First Thursday
Galleries such as PDX Contemporary, Blue Sky, Elizabeth Leach and Waterstone are hosting new exhibits and many of them have First Thursday events.

For information on galleries: Portland Art Dealers Association, padaoregon.org.

‘Fool for Love’
Tour de Force Productions, led by founder/producer Meghan Daaboul and director Steve Koeppen, revives Sam Shepard’s Pulitzer Prize-winning nominated play “Fool for Love,” June 5-22 at 21ten Theatre. Show times are 7:30 p.m. Thursdays-Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays. The story: Through searing truth and dark humor, it shows the story of two people who can’t live without each other whether they like it or not. May is hiding out at an old motel in the Mojave Desert. Eddie, an off and on old flame from teenage years, tracks her down and threatens to drag her back into the life from which she had fled. Reality and dream; truth and lies; past and present mingle in an explosive, emotional experience.

More: tourdeforce-productions.com/tickets.

‘Live Wire Radio’
The stage-variety show starring Luke Burbank and Elena Passarello returns to Alberta Rose Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Thursday, June 5 with actor/writer/comedian Jeff Hiller, author Melissa Febos, comedian/actor/writer Paul F. Tompkins and musician Sir Woman (aka Kelsey Wilson).

More: livewireradio.org.

Oregon Ballet Theatre
Closing out its season with “The OBT Collection,” Oregon Ballet Theatre offers a capsule collection of four strikingly beautiful one-act ballets: “For Pixie,” “Quartet for Five,” new work from Nicolas Blanc, and “Of Three.” They are staged Thursday-Sunday, June 5-8 at Newmark Theatre. Shows are 7:30 p.m. June 5-6, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. June 7 and 2 p.m. June 8 (obt.org).

Portland Center Stage
Reminder: Portland’s big theater company is putting on the bold, witty adaptation of “The Importance of Being Earnest,” June 1-29 at The Armory. After previews, opening night is Thursday, June 6. Playwright Kamilah Bush reimagines Oscar Wilde’s classic through a contemporary lens — queering characters, challenging traditional power dynamics and injecting the satire with fresh urgency. It’s set in stylized 1919 and echoes modern movement, spotlighting class, gender and identity.

The story: What’s in a name? For some people—everything. In this brand-new spin on Oscar Wilde’s classic, Jack and Algernon bend truth and identity to become the men they think society wants them to be. Enter a world where cucumber sandwiches are sacred, desire is performative, and the line between honesty and performance is thinner than ever. Packed with sharp barbs and sweet buns, this is “The Importance of Being Earnest” as you’ve never seen it before: unbuttoned, uncorseted, and deliciously Wilde.

More: pcs.org.

Portland Book Week
A collective of local independent bookstores will put on the second annual Portland Book Week, June 6-15. It’s a celebration of our city’s thriving and ever-evolving literary community, publicity says. It’ll feature a bookstore crawl, literary events, games, giveaways, discounts and exclusive merchandise (portlandbookweek.com).

Riverdance
The infectious energy, choreography and music of Riverdance returns to Portland for “Riverdance 30 — The New Generation,” featuring for the first time new performers not born when the show began 30 years ago. It takes place Friday-Sunday, June 6-8 at Keller Auditorium; shows are 7:30 p.m. June 6, 2 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. June 7 and 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. June 8.

More: portland5.com.

Zoo Brew
The Oregon Zoo’s annual tasting festival Zoo Brew returns starting at 6 p.m. Friday-Saturday, June 6–7, with offerings from more than 50 Northwest breweries and cideries — plus keeper chats, lawn games and live music from 1980s new wave cover band Beat Division (oregonzoo.org/brew). Admission includes a souvenir glass and 10 tasting tickets. Food will be available for purchase from some of the area’s favorite food carts as well as zoo dining spots. Festivities begin at 6 p.m., and taps will be pouring until 9:30 p.m.

Live Music
The Tribune runs a list of notable concerts each month under title “Live Music” on its website, portlandtribune.com/lifestyle. Check it out — each and every month.

At least once in your lifetime you should take in the annual Dolly Parton Hoot Night, paying homage to the great country music singer/songwriter. The 19th annual event takes place at 8 p.m. Saturday, June 7 at Alberta Rose Theatre (albertarosetheatre.com). Singing and performing the songs of Dolly are the likes of The So So Singers, Jacque Hammond, Hailey Holden, Kris Deplane, Lynne Corinne and Mojo Holler. It’s a fundraiser for Siren Nation.

Two shows are sold out, but third show — 8 p.m. Sunday, June 8 — appears to have tickets as They Might Be Giants performs at the Crystal Ballroom (crystalballroompdx.com).

On his “Lay it Down” album release tour, Albert Lee plays Alberta Rose Theatre, 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 10 (albertarosetheatre.com). The legendary guitarist has played with the likes of Jerry Lee Lewis, Eric Clapton and Emmylou Harris.

It’s Drive-By Truckers and Deer Tick, 7 p.m. Tuesday and Wednesday, June 10-11 at Revolution Hall (revolutionhall.com).

Rose City Rollers
Perhaps the country’s best roller derby organization, Rose City Rollers features dozens of teams and the world’s best all-star team. Among its events in the summer is the 2025 Home Team Championships, Saturday, June 7 at The Hangar at Oaks Amusement Park. Championship game is at 8 p.m. (rosecityrollers.com).

Drink fest
The Bloody Mary Festival takes place 10 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2:30 p.m.-5:30 p.m. Saturday, June 7 at The Redd on Salmon, 831 S.E. Salmon St. It brings together the bars and restaurants that make the best Bloody Mary mixes in Portland and beyond. The nationally touring event takes place in five other cities: Austin, New York City, Milwaukee, Denver, Minneapolis/St. Paul (thebloodymaryfest.com).

Oregon Ren Faire
The annual Oregon Renaissance Faire returns to the Clackamas County Event Center’s fairgrounds, 694 N.E. Fourth Ave. in Canby over each weekend in June, starting Saturday-Sunday, June 7-8. Hours are 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays-Sundays, with Saturday main events 7 p.m. to midnight. The event will feature artisans and food, ale and other beverages, jousting knights and unique entertainment throughout each day. There is also a pub crawl, special musical events after the Saturday shows and much more. Travel to the Vale of Dunrose and enjoy this unique event.

More/tickets: oregonfaire.com.

Oregon Symphony
Conducted by David Danzmayr, the Oregon Symphony plays Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Scheherazade,” which recalls the queen who saves her life and those of 1,000 women with her stories. Also, principal cello player and composer Nancy Ives and the symphony merge music, poetry and photography to tell the story of majestic Celilo, Oregon in “Celilo Falls: We Were There.” Concerts are 7:30 p.m. June 7, 2 p.m. June 8 and 7:30 p.m. June 9 at Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall.

More: orsymphony.org.

‘Mother Russia’
Profile Theatre stages the newest work by playwright Lauren Yee, “Mother Russia,” starting Saturday, June 7 and staging through June 22 at Artists Repertory Theatre. A comedy, it explores the curse of freedom, and reveals what happens when old systems and strongmen fall away — but freedom doesn’t taste as good as we thought it would. The story:

Evgeny and Dmitri are just two average guys who dream of cushy government jobs — but when the fall of the Soviet Union puts hiring on hold, they find work surveilling a former pop star instead. As they bumble their way through the assignment, both spying and life under capitalism prove harder than they thought.

Ashley Song and Orion Bradshaw star and Josh Hecht directs.

More: profiletheatre.org.

AEW Summer Blockbuster
Heads up: It’s pro rasslin’ at its finest as AEW (All Elite Wrestling) Summer Blockbuster stages at Moda Center, 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 11 (rosequarter.com).