National Shutdown: Restaurants Open and Helping in the Portland Metro

Tomorrow—Friday, January 30, 2026—is a National Shutdown day across the country, in response to the killings by ICE. The campaign’s subtitle is “No Work. No School. No Shopping. Stop Funding ICE.” It’s a kind of general strike.

However, in Portland there are a lot of small businesses that simply can’t shut down for the day, due to economic reasons. And while “no shopping” might mean “don’t spend your money anywhere,” it’s generally understood to mean that shopping at small, independent businesses is ok.

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The Wild Bunch 2026: Five Years Old This Year in Portland

Crowds from years past, probably the same at The Wild Bunch 2026.
Photo credit: The Wild Bunch.

The Wild Bunch 2026 is a wine fair dedicated to making wine more accessible and welcoming—and in March it celebrates its fifth year of life. It was started by Dana Frank in 2020, and has become one of the most anticipated wine events of the year. It takes place in Northwest Portland and tickets are now available. Here’s what you can expect.

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Small Bites: End of Wilderton, Donuts, Good Measure, and More

The end of Wilderton is a sad state of affairs. Here's their final product. We will miss them.
Wilderton during a more colorful time.

The end of Wilderton. Bummer news about this NA distiller in Hood River. They closed their tasting room in August 2025 and the distillery will close at the end of January. One of the founders, Brad Whiting, said this: “We endeavoured to find a new steward of the brand for the past several months, but alas none worked out so the brand/IP etc will be shelved in the hopes to be resurrected at some point in the future. The distillery and tasting room are now closed and decommissioned.” More details here.

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Tap Season 2026 Has Started in the Tualatin Valley

Beer flight for Tap Season 2026.
Photo credit: Explore Tualatin Valley.

Tap Season 2026, a two month celebration of Tualatin Valley breweries, cideries, and taprooms, launched last Thursday, January 15. This is a great opportunity to get to know the Valley’s craft beer and cider scene, thanks in part to the organizing efforts of Explore Tualatin Valley, the local DMO/tourism group. They’ve created a digital passport, planned a launch party, helped bring a collaborative brew to life, and gathered some alpacas.

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