enjoy. The dance is also followed by a potluck dinner.  Saturday from 5 to 7.  $6 adults, $5 kids.

Ms. Tyleena sings songs and tells stories as part of Storytime with the Fairy Funk Mother.  At the Capitol Library on Saturday at 10:30.  Free!

On Sunday at 3, The Metropolitan Youth Symphony performs at the Schnitz.  It will be playing a Musical Mosaic, featuring Tchaikovsky and jazz.  Tickets start at $16.50.

And here are a few other things not to be missed.

See a showing of Beverly Hills Chihuahua 2 as part of Family Night at the Movies at St. Johns Community Center.  Friday at 6:30.  $3 per family.

Catch a free performance of MAC Studio Theatre’s Nancy Drew and the Case of the Missing Letter at the Multnomah Arts Center.  Saturday at 7 and Sunday at 2:30. 

Monthly Spanish Story Time at Green Bean Books. Join the charismatic Kara DeGiovanni of Portland Early Learning Project as she shares stories, songs and interactive games all in Spanish. Friday at 11:15.  Free!

Head over to Green Frog Toys for a St. Patrick’s Day celebration on Saturday! Create a lucky shamrock (10:30 to 11) and then sing and dance with Beltaine, Portland’s own traditional Celtic band (11 to 12). There will also be face painting!  Free!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

The weather may not show it, but winter is winding down. The days are getting longer and all of sudden – this is the last weekend in February! Whatever the season, there is plenty to do in PDX. Here are just a few of your options for the weekend. Check PDX Kids Calendar and the urbanMamas calendar page for more ideas.

Here are some fun cultural options for the weekend.

Hina Matsuri, the Doll Festival, opens at the Portland Japanese Garden on Friday and goes through March 3. Free with admission.

Also on Friday - free admission to the Portland Art Museum from 5 to 8.

Celebrate Black History with the 8th Annual Black History Celebration. There will be food, art, music and entertainment for everyone! At the Matt Dishman Community Center on Saturday at 6. Free!

Saturday is also Girls’ Day at the World Forestry Center. Featured events include demonstrations by the Rose Buds Junior Roller Derby Team, OSU Magic and the Mad Science Water Show, art projects, guided tours of the Hoyt Arboretum and much more! Saturday from 10 to 2. Free with admission.

There are lots of fantastic shows this weekend.

Oregon Children’s Theatre’s new show starts this weekend. On the Eve of Friday Morning, is a magical story about the power of stories themselves. At the Winningstad Theatre Saturday at 2 and 5 and Sunday at 2. Tickets start at $19.

Saturday is The Alphabeticians’ Mega–CD release party! Music, balloons, costumes, giveaways, and more! At Mississippi Pizza on Saturday at 3:30. $5/person or $15 per family

The Corin Tucker Band plays at You Who. You Who is a monthly children's rock variety show featuring variety entertainment, like live music, DJs, interactive dance, comedians, puppets, and more. At McMenamin’s Kennedy School Sunday beginning at noon. $11 adults/$6 kids.

Aaron Nigel Smith of PBS’s Between the Lions plays at the Children’s Museum as part of World Sounds. Sunday, with 30 minute performances at 11, 12, and 1. Free with admission.

And some odds and ends.

Head over to Tryon Creek for Family Fun with Worm Bins. Discover worms in their natural habitat and see first-hand how truly invaluable these invertebrates are to the park’s ecosystem. Then make worm bins for household composting! Please pre-register. Saturday from 2 to 4. $15.

Celebrate Dr. Seuss at the Central library with Seuss inspired storytime and activities. The Cat in the Hat himself will even be in attendance! Friday at 10:30. Free!

The Fix-it Fair, featuring free bike tune-ups for families, is Saturday from 8:30 to 2 at Jefferson High School. Free!

Hope this gives you some ideas. Have fun out there! And don't forget to double-check event details by calling or checking the website of the venue, performer, or host organization.

I grew up just outside of Boston. The summers were horribly humid. The winters were ridiculously, bitterly cold. But fall – fall made up for all of that. These past few days have felt like fall in Boston – sunny, crisp, with that undeniably “fall” smell in the air. This gorgeous weather is made all the sweeter by knowing that the rain will soon be descending upon us. So for as long as this lasts, we plan to take advantage. And luckily there are a lot of outdoor activities going on this weekend in Portland. For more ideas on stuff to do (indoors or out) check out the UrbanMamas calendar or PDXKidsCalendar.

The ultimate outdoor fall event is going on this Sunday – Portland’s marathon. If you’re running it, well congratulations! And what are you doing looking at things to do? Go eat something! We spectated last year, and it was inspiring as always to see so many dedicated runners streaming by. Go out and cheer on those crazy runners! I can speak from experience that we love and need your support.