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Wednesday, Aug. 22
Zak Toscani
After moving to L.A. and becoming Twitter-famous from a viral thread about a co-worker stealing another co-worker's lunch, former Portlander Zak Toscani returns for a night of standup. Helium Comedy Club, 1510 SE 9th Ave., portland.heliumcomedy.com. 8 pm. $10.
Courtenay Hameister
Following a debilitating anxiety attack in 2013, former Live Wire host Courtenay Hameister decided she needed to start facing her fears head on. The result is Okay Fine Whatever, an odyssey through sensory deprivation tanks, marijuana binges and the sheer terror of online dating. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., powells.com. 7:30 pm.
Thursday, Aug. 23
Reel Eats: Blade Runner
OMSI's Reel Eats event merges the futuristic sci-fi visuals of Blade Runner with specifically curated boxes of food that correspond to key moments—meaning you can take a slurp of ramen every time Harrison Ford does the same onscreen. OMSI Empirical Theater, 1945 SE Water Ave., omsi.edu. 7 pm. Sold out.
Festbier Release Party
Get your first taste of an Oktoberfest beer before you're well into the season of parties and too drunk to care what you're ordering. Occidental is releasing Festbier to prepare your palate for the transition to fall. Bailey's Taproom will also share some rare offerings from the cellar. The Upper Lip, 720 SW Ankeny St., theupperlip.net. 5-10 pm.
Friday, Aug. 24
Red Bull Music Presents
Red Bull and Portland's Eyrst Records' team up for a hip-hop showcase that puts the spotlight on local producers. Expect R&B singer Blossom and rapper Ripley Snell to pop up during Eyrst co-founder Neill Von Tally's set to perform a few tracks from their dreamy collaborative release Clout Atlas::Dormiveglia. The Evergreen, 618 SE Alder St., facebook.com/eyrst. 8 pm. $5 advance, $10 day of show. 18+.
Portugal the Man
Portland-via-Alaska transplants Portugal the Man blew up out of nowhere last year on the strength of the Motown-sampling "Feel It Still," one of the biggest crossover rock songs in years. Given how much they've repped the city on national stages, this should be a raucous homecoming. McMenamins Edgefield, 2126 SW Halsey St., edgefieldconcerts.com. 6:30 pm. Through Aug. 25. Sold out.
Saturday, Aug. 25
In the Lot
MusicfestNW lives! Sort of. This two-day mini-festival, held in the parking lot of the downtown Dr. Martens store, is headlined first by subversive rap queen Princess Nokia, then garage-rockers Twin Peaks, with a ton of awesome local talent filling out both days. Dr. Martens Store, 2 NW 10th Ave., drmartens.com. 3 pm. Through Aug, 26. $18 per day, $30 weekend pass. All ages.
Car Krush Block Party
The women and non-binary-focused auto club Car Krush is hosting its second annual block party, with drinks, dancing and a lot of sweet rides to ogle, along with instructional seminars that'll teach you "How to Put Your Car on Jack Stands Without Dying." ADX, 417 SE 11th Ave., carkrush.com. 3-10 pm.
Sunday, Aug. 26
Timbers vs. Sounders
The Portland Timbers will face their archrivals the Seattle Sounders one last time this season, so make sure your chants are on-point. Providence Park, 1844 SW Morrison St., timbers.com. 6:30 pm.
Portland Hip-Hop Day
In honor of co-founder Starchile, who died earlier this year, the fourth iteration of Portland Hip-Hop Day will be the biggest yet, with a lineup that includes veterans like Cool Nutz and figureheads of the current wave like Mic Capes. Portland City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave., facebook.com/pedxhiphopday. 2 pm. Free.
Monday, Aug. 27
Rico Nasty
Twenty-one-year-old Maryland rapper Rico Nasty's simply named debut, Nasty, gleefully slaps hip-hop conventions in the face. With a raspy voice, endless charisma and bust-your-shit-open beats, Rico is one of 2018's brightest breakout stories. Peter's Room at Roseland Theater, 8 NW 6th Ave., roselandpdx.com. 8 pm. $17. All ages.
Wattstax
Seven years after the devastating anti-police riots in L.A.'s Watts neighborhood, the legendary Memphis record label Stax organized a benefit concert with a stellar lineup of performers. Fortunately, somebody was there with a camera and turned that extensive footage into this crucial documentary. NW Film Center's Whitsell Auditorium, 1219 SW Park Ave., nwfilm.org. 7 pm. $5-$9.
Tuesday, Aug. 28
Cannabis Science Conference
In addition to panels ranging from genetic analysis to medicinal research to plant cultivation, the world's largest cannabis science expo will also feature an address from television star and cancer survivor Fran Drescher. Oregon Convention Center, 777 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., cannabisscienceconference.com. 8 am. Through Aug. 29. $79-$299.
Patrick deWitt
French Exit, the new book from perhaps Portland's most celebrated contemporary author, is a dark comedy of manners, involving a cat that possesses the spirit of a crooked litigator, a cruise ship psychic and a bored French detective, among a whole host of other colorful characters. Powell's City of Books, 1005 W Burnside St., powells.com. 7:30 pm.