Baker and Spice Archives - Bridgetown Bites

September 2, 2026September 6, 2026

Rosh Hashanah 2026—New Year 5787—in Portland

Rosh Hashanah 2026 - apples and honey. — Photo credit: Chic Bee via a Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.

Rosh Hashanah 2026 kind of snuck up on us this year, seemingly kind of early, starting the evening of Friday, September 11. This also means that Rosh Hashanah falls on the sabbath/shabbos, which for some Jewish communities can mean that the shofar will not be blown on that first night, and will be delayed to the following day of Rosh Hashanah (the holiday lasts until Sunday, September 13).

It’s the Jewish New Year, which means apples and honey, honey cake, and other things to mark the wishes for a sweet year to come. Here are some ways to enjoy a delicious Rosh Hashanah. We will update this as new things come online. Big thanks to Judith for adding her holiday knowledge to this roundup.

March 23, 2026March 31, 2026

Easter 2026 in Portland: Chocolates, Brunch, and More

Easter 2026 is Sunday, April 5—a couple of weeks earlier this year compared to last year. And this year, western and Orthodox Easter do not fall on the same day (they are a week apart, with Orthodox Easter arriving on the 12th of April). There are plenty of tasty ways to enjoy Easter Sunday in Portland: from chocolate bunnies to hot cross buns, brunch buffets to a takeaway French Toast kit, and more.

Here’s where you can find delicious things for Easter 2026 in Portland.

March 10, 2026March 15, 2026

St. Patrick’s Day 2026 in Portland: Food, Drink, and More

This year's Irish culture image for St. Patrick's Day 2026.

St. Patrick’s Day is on a Tuesday this year, still March 17. And why that date? It’s the traditional death date of Saint Patrick (c. 385 to c. 461), the primary patron saint of Ireland. Here in Portland, there are plenty of celebrations on St. Paddy’s Day, as well as those taking place on the weekend prior. And along with the pipers, music, and dancers, there’s plenty of great Irish food and drink to be had. Here’s what’s up in Portland for St. Patrick’s Day 2026.

February 26, 2026February 26, 2026

Purim 2026: Tasty Treats and Celebrations in Portland

Edie and a plate of hamentaschen for Purim 2026. — My then 7-year-old Edie who is now a pre-teen but still loves their hamantaschen.

The holiday of Purim is almost here—a joyous holiday filled with tasty treats and celebrations, observed by Jews around the world. Purim begins on the evening of Monday, March 2, and continues through March 3 (and through March 4 in Jerusalem). The holiday commemorates the story of Queen Esther, whose courage helped save the Jewish people from Haman’s evil plot to kill the Jews of ancient Persia.

January 29, 2026January 30, 2026

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.