Events in Portland today

Runaways Run Club hosts a year-round group run that meets at the Edward Payson Park Sebago to the Sea parking area at Baxter Boulevard. The route typically circles Back Cove on a largely flat, non-technical gravel loop of about 3.6 miles, beginning and ending at the same location. Runners of any pace are welcome, though there are no designated pace groups, so plan to move at your own speed. Participants should be comfortable running one to two miles without difficulty. If you are feeling unwell or have Covid, please stay home. By taking part, you acknowledge the inherent risks associated with running.

Test your knowledge with @thetunuguru in a trivia experience that blends general knowledge and music questions. When the weather is nice, it takes place on the patio. The event promises a fun time.

Enjoy country swing instruction alongside social dancing, creating time to learn and practice fresh moves on the floor. Admission is $10 and includes a $5 credit toward food. The focus is on building new dance skills in a friendly setting.

Mini Trees, the solo project of Los Angeles songwriter Lexi Vega, stops on a U.S. tour in support of the album Slow It Down, delivering an intimate mix of indie and alternative pop shaped by the push and pull of self-doubt and persistence. The record traces repeating cycles of disappointment and growth, moving from the unease of chasing uncertain goals to hard-won clarity about industry hurdles, and the aftermath that follows emotional distance. Her 2025 headline run included sellouts in major cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Washington, DC, New York City, and Boston, and previous tours have included support slots for artists like Julien Baker, Death Cab for Cutie, Yumi Zouma, Hovvdy, and Jay Som. A deluxe edition of Slow It Down is planned for 2026 alongside more touring. Also featured is Little Oso, a dream pop and indie rock band from Portland, Maine. The project grew from a bedroom-pop duo into a five-piece in 2024, released three EPs, and arrived at its debut full-length, How Lucky To Be Somebody, on Repeating Cloud in the U.S. and Safe Suburban Home in the UK in 2025. Tickets are $18 in advance and $22 the day of the show, with $2 off for SPACE members.

A guided bird walk led by Noah Gibb explores the distinctive habitat of Scarborough Marsh, with opportunities to see sparrows, wading birds, and the occasional rarity. The group meets at the Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center and may travel to additional spots around the marsh. Birders of every experience level are welcome, and binoculars are available to borrow. The program is free, with donations appreciated. Maine Audubon strives to provide inclusive and accessible programs. If you need accommodations to participate, email events@maineaudubon.org. Requests are best submitted at least seven days before the start of the event.

Experience an all-levels outdoor yoga class in Payson Park that blends mindful movement, time in the fresh air, and a welcoming sense of community. Instruction is approachable and adaptable, with options for every experience level so you can move at your own pace in a way that feels right for you. Bring a mat or blanket, a water bottle, and anything else you need to stay comfortable outside. Settle in for a peaceful savasana in the grass to complete your practice.

Connect with Lindsay from Still Peaking in Portland for a monthly women’s mountain bike ride with Wild Rye and Allspeed at Allspeed Cyclery & Snow. Each session begins with a brief skills tune up to help you feel more confident on the trail, then wraps up with a Chill & Grill hosted by Allspeed Cyclery. This month features a presentation from Desirae LeBlanc, owner of Cadence Pelvic Health & Wellness. The ride welcomes all bodies, abilities, and fitness levels. Participants under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

Enjoy a weekly cribbage tournament every Wednesday. The buy-in is $10, and payouts go to first, second, and third place. Matches are singles in a double elimination format, and play follows a no mugging rule.

Enjoy casual, friendly Magic Commander play at a Gaming & Event Center. Meet other players and participate for as long or as briefly as you wish, with no entry fee. Participants who play and sign in through the Magic Companion app receive a complimentary Magic promo.

A weekly Pokémon Trading Card Game league gathers players for casual matches in a welcoming setting. Participants may stay for the entire session or drop in for a shorter visit. A complimentary Pokémon prize pack is available to players who participate and are registered league members. Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Presented by State Theatre and 98.9 WCLZ, Mt. Joy performs at Thompson's Point in Portland, Maine in a special all ages show celebrating ten years.

Dylan Adler is a comedian, actor, writer, and musician based in NYC and LA. His work includes writing for The Late Late Show with James Corden, where he also performed stand-up and appeared as a sports correspondent. He has made two appearances on After Midnight and has delivered stand-up sets on Comedy Central. Vulture featured him on its Comic You Should and Will Know list, and he most recently toured Europe as the opener for Atsuko Okatsuka.

Liz Phair brings The Flannel And The Fury Tour to the State Theatre in Portland, Maine for an all ages concert. Since the landmark debut Exile in Guyville, she has released five albums, sold more than five million records, composed music for television, and earned two GRAMMY nominations. She published the memoir Horror Stories in 2019, noted for its frank reflections on fame, motherhood, and aging. On her 2021 album Soberish she reunited with producer Brad Wood, drawing praise from Variety and The New Yorker. In 2018 Matador Records reissued Exile in Guyville as a deluxe box that paired the remastered album with restored Girly-Sound tapes, a release that received a perfect 10.0 from Pitchfork. Phair has appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone, topped SPIN’s year-end list, and reached No. 1 in the Village Voice Pazz and Jop critics poll. She also performed as a main stage artist on Lilith Fair in 1998 and 1999 alongside Sarah McLachlan, Emmylou Harris, Sheryl Crow, and Missy Elliott.

This welcoming drop-in storytime invites children of all ages and their caregivers to share read-aloud stories, sing together, and get moving with simple actions that bring the tales to life. Sessions may also feature guest visitors or seasonal-themed activities, adding fresh surprises for families who return.

Ben Kilcollins performs live at Sidecar Wine, Whiskey & Tapas Bar.

Enjoy a free trivia night at the Allagash Bungalow featuring classic question rounds along with photo and music challenges. Teams can include up to six participants. Prizes are awarded to the top three finishers.

Bayside Bowl caps its Rooftop Summer Concert Series with a celebratory show featuring Gina & The Red Eye Flight Crew. This all-ages, ticketed event offers admission at $25 in advance or $30 at the door. Led by vocalist Gina Alibrio, who formed the group in Portland with musicians from Rustic Overtones, Jaw Gems, Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds, and Model Airplane, the nine-piece ensemble blends original songs with pop, soul, and R&B favorites delivered with a lively, funky groove.

In the Garden at Bissell Brothers, a curated screening presented by Bissell Brothers features a film program running about 50 minutes and includes a 20 minute intermission. Admission is a suggested donation of $10. The lineup includes King’s Field (14.43 minutes), directed by Joseph M Carter from Maine, which follows King as he struggles to grow enough cannabis for his store and Matt who offers a fix, documenting their partnership through a season of sun-grown cannabis in Maine. Steward·Ship, A Love Letter to the Maine Coast (8.1 minutes), by Maine filmmaker Luke Kaneb, trails a young sailor along the rugged coastline in a wooden boat and shows how the freedom to explore is tied to caring for the places that make it possible. The Human Side of Plastic: Abby Barrows (18.43 minutes), by Andrew Lynch, Ben Ayers, and Rush Sturges from the United Kingdom, is set on Deer Isle in Maine and looks at warming waters and invisible microplastics that threaten a long-standing lobstering tradition, following veteran lobsterman Joel Billings and his daughter Hannah alongside neighbor and microplastics researcher Abby Barrows, who points toward plastic-free aquaculture. Salt Marsh (15.1 minutes), by Tom Bell from Maine, offers a poetic portrait of artist Mitchell Rasor reflecting on art, climate, and solitude, set to an original score by Lee Ranaldo. A Life Aloft (12.8 minutes), by Maine filmmaker Clayton Simoncic, profiles hot air balloon pilot Paul Stumpf, New England’s last balloon repairman, as he reflects on a life in the air within a close-knit community.

Bluegrass returns to OTTO, and it is free to attend.

Pat Metheny presents Side-Eye III+ at the State Theatre in Portland, Maine. This performance is open to all ages and features reserved seating, with ticket prices ranging from $35 to $75.

Comics take the stage without a plan, give the wheel a spin, and let chance pick the challenge. The format can shift to crowd work, a tight five, a random topic drawn from a bucket, quick impressions, darker material, or an unexpected curveball. Everything unfolds on one stage as multiple styles collide, creating a fast, unpredictable show where performers think on their feet and build a set in the moment.

This weekly gathering offers time to focus on creative projects, connect with new friends, and make space for planning and organizing. It is open to everyone, welcoming artists and community members to spend unhurried time together. Tea will be available. A guiding thought from Toni Morrison about the essential work of artists in difficult times provides inspiration, emphasizing expression and language as paths toward healing.

Out of Season, a Maine record label, marks its tenth anniversary by bringing together fantasy music and dungeon synth artists from around the world. Friday brings performances by Fogweaver, Grimdor, Pumpkin Witch, Sombre Arcane, Vaelastrasz, and Deep Gnome. Saturday follows with Thangorodrim, Frostgard, Putrid Marsh, Hillsfar, Foglord, and Hoarfrost.

Feud Night at Bissell Brothers in Portland pairs great food with a fast paced, survey-style game where teams try to predict the most popular answers given by 100 people. Expect playful prompts like where a certain green superhero should probably avoid working, what habit of housecats causes the most groans, or which morning noises outside a window are most likely to wake someone up. The format puts a team-friendly spin on the familiar concept, with twists that keep things lively and optional chances to wager if you want to stretch a lead or mount a comeback. The winning team earns a gift card. It is free to play, no tickets are required, and participants can take part on their own or with friends.

Sasha Velour brings TRAVESTY to the State Theatre in Portland, Maine, a sweeping drag production that journeys through queer life across different eras. Through electrifying lip-sync performances, Velour becomes a vivid cast of characters, from a witch facing the flames in a field to a clown testing balance on a high wire to a crowd in an underground gay bar standing up to the police. The experience blends performance art, history, and a call to action, celebrating cycles of existence, resistance, and camp that define drag. Expect big emotions, aisle-dancing energy, and moments that might leave you ready to, in Velour’s words, “change the muthaf*ckin’ world!” Each stop features a local Portland drag artist, creating a one-of-a-kind night unique to this city. All ages are welcome. Reserved seating ranges from $35 to $75. As BroadwayWorld put it, “It is point blank one of the most outstanding performances presently on stage.”

Naomi Lindenfeld returns to Portland Pottery for a two-day, full-process workshop centered on building layered ceramic surfaces with colored slips. Beginning with forming work in fresh clay and concluding with slip decoration, she demonstrates slab-building approaches that use templates along with folding, wrapping, and draping, and she covers effective ways to join and refine seams, edges, and corners. Participants will roll practice slabs to develop decorative ideas before applying them to their own pieces. Naomi then guides a range of surface techniques, including sgraffito, stenciling, combing, printing, inlay, and painting with eight colored slips to achieve depth and visual interest, and she explains how slips are made so participants can create their own. This visit follows her previous colored porcelain and nerikomi workshop.

Settle into a quiet co-working session at the Downtown Library to focus on personal tasks and to-do lists alongside others, with support from library staff. Enjoy hot coffee or tea while you work in a comfortable, low distraction space. A virtual option is available over Zoom for those who cannot attend in person. This recurring program takes place every third Wednesday and the last Saturday of the month. Participants can complete a worksheet in advance so staff can have helpful resources ready during the session.

Enjoy relaxed Commander play with fellow Magic players in a casual setting. Come and go as you wish and play for as long or as little as you like. There is no charge to participate. A complimentary Magic promo is available for anyone who plays and signs in using the Magic Companion app.

South Georgia Tormenta FC travels to Portland to take on Hearts of Pine at Fitzpatrick Stadium. The game brings together two teams with distinct approaches, and the cozy stadium environment keeps the speed of play, hard challenges, and momentum swings easy to follow.

Enjoy a lively fundraiser at the Italian Heritage Center featuring the high‑energy sounds and classic hits of Blues Brothers Next Generation, all in support of the Italian Heritage Center Scholarship Fund. The evening offers live entertainment, appetizers, raffles, a 50/50 drawing, and a cash bar for a spirited night of music and community. Seating requests will be considered so groups can sit together. Tickets are $40 for members and $45 for the general public, with member purchases verified against the active member list. Strong attendance is anticipated, so early ticket purchase is encouraged.

This community-focused family night starts with games and free pizza, then shifts to a movie that is occasionally shown in 3D. All of it is complimentary, with candy, popcorn, and drinks provided, and pinball machines available to play at no cost.

Presented by State Theatre, Turnstile brings the Never Enough Tour, part two, to Thompson’s Point with Yves Tumor and Fiddlehead also on the bill. This concert is open to all ages.

The set highlights the latest release, Silence Outlives The Earth, and also features select tracks honoring the 10th anniversary of Drift. Attendees must be 18 or older and present a valid ID. Doors open one hour before the show begins.

Enjoy a set from Easy Money Band with no cover required.

An evening social focused on ballroom and Latin dance takes place at Basics Fitness Center. It happens every Saturday.

Put your music knowledge to the test with Sporcle's Music Quiz. There is no cost to participate, and prizes are available.

A Portland favorite returns to the Old Port for an afternoon Tunes'n'Brews session at The Thirsty Pig. This casual gathering is all about music and brews.

Entry is limited to guests 18 and older and a valid ID is required for admission. Doors will open one hour before the event begins, giving time to get settled. Tickets will be offered through a venue presale as well as a public onsale.

The State Theatre teams up with Live at Madrid’s to present Madison Cunningham with Julia Cumming. This all-ages show offers $30 advance tickets and $35 tickets on the day of the performance.