Summer nights are officially getting shorter (this will be easier to believe in late August than early). Portland’s theater and dance scenes are largely still on break until the 2026–27 season starts this fall, but there’s still plenty of daylight to burn outdoors at some of the city’s best public gardens. Portland Art Museum’s Center for an Untold Tomorrow also has plenty of movies showing at PAM’s recently renovated in-house theater, The Whitsell, and PAM CUT’s Tomorrow Theater across town.

The Regional Arts and Culture Council’s Arts for All program makes offerings like these affordable to anyone using the Oregon Trail supplemental nutrition assistance program. RACC and dozens of its artistic partners only need to see your SNAP card to unlock $5 tickets for some of the Portland area’s best cultural events. Each organization’s requirements are listed, so unless otherwise noted, all you need to do is show your card at the box office — or select a discount online and be prepared to show your card at the door — to unlock savings.

OUTDOORS AND ONGOING 

The Oregon Symphony’s Bridge Arts for All program and its $5 tickets are available through an application-based process. Bridge Arts for All applications opened Aug. 3, so apply now for those season-wide deals. orsymphony.org/bridge-arts-for-all

The Lan Su Chinese Garden in Old Town is an artfully manicured traditional Chinese garden escape from the city. A proud reminder of the historic Chinatown neighborhood, Lan Su regularly hosts art classes, tea tastings and a rotating roster of cultural experiences such as calligraphy, tai chi and Chinese folk music. It also hosts seasonal celebrations including the midsummer Lotus Festival, the Chrysanthemum Festival in November and the Dongzhi winter solstice. 239 NW Everett St., 503-228-8131, lansugarden.org. 10 a.m.–6 p.m. daily.

The sprawling Portland Japanese Garden covers 12.5 acres near the Oregon Zoo in Washington Park. It opened in 1967 as part of a larger national effort to heal post-WWII Japanese-American relations, and has been called one of the world’s most authentic Japanese gardens blooming outside Japan. The Portland Japanese Garden hosts regular artistic and cultural experiences with its tea house, onsite art galleries and natural wonders. 611 SW Kingston Ave., 503-223-1321, japanesegarden.org. 10 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Wednesday–Sunday, noon–5:30 p.m. Tuesday. Present Oregon Trail card in person for two $5 tickets per adult and free admission for up to four children ages 17 and under.

Leach Botanical Garden celebrates 90 years of growth this year. Its free Garden for All program doesn’t require an Oregon Trail card, just ask for it by name in person on entry. First opened in 1936 by John and Lilla Leach and bequeathed to Portland following Lilla’s passing in 1980, the 16-acre botanical garden offers amenities including an aerial tree walk, four Heritage Trees of Portland and a year-round native pollinator garden. 6704 SE 122nd Ave., 503-208-6030, leachgarden.org. 10 a.m.–4 p.m. Sunday–Thursday.  

Want to get hyped for the upcoming Wildwood movie, or beat the crowds likely to flock to Pittock Mansion after its release? Go now while the weather’s good! The historic 16,000-square-foot mansion — which appeared briefly in exterior for Madonna’s “Body of Evidence,” by the way — is an architectural marvel with stunning views of Portland. Built by The Oregonian publisher Henry Pittock, the namesake mansion is more than a century old. If only those walls could talk. 3229 NW Pittock Dr., 503-823-3623, pittockmansion.org. 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Wednesday–Monday, noon–5 p.m. Tuesday. Present your Oregon Trail card in person.

MUSIC Jazz saxophonist Sam Epstein’s quartet Neighborhood Politics explores human connection in mundane modern city life. He leads the group at The Old Church’s Free Lunchtime Concerts series. The Old Church Concert Hall, 1422 SW 11th Ave., 503-222-2031, tocportland.org. Noon on Wednesday, Aug. 5. Free.

THEATER: Broadway Rose Theatre Company’s take on Disney’s “Newsies” arrives at a dire time for journalism. Nevertheless, anything that gets people passionate about print media is a good time. Broadway Rose Theatre Company, 12850 SW Grant Ave., Tigard, broadwayrose.org, Arts for All available at 503-620-5262 or in-person starting 90 minutes before a performance’s start. Arts for All not offered for matinees or the production’s final week. Aug. 5–16.

THEATER: “Hands on a Hardbody” is a musical about the namesake contest where people would lay their hands on a truck, and whoever touched it the longest won. The musical is inspired by a 1997 documentary of the same name. Lakewood Center for the Arts, 368 S State St., Lake Oswego, lakewood-center.org, call 503-635-3901 to verify Arts for All showtime availability. 7:30 p.m. Aug. 7, and 12–15. 2 p.m. Aug. 8, 9 and 16.

FILM “Skate Dreams” (2022) documents the rise of women’s skateboarding, from athletes’ boycott of the once all-male X Games to the paths they shred as they prepare for the Olympics. The nonprofit organization Skate Like a Girl presents the film, bringing the screen to life (especially for any of the kids in the audience). PAM CUT at Tomorrow Theater, 3530 SE Division St., 503-221-1156, tomorrowtheater.org, Arts for All available as walk-up only, recommended arrival at least 30 minutes before showtime. 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 7. 

FILM Cat videos probably aren’t why the internet was invented, but society would likely be better off if that were true. The Tomorrow Theater’s Cat Video Festival packs four screenings’ worth of filmed felines showing the full range of reasons we love them. This ain’t just any YouTube compilation playlist: PAM CUT’s friends at Oscilloscope Laboratories handpicked these meow-vies, and a portion of proceeds benefits The Street Dog Coalition’s cat-friendly efforts. Tomorrow Theater. 3:30 and 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8. 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9. 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15.

FILM The Whitsell plays Hayao Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away” (2001) for its 25th anniversary as part of PAM’s Summer Fantasy Rewind series. Whether you know the story of Sen’s quest to save her parents by heart or are journeying to the kami’s world for the first time, the Whitsell will gather you in good company. PAM CUT at The Whitsell, 1219 SW Park Ave., 503-226-2811, portlandartmuseum.org, Arts for All available as walk-up only, recommended arrival at least 30 minutes before showtime. 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 8. 

FILM I must have watched the wrong “The Wizard of Oz” (1939), because apparently Dorothy (Judy Garland) is plucked from Kansas as a pawn in Ariana Grande and Michelle Yeoh’s scheme to get Cynthia Erivo and I just don’t remember that happening at all. The Whistell won’t show as much of Dorothy’s Dust Bowl ceiling as you’d see at The Sphere in Las Vegas, but they’ll set the record straight on one of cinema’s all-time greats. The Whitsell. 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9.

FILM Local author Margaret Malone’s Movie Book Club series hosts a book club-style discussion of a literary movie adaptation — in this case, the post-war romantic drama “The Remains of the Day” (1993), a remarkably British story of a rule-bound butler (Anthony Hopkins) and his budding romance with a free-spirited housekeeper (Emma Thompson) while their employer supports the Nazis. Tomorrow Theater. 3 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 9.

THEATER 21ten’s BareBones Reprise series — which stages plays with minimal tech and stage requirements — brings back “Adopt a Sailor.” Actors Jeb Berrier, Rocco Weyer and Brook Hogan are a sophisticated New York couple and an Arkansas sailor united by a Fleet Week program. 21ten Theatre, 2110 SE 10th Ave., 21ten.org. Email boxoffice@21ten.org to reserve Arts for All tickets. Aug. 14–16. 

FILM The Jim Henson classic “The Dark Crystal” (1982) follows Jen (Henson, Stephen Garlick) on a quest to restore order to a fantasy world of masterful puppetry. The Whitsell. 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. 

MUSIC Enfoque—Exploration of Cuban Musical Styles is part music history presentation, part post-lecture descarga diving deep into Cuban culture and music with vocalist Jessie Marquez, trumpet player Lorenzo Molina, and Milagro’s education director, Yosmel López Ortiz. Milagro, 525 SE Stark St., 503-236-7253, milagro.org. 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. Free or pay what you can.

FILM Before “Mean Girls,” there was “Heathers” (1988), Winona Ryder’s clique of ‘80s teen queens. But unlike Lindsay Lohan, who had gays, Ryder had a straight boy (Christian Slater), and we all know how that worked out. Tomorrow Theater. 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. 

FILM Gird your girdles and codpieces for “Labyrinth” (1986) in respect for the late David Bowie and his musical journey to kidnap Jennifer Connelly’s baby brother. The Whitsell. 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16.

FILM “Desert Hearts” (1985) follows a literature professor (Helen Shaver) and her late 1950s affair with a female casino worker (Patricia Charbonneau). It is hailed for helping contemporary heterosexual audiences at the time better understand sapphic storytelling. Tomorrow Theater. 4 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16. 

FILM Karim Aïnouz’s newest dark comedy, “Rosebush Pruning” (2026), follows the dysfunctional dynamics of a wealthy family (Callum Turner, Riley Keough, Elle Fanning, Jamie Bell, Tracy Letts, Lukas Gage and Pamela Anderson). Tomorrow Theater. 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 16. 

MUSIC Local singer Madison Ford takes to The Old Church’s stage for its Free Lunchtime Concerts series. The Old Church. Noon on Wednesday, Aug. 19. Free. 

FILM Lesbian Cinema Club hosts a quad of short early films by queer British documentarian Pratibha Parmar: “Emergence” (1986), “Flesh and Paper” (1990), her possibly best-known early film “Khush” (1991), and “Wavelengths” (1997). Parmar focuses her lens on LGBTQ+ South Asian people, sometimes blending natural footage with dramatized scenes. Tomorrow Theater. 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 20. 

FILM The locally made movie “Secret Life” (2026) debuts at The Whitsell, following a messy holiday party and the aftermath when a lesbian affair is exposed. The Whitsell. 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21. 

FILM Bingo queen Violet Hex hosts a game during “Saved!” (2004), one of the most authentic portrayals of Christian-American education. A head injury makes Mary (Jena Malone) think sex with her obviously gay boyfriend (Chad Faust) will turn him straight. Back at American Eagle Christian High School, her worship band, The Christian Jewels (Mandy Moore, Elizabeth Thai), wants to “save” the school’s only Jewish student (Eva Amurri) with the help of the principal’s hottie son (Patrick Fugit). Tomorrow Theater. 7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 21. 

FILM Mare? Mare?! No, it’s “The Last Unicorn” (1982), the gorgeously animated story of the eponymous cryptid (Mia Farrow) and her quest to find out WTF happened to the other unicorns. The Whitsell. 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22. 

FILM PAM CUT added another screening of the poetry documentary “Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World” (2026) after the first one sold out. No guarantees that won’t happen again, but best of luck to you if you wait it out. Tomorrow Theater. 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22.

FILM Gus Van Sant’s locally-shot drug drama “Drugstore Cowboy” (1989) is basically required viewing, so pay homage to the classic (especially if you’ve posted anything nasty lately online about Portland: a City on Fire). Tomorrow Theater. 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 22. 

FILM It’s not often that the surreal French-Czech sci-fi animated film “Fantastic Planet” (1973) makes its way back to the big screen, so take the trip while you can. The Whitsell. 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23. 

FILM The surf movie Blue Crush (2002) accidentally awakened a generation of young queer women with its period-appropriate portrayal of four roommates trying to make it in Hawaii’s surf scene. Tomorrow Theater. 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 23. 

MUSIC The Portland-based Americana band Twisted Whistle cultivated a loyal fanbase during its 2009–2013 runtime. Two of its members left the area, while the other two formed the local music education nonprofit Make Waves. Twisted Whistle will reunite, calling fans back together in support of Makes Waves’ mission. Alberta Abbey, 126 NE Alberta St., albertaabbey.org. 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 26.

THEATER Ted Rooney, Carla Grant, and Ben Lawrence star in “Here We Are Again Still,” a BareBones Reprise play about life set on a park bench. 21Ten Theatre. Aug. 28–30. 

VISUAL ART Converge 45 is a multi-site triennial art exhibition opening Aug. 27 and running into the fall. Beaverton won the bid to host Converge 45’s opening reception, so be sure to attend for exclusive looks at some of the art showing around Portland. The Patricia Reser Center for the Arts, 12625 SW Crescent St., Beaverton, 971-501-7722, thereser.org. 3 p.m. Friday, Aug. 28. Free.

FILM “Alice” (1988), the dark Czech version of the Lewis Carroll story, is one of the trippier Alice in Wonderland retellings out there. It might not be great for young kids, so feel free to leave them at home and enjoy yourself. The Whitsell. 2 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29.

FILM Spike Lee’s “Do the Right Thing” (1989) exposes tensions in a cinematic debate after a pizzeria patron (Giancarlo Esposito) questions why Brooklyn a restaurant doesn’t have Black actors on its Wall of Fame. Tomorrow Theater. 4 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29.

FILM Bowie’s acting debut, “The Man Who Fell to Earth” (1976), is a sci-fi gem unto itself and a great way to close out the month. The Whitsell. 5 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29.

FILM The Alfred Hitchcock classic “Rear Window” (1954) gets the 4K restoration treatment. See it the way Hitchcock intended: at a rehabilitated porno theater. Tomorrow Theater. 7 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29.

FILM See the one that started Peter Jackson’s Tolkien cinematic universe. “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” (2001) launched what is now the definitive take on Middle Earth movies and their visual style. The epic was a technical masterpiece with practical effects that are still wondrous to watch. The Whitsell. 2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30.

FILM Matt Damon gets sucked into Jude Law’s 1950s playboy lifestyle in “The Talented Mr. Ripley” (1999) while on assignment to convince the bratty heir to return home. Tomorrow Theater. 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30.

FILM Armie Hamer and Timothée Chalamet’s careers are in wildly different spots nearly a decade after their queerbait classic “Call Me By Your Name” (2017). Some people’s lives took different turns than expected, sure, but Timmy the Twink still draws a crowd. Tomorrow Theater. 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 30.