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This week brings us all things America, including National Hot Dog Day festivities at Aviary, a real-life hoedown, and a whole hog butchery class. Heat got your brain fried? Bask in the glory of all things coastal with a seafood Breton dinner, or revel in enjoying life's simpler pleasures like some freshly hand-churned Salt & Straw. If the big dogs and brews style of things is a little too loud for you, consider stopping by the World Forestry Center in honor or Tea Fest PDX to add a little more zen (and chai) in your life.
Wednesday, July 19
National Hot Dog Day
Today is National Hot Dog Day, which means you should stuff copious amounts of hot dogs and beer down your gullet. Aviary's kicking off the festivities by offering their smoked Olympia Provisions slaw dogs all night. Usually $7 at happy hour by themselves, the dogs will be $8 including a pint of rarely seen Sojourner Hefeweizen from Cascade Locks' Thunder Island Brewing. Aviary, 1733 NE Alberta St., aviarypdx.com. 5 pm. Free.
Thursday, July 20
Dinner Dialogues Series
If the idea of throwing in a dinner element to a networking event excites you, then by god the "Dinner Dialogues" series is here for you. This week's event at Pioneer Place is led by branding expert Tina Mulqueen, who'll be offering up a presentation on personal branding alongside dinner and drinks. $25 gets you a ringside seat to all the business-y goodness. Dinner Dialogues, WeWork Pioneer Place, 700 Southwest 5th Avenue. Dinner-dialogues.com, 6:30 pm, $25.
PDX Pop Now! Kickoff Party
You had me at free Sizzle Pie. In honor of tomorrow's PDX Pop Now festival, Vortex Music magazine is hosting a little shindig at Quality Bar to kick off the festivities. Enjoy slices of pizza beside drink specials to the tune of a "photographic look back" at PDX Pop Now. PDX Pop Now Kickoff Party, Quality Bar, 931 SW Oak St. qualitybarpdx.com, free.
Friday, July 21
Oregon Winemakers in the House
If the promise of wine is the only thing that gets you through your workday, you might want to consider stopping by the E&R Wine Shop for their Oregon Winemakers in the House night—with $15 nabbing you 10 different local wines to taste. Discover something new with picks from Hundred Suns Wine, Cana's Feast Winery or Hazelfern Cellars. E&R Wine Shop, 6141 SW Macadam Ave, erwineshop.com. 5:30 pm, $15.
Saturday, July 22
Zenger Farm's 3rd Annual Hoedown
Who hasn't always secretly wanted to go to a hoedown? Zenger Farm's 3rd annual hoedown's got plenty in store for you no matter what your age may be. There's a picnic supper and beer and cider garden with beer from Breakside Brewing for the adults, live music and dancing for the kids, and hand cranked Salt & Straw on site for all. Tickets are $25 for adults and $15 for youth, and include dinner plus a drink ticket, if you're into that kind of wholesome summer fun. Zenger Farm, 11741 SE Foster Road, zengerfarm.org. 4 pm, $25 for adults, $15 for youth.
Tea Fest PDX
Tea enthusiasts, rejoice! There's a whole festival just for you. This Saturday marks the start of Tea Fest PDX at the World Forestry Center, a day devoted to celebrating all things tea. You can find plenty of tea tastings with informative classes like "What Makes A Good Matcha Bowl" as well as examples of tea ceremonies from all over the world. Expect to see Steven Smith Teamaker, Townshend's Tea Company and more than 25 vendors trying to get their cuppa' on. Tea Fest PDX, World Forestry Center, 4033 Southwest Canyon Road. teafestpdx.com. 9:30 am, $10 at the door.
Sunday, July 23rd
King Leroy Pop Up at Chalino
Chef Cameron Addy—of Ava Gene's and La Moule fame—is bringing the King LeRoy Southern pop up to Chalino this Sunday. Named after a cow in Addy's childhood, King LeRoy promises a night of simple soul food designed to celebrate the seasons of the Pacific Northwest. You'll find menu items like a giggle-worthy "He-Crab" soup with fried squash blossoms, a Sorghum brined rack of pork complete with a fried radish salad and salsa verde, and a "Real Georgia Cobbler" with homemade froyo. 6 dishes and a take home treat is yours for $45 a pop, with additional beer and wine options available for purchase. King LeRoy at Chalino, 25 N Fremont St, kingleroy.com. 6:30 pm, $45.
Whole Hog Butchery 100 Class
Is there anything more awesome and Ron Swanson worthy as learning how to butcher your own meat? The folks at the Old Salt Market Place host butchery classes every few weeks, usually on lighter items like how to make sausage or bacon. This week's class, however, isn't for the faint of heart: lead by head chef and butcher Dan Meyer, it's a full blown butchery seminar on how to break down a whole hog. Just think of how good it would feel to channel your inner Iron Chef and astonish your friends at every BBQ with your newfound skills. You also get to leave with a quarter of a hog, which isn't too shabby as far as doggie bags go. Old Salt Market Place, 5027 NE 42nd Ave, oldsaltpdx.com. 3 pm, $300.
Breton Coastal Feast Dinner
For their monthly Breton pop-ups, chef Liz White and wine guy Simon Lowry add thier own Pacific Northwest touch on classic Breton dishes: the entire menu is stacked with every kind of seafood from oysters by Olympia Oyster Bar to halibut and beyond. It's a drool-worthy lineup to say the least. Feastly, 912 SE Hawthorne Blvd., eatfeastly.com. 6:30 pm, $60.
Monday, July 24
Bread Making Class
If you're looking to gussy up your home cheffing skills, Feed the Mass is hosting a family cooking class in that most noble of arts, aka the art of making bread. The class is open to kids ages 4-11 and only costs $5 per kid. Besides being an awesome bonding activity to engage in with your kid, learning to make bread is the kind of skill that's good to have in your back pocket, as it's likely to make you infinitely more likeable among family and friends. Feed the Mass, 100 NW 20th Pl, feedthemass.com. 6 PM, $5.
Tuesday, July 25
Bit House Saloon 2 Year Anniversary BBQ
In honor of its second birthday, the always entertaining Bit House Saloon is letting its hair down this Tuesday to celebrate with a big, back patio summer party. Revel in the wacky madness with a backyard BBQ and a special grilled menu by head Chef Ricky Bella along with live music and games for the family. Show the heat who's boss by indulging in one of many frozen treats from odd'r pops to slushies and bottled cocktails, and finish it all off with a sip from the ice luge. Bit House Saloon, 727 SE Grand Ave, bithousesaloon.com. 5 pm, free.
