There’s a lot going on this week, and much of it is “extreme” with athletes pushing the limits of outdoor survival skills, skateboarding, and soap box derby. If you like your entertainment a bit more on the mild side, this weekend also offers a car show in Gaston, harvest festival in McMinnville, and some outdoor music performances in the metro area.
Gaston Good Ol’ Days
This annual event features a car show – a summer staple – drawing fans to the town of Gaston in August. Events include a parade (6:30 p.m. Friday), cornhole tournament, “Loud Pipes” competition, pancake breakfast, live music, keynote car show, a beer garden, and a steak feed. Proceeds from the event benefit local children’s charities and other nonprofit agencies.
5-10 p.m. Thursday, 5-11 p.m. Friday, 6:30 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 14-16, Brown Park, 105 S.W. Gaston Road, Gaston; free admission; gastonknights.com/2025-wapato-showdown.
The Siletz Bay Music Festival
Maybe you happen to be at the coast and need something fun to do, or maybe you’re a big chamber or jazz music fan and will travel for a key show. Either way, the Lincoln City/Newport area is the place to go for 10 days of extraordinary music on the Oregon Coast. Events take place in many venues, so make sure you check before purchasing tickets. Performers include Michelle Chow, JoJo Dimitrov, Katherine Schultz, and Mei-Ting Sun. The free family outdoor concert on Saturday (2:30 p.m.) at Regatta Park features Prokofiev’s “Peter and the Wolf” for wind quintet with a narrator.
Concerts begin Thursday, Aug. 14, and continue various times and dates through Aug. 24. Get a complete schedule here: app.arts-people.com.
PNW Survival Games 2025 (Molalla)
Get in on the action as outdoor enthusiasts, hikers, bushcraft lovers, preppers, athletes, educators, and adventure seekers from across the Pacific Northwest and beyond spend three days learning about how to safely explore off-grid areas and how to survive in the wild if needed. Those participating are 18 and older, but all ages are welcome to spectate. Each survivalist gets a 30-minute lesson prior to the set challenge. There will also be live music, chances to talk to instructors and camping is available.
Various times Friday-Sunday, Aug. 15-17, at Molalla Ripple, 16287 OR 211, Molalla; $50 day pass, $100 for the weekend includes camping; pnwsurvivalgames.com.
Rockstar Energy Open Worldclass Skateboarding
Building on the momentum of last year’s groundbreaking inaugural event, which attracted 25,000 fans and featured more than 100 skaters, Portland will once again host a masterclass in skateboarding culture and local, regional and international talent at Waterfront Park. Watch as the world’s best boarders including Olympic gold medalist Keegan Palmer and defending Street Final champion Lazer Crawford compete on custom-built courses designed to showcase the highest level of progression and creativity. Best of all? Admission is free to spectators!
Venue opens at 11:45 a.m. Friday-Sunday, Aug. 15-17, Tom McCall Waterfront Park, north of the Hawthorne Bridge; details theplatfrm.com/the-rockstar-energy-open.
Billy Nation – A Tribute to Billy Joel
You may be right; it may not be Billy. But if you’re a huge fan of the Piano Man, this is the show for you. All Joel’s amazing hits (and he’s got more than 30 Top 40 gems) are on the possible set list when this tribute show hits the stage at the Newmark. Billy Nation is based in southern California and features pianist/vocalist Adam Shapiro.
7:30 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15, Newmark Theatre, 1111 S.W. Broadway; tickets start at $55; portland5.com/newmark-theatre.
PDX Adult Soap Box Derby
In a city where wacky events are actually fairly common, this adults-only race that careens down the side of an extinct volcano is certainly up there in terms of strange. But it’s so beloved that it’s been going on for more than 25 years. About 40-45 racers participate every year. Spectator donations help keep this event on its wheels.
10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, Mount Tabor, Southeast 60 Avenue and Salmon Street; free to spectate; soapboxracer.com.
18th annual Corgi Walk
Short dog lovers unite! These squat herders are so much fun to be around and hanging out with more than 100 of them will feel like heaven to corgi fans. There’s also a fashion show with prizes. The event raises money for owners who face high costs due to medical or behavioral issues.
9 a.m.-noon, Saturday, Aug. 16, Wallace Park, Northwest 25th Avenue and Raleigh Street; $25 registration fee to participate in the walk; corgiwalk.com.
Family Open Studios: Clay & Wheel Throwing
This free, drop-in workshop is for all ages of art lovers who would like to explore the basics of clay sculpting, hand building and wheel throwing. Walter’s experts will guide the class.
10 a.m.-noon Saturday, Aug. 16, Walters Cultural Arts Center, 527 E. Main St., Hillsboro; free; hillsboro-oregon.gov/Home.
Multnomah Days
One of Portland’s oldest street fairs, Multnomah Days, fires up again the third Saturday in August for an open-air family event that includes a community parade, live music, street entertainers, art shows, food and beverage carts, and a Kids Zone at the Multnomah Arts Center.
10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, Multnomah Village, mostly on Southwest Capitol Highway between the bridge and Southwest 31st Avenue; free admission; mnapdx.org/events/multnomah-days.
Summer Shred Music Festival
How does a free day of live music sound to you? This inaugural music festival will offer 14 local Portland rock, metal, and punk bands as well as a beer garden, food trucks, artists’ booths, and a “Youth Guitar Shred-off.” The festival is led by an all-volunteer team that hopes to make live music more accessible to Portlanders.
Noon-11:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 16, on the street at 800 S.E. Second Ave., near the east end of the Morrison Bridge; free admission; summershredpdx.com.
Harvest Fest 2025 (McMinnville)
The Yamhill County Historical Society’s annual Harvest Fest is a great time to have some old-fashioned farm fun. Watch mules and horses harvest fields, see antique farm equipment in action, learn about blacksmithing and sawmilling. There’s also a vendor market, live music, and plenty of food booths.
10 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, noon-4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16-17, at the Heritage Center, 11275 S.W. Durham Lane, McMinnville; $10 general, ages 11 and younger free; yamhillcountyhistory.org/event.
Portland Wind Symphony in Cathedral Park
It’s a night of beautiful music under the stars (hopefully) in Portland’s Cathedral Park. The wind ensemble will perform works by Leonard Berstein, Percy Grainger, and George Gershwin. Paul Nickolas and Danielle Davey are the conductors. Bring a blanket or low-backed chair. All ages welcome.
6 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 17, at the park under the St. Johns Bridge, 6635 N. Baltimore Ave.; free ; portlandwindsymphony.org.
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