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GO: Portland Rose Festival
For the past two years, the Portland Rose Festival’s parades and other pageantry went virtual while Waterfront Park sat empty. Now, the city’s signature event is back in person, with its largest fireworks display to date. The pyrotechnics aren’t the only element to return—the carnival, concerts and Fleet Week are all on the schedule this year. The moment you get a whiff of that first funnel cake, you’ll feel like everything is back to normal. Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 98 SW Naito Parkway, 503-227-2681, rosefestival.org. Ribbon cutting at 5 pm, fireworks begin at 9:50 pm Friday, May 27. Free.
LISTEN: Lawrence
Siblings that play together stay together. Clyde and Gracie Lawrence bring their eight-piece pop-soul band Lawrence to Portland (as part of their Sound of Summer Tour with MisterWives) following several high-profile appearances, including their late-night debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and two performances at Coachella. Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St., 503-225-0047, crystalballroompdx.com. 7:30 pm Sunday, May 29. $35-$45.
EAT: Sloppy Joe Memorial Day Weekend Kickoff
Le Pigeon’s elevated take on the sloppy Joe makes its return for one day only. Gabriel Rucker teams up with Michael Keskin of Bark City BBQ to make the sweet-and-tangy sandwiches as a fundraiser for Ben’s Friends, an industry recovery group that’s near and dear to both chefs. Keskin will smoke beef cheeks using Le Pigeon’s recipe, then top the meat with truffled carrot slaw and aioli. There are few better ways to start the unofficial kickoff to summer than with a messy, childhood classic—and make sure you get there early to snag one. Only 100 sandwiches will be served. Bark City BBQ, 3582 SE Powell Blvd., barkcitybbq.com. 11 am-8 pm Friday, May 27. $25 for a sandwich and Bark City side of your choice.
WATCH: Memoria
If you missed this acclaimed cinematic odyssey from star Tilda Swinton and legendary Thai director Apichatpong Weerasethakul when it played at Cinema 21, you can still catch it at PAM CUT. Get your tickets while you have the chance, since the film is playing exclusively in theaters and is never coming to streaming platforms or home video (really!). Whitsell Auditorium, 1219 SW Park Ave., 503-221-1156, pamcut.org. 7 pm Friday, May 27. $12.
WATCH: RoboCop
In 1987, director Paul Verhoeven (Basic Instinct, Starship Troopers) made the all-time greatest black comedy about a morally questionable cyborg-Jesus policeman walking on water. Kidding aside, RoboCop still kicks ass—in a way that makes you meditate deeply on the dystopian horrors of futuristic fascism, of course. Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd., 503-493-1128, hollywoodtheatre.org. 9:30 pm Saturday, May 28. $8-$10.
DRINK: Choice Beer Release
Breweries continue to prove they’re more than just a place to drink; taphouses can function as hubs for social engagement that highlight important causes from the Black Lives Matter movement to the Ukrainian refugee crisis. Slabtown’s Hammer & Stitch is stepping up to support access to safe and legal abortions with a new beer called Choice. A dollar from each pint of the blackberry hazy IPA will go to Planned Parenthood during this release party. Hammer & Stitch Brewing, 2377 NW Wilson St., 971-254-8982, hsbrew.co. 6 pm Friday, May 27.