PORTLAND, Ore. — This week marks the official beginning of fall, never mind that we've been heralding the start of fall events for two weeks now. The warm weather may be sticking around for a bit longer, but the tenor of events tells the true story of this time of the season — eat, drink and be merry for lo, the dark times cometh.
A Night With Ghosts
When: Fridays and Saturdays through October
Where: Anna Bannanas, 1214 Northwest 21st Place, Portland
What's going on: Explore the most haunted haunts of Portland's Slabtown and Nob Hill, learn of their baleful apparitions — the relics of a pioneer-era Portland steeped in much woe! It's a good start for the spookiest season, is it not? Beyond hearing the recorded accounts of past sightings, the tour takes guests to three cursed locations; seeking out the ghost of Agnes Reid's son, little Ernest Harp's poltergeist playmate and the Lady Over the Bar.
The Wedge
When: Saturday, Sept. 24
Where: Alder Block, 100 Southeast Alder Street, Portland
What's going on: Cheese. Need we say more? Alright, how about a lot of different types of cheese, local and artisanal, and they're accompanied by other specialty foods, wine, spirits and cider. A ticket nets you samples of many cheeses, accompaniments and the non-alcoholic beverages on offer, and there's an add-on ticket for sampling the adult drinks. Also, a ticket comes with a $5 voucher toward buying the cheese that becomes your heart's desire. Cheese!
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Beaverton Restaurant Week
When: Sept. 22 - Oct. 2
Where: Multiple locations
What's going on: If you're a die-hard Portlander you might not know it, but Beaverton has a great variety of restaurants these days. For Beaverton Restaurant Week, more than 40 dining establishments — many of them within walking distance — roll out special menu items to celebrate the scene and attract discerning eaters. So if you find yourself thinking with your stomach within the next week, think about that.
Fresh Hop Pop-Up Beer Fest
When: Sept. 16 - Oct. 2
Where: Prost! Marketplace, 4237 N Mississippi Avenue, Portland
What's going on: Looking for a celebration of beer without the Oktoberfest trappings? The Fresh Hop Pop-Up Beer Fest offers a beer garden attended by 10 food trucks and 10 rotating taps every day, celebrating special brews from some of the best breweries in the Pacific Northwest, especially of the fresh hops-forward variety. We're talking to you IPA freaks out there. Hop along now.
Motown: The Sound of Young America
When: Sept. 23 - March 26
Where: Oregon Historical Society, 1200 Southwest Park Avenue, Portland
What's going on: This exhibit will be around for a while, but there's no time like the present to soak up all this Motown history. The OHS got its hands on all kinds of artifacts of the 1950s Detroit-based musical phenomenon curated by the GRAMMY Museum, harkening back to acts like the Temptations, the Four Tops, the Miracles, Boyz II Men and the Supremes.
Hood River Fruit Loop
When: Ongoing
Where: Multiple locations
What's going on: If you don't mind a bit of a drive, you could head east toward Hood River and take in the cleverly-named "Fruit Loop" — a meandering path through the Hood River Valley lined with orchards, fruit stands, wineries, breweries, cideries and flower fields. Depending on what your fall desires may be, you can probably find an experience that will fit the bill. A lot of the farms are u-pick, if you're into manual labor, or you can hit up a stand or store.
Edgefield Oktoberfest
When: Saturday, Sept. 24
Where: Edgefield, 2126 Southwest Halsey Street, Troutdale
What's going on: Looking for a celebration of beer with the Oktoberfest trappings? Edgefield's got you covered. Strap on your lederhosen because they've got beer, a lot of live music, a plant sale, face painting and a balloon guy. It's free to attend and all ages are welcome.
St. Johns Bites
When: Sept. 20 - Oct. 20
Where: Multiple locations
What's going on: Clearly setting up a knock-down-drag-out food fight with Beaverton Restaurant Week (there can only be one) is St. Johns Bites, a celebration of restaurants, bars, coffee shops and food trucks in the mystical land beyond the cathedral bridge. After having a bite at one of these establishments, a little social media voodoo could net you a $50 gift certificate.