What To Do in Portland (Nov. 17-23)

DO | Portland International Cider Cup Awards Party

Secure your seat at one of the most prestigious cider competitions in the country. The Northwest Cider Association is celebrating the best hard-pressed beverages in the industry with an in-person ceremony this year, though keep in mind that tickets will be limited due to COVID. While watching the Portland International Cider Cup, you can enjoy complimentary appetizers and ciders for purchase. Prizes won’t just go to the cideries, either—wear your best ceremony ensemble and vie for the title of Best Dressed. And if you can’t make it to Swift to watch the awards, you can still join via Zoom. Swift Cider, 100 NE Farragut St., Unit 101, 503-719-3402, picc.nwcider.org. 5-7 pm Thursday, Nov. 18. $10.

GO | La Luz

A guaranteed good show, surf-rockers La Luz roll through Portland to promote their fourth—and first self-titled—album, La Luz. When a band’s album goes self-titled, it means this one is really special. La Luz is a triumph of harmony-driven, catchy hooks-laden songs, like “Metal Man” and “I Won’t Hesitate.” If you’re looking for something to hold onto in this wild world, La Luz is your solid ground that will rock the audience like psychedelic clockwork. Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell St., 503-284-8686, wonderballroom.com. 8:30 pm Thursday, Nov. 18. $20.

DO | Beyond Van Gogh: An Immersive Experience

For those who can never seem to get close enough to a painting’s brushstrokes—without suffering the glares of museum guards—Beyond Van Gogh offers a unique, immersive opportunity to experience the work of the Post-Impressionist master Vincent van Gogh. French Canadian creative director Mathieu St-Arnaud and his Montreal Normal Studio place the audience inside classic paintings like The Starry Night, Sunflowers and Café Terrace at Night, via groundbreaking projection techniques. Starting in December, yoga classes are offered Thursdays and Saturdays inside the installation—at the wallet chakra-opening price of $56.99 a session. Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., vangoghportland.com. 10 am-10 pm daily, Nov. 19-Jan. 9. $36.99-$93.99.

SEE | Eating Raoul

In this 1982 black comedy, an uptight couple (Paul Bartel and Mary Woronov) discover a murderous way to both dispose of their rowdy swinger neighbors and scrounge up funds for their dream restaurant. All proceeds from ticket sales go toward paying the medical bills of Ray Tillotson, founder of Ray’s Ragtime, who recently died; this was his favorite film. Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-493-1128, hollywoodtheatre.org. 7:30 pm Friday, Nov. 19. $8-$10.

GO | Bury Me by Unless PDX

A new brand of streetwear—curated by local shoe designer Frank Cooke, in collaboration with local names like Quanie, Diane Lam and Matthew Vu—Unless is a clothing line that, in addition to looking stylish and durable, is 100% plant-based and free of plastics. This brand launch presents an opportunity to score some of the ultra-ethical line, which will no doubt be snapped up quickly. One selling point is that each piece is biodegradable— although we have been assured it will not melt in the rain. We’re still figuring out the science, but what’s obvious is, some of the city’s most interesting creative voices are involved in this project. Pomarius Nursery, 1920 NW 18th Ave. unlesscollective.com, 11 am-4 pm Saturday, Nov 20.

DO | The Dark and the Barrel-Aged Pre-Thanksgiving Funk

Now that you, Grandma and even your elementary school-aged cousin have been vaccinated, a big ol’ traditional Thanksgiving dinner is back on the schedule this year. If the thought of being stuck with your entire extended family for hours on end has you in a panic, take the edge off with Threshold Brewing’s pre-holiday drinking festival. The taps will be pouring plenty of huge stouts and specialty releases, including a robust barleywine that spent two years resting in a whiskey barrel, and an imperial stout aged in syrah vessels. Don’t forget to take some home in 22-ounce bottles—you’ll need those to get through Thanksgiving. Threshold Brewing & Blending, 403 SE 79th Ave., 503-477-8789, threshold.beer. 3 pm Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 20-21.