Portland in the News: Great Ball of Fire, Blue Butterflies, Tabor Dance Party & More | March 26, 2026

IMAGE: COURTESY JEREMY RUNNING PHOTOGRAPHY/TABOR DANCE

Early-risers witnessed something out of a sci-fi novel on Monday: a bright green fireball traveling across the sky.

An endangered blue butterfly has decided to take up residence in the Willamette Valley. You can see them along with the wildflower blooms this spring.

And a dance party atop Mt. Tabor born during the pandemic has become a full-blown pop-up festival, drawing sometimes hundreds of revelers.

Here’s a roundup of the goings-on in Portland this week:

• Travel Oregon: Meet Oregon’s rare blue butterflies
• KGW: Spectator sports generated $1.7 billion in Oregon in 2024
• OR Arts Watch: Athena at 21ten in a winning comedy
• OPB: Astoria celebrates the Astoria Column centennial 
• KOIN: Bright green fireball flies over Parkrose neighborhood
• NY Times: Portland Ore.: Weird, but life is good
• PDX Monthly: Tabor dance party grows up
• KGW: Portland Fire expansion draft set for April 3
• PDX Monthly: Anticipated Portland restaurant openings this Spring
• OPB: Portland Trail Blazers cinch play-in spot