Yet More May Events!

"Schreiner's Iris Gardens Bloom Season", through June 10, dawn to dusk, 3625 Quinaby Rd. NE, Salem. Free.  Ten acres of display gardens in full bloom! "In business since 1925, Schreiner's is the nation's largest retail grower of Iris, with 200 acres in nearby fields and 10 acres of fabulous display gardens open to the public.  In our fields, thousands of Iris will be in bloom, from the deepest black to pure white, fire red to azure blue, glowing copper to velvety purple. Solid color blooms contrast with multi-hued beauties. The spectacle of row after row, field after field of brilliantly blooming flowers is well worth the visit."  http://www.schreinersgardens.com/bloom.shtml

"Brooks Gardens Peony and Iris Bloom Season", through June 10, 10AM- 6PM daily, 6219 Topaz St. NE, Brooks, OR. free.  "We invite you to visit our Oregon peony farm during bloom season.  200+ varieties of peonies and  hundreds of Historic bearded iris." http://www.brooksgardens.com/

"Secrets of the Deep:  The Lost, Forgotten, and Hidden Works of Theodor Seuss Geisel",  Tuesdays- Saturdays, 10AM- 6PM, Shaffer Fine Art Gallery, 308 SW 1st Ave., Pdx.     "Please join us to celebrate the first-ever comprehensive collection of Dr. Seuss's nearly seventy year artistic  legacy to exhibit in Portland, featuring artworks created by Theodor Seuss Geisel- Illustrator by day, Surrealist by night.  More than fifty pieces from Seuss's  world will be on display as seen in the new retrospective book 'Secrets of the Deep'."   http://www.shafferfineart.com/The_Art_of_Dr_Seuss.htm

"The Reluctant Dragon", Friday, May 18, and Saturday, May 19, 7PM, Ping Pong's Pint Size Puppet Museum, 906 SE Umatilla St., Pdx.  $6.50 in advance, free for kids 3 and under. Purchase tickets here: http://www.puppetmuseum.com/PingPongsPSPM.html  This is a great new museum and a fantastic show!  Check it out!

"NW Animation Fest 2012", the evenings of Friday, May 18, and Saturday, May 19, Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd., Pdx.  Advance tickets $12 for one night, $20 for both. "The Northwest Animation Festival showcases the very best of contemporary animation. The two-night event includes nearly 60 short films from 15 countries, with different films each night." http://www.nwanimationfest.com/

"Partial Solar Eclipse Viewing", Sunday, May 20, 4:30PM-7:30PM, OMSI east parking lot.  Free. "The Moon passes in front of the Sun on Sunday, May 20, bringing an annular eclipse to the border between Oregon and California and a partial eclipse to the rest of the Pacific Northwest.  OMSI and Rose City Astronomers Club will host an eclipse viewing party at the east parking lot of OMSI. The free event will begin at 4:30 p.m., feature live, dramatic interludes by Portland Taiko, a premiere local Japanese drumming ensemble, and end at 7:00 p.m. Filtered solar telescopes and special viewing glasses will be available for safely viewing the Sun. This unique phenomenon occurs when the Moon is directly between the Earth and the Sun, but at a farther distance from the Earth than with a total solar eclipse.  As a result, the Moon appears too small to completely cover the Sun, and we observe the Sun as a ring (or “annulus”) surrounding the Moon.  At 6:24 p.m. PDT, viewers along the center line in southwestern Oregon will see the Moon block 87% of the Sun's diameter; this will last 4 minutes and 47 seconds.  A much broader region – from as far north as the Arctic Circle to the southern Pacific Ocean - will experience a partial solar eclipse. The path of annularity will be visible from China to the southwestern United States. For Portland, the eclipse gets underway at 5:04 p.m. when the Moon makes first contact with the Sun.  The maximum eclipse accords at 6:21 p.m. when the Moon covers 81 percent of the Sun's diameter at 25 degrees above the western horizon. The partial eclipse will end at 7:29 p.m. as the Moon exits. Most important, do not view any of this eclipse without eye protection.  Even during the annular phase, the Sun shines brightly enough to damage your eyes if the eclipse is observed without a protective filter.  Use only an approved solar filter which blocks dangerous ultraviolet and infrared radiation as well as visible light.  The special solar viewing glasses are available at the OMSI Science Store for $1.99." http://www.omsi.edu/node/743

"The Wizard of Oz", Thursday, May 24, 9:30PM, Hollywood Theatre, 4122 NE Sandy Blvd., Pdx. $12, advance tickets available.  This is a silent film version 1925 accompanied  live by Norwegian jazz band In The Country. Portland hipsters just love these screenings, but the well-kept secret is that they really are awesome for kids!  Here's to being naughty and keeping them up late!  http://filmusik.com/the-wizard-of-oz-oh-yes-in-the-country/