Things to Do in Kelso

Stepping out of your father's shadow can be hard, especially when he’s able to cast it while sitting on a tiny stool. For drummer Jason Bonham—the son of legendary Led Zeppelin drummer John "Bonzo" Bonham—the inevitable comparisons used to irk him. "At some point I got sick of people calling me Bonzo junior," he recently told Spinner.com. As time wore on, however, he began embracing his dad's legacy, later remarking, "But now that I'm older and wiser, I'm just honored to be mentioned in the same breath." After handling the drums for the sporadic Led Zeppelin reunions over the years, Bonham decided to commemorate the band and its fans with a meticulously conceived tribute concert that re-created the experience of a classic Zeppelin show.

After obtaining the blessing of singer Robert Plant, he assembled a talented crew of musicians and set to work creating a live experience that Rolling Stone praised for its "state-of-the-art lighting and effects, dazzling video treatments and a crisp, thundering sound." Between passionate renditions of such classics as "Kashmir," "When the Levee Breaks," and the extended drum solo of "Moby Dick," home video from Bonham's childhood opens a poignant window into his relationship with his father.

Jason Bonham's Led Zeppelin Experience – "Black Dog"

Elida Field’s sources of inspiration have ranged from regal horses to lush flowers to undulating Italian landscapes—which she revisits from time to time with fledgling art lovers in Italian art tours. Painted straight from the heart with a little help from the hands, her most recent works find her exploring the feminine form as she combines drawing and color with collages of photos and inspiring quotes. Her works have been showcased in Texas, Oregon, and Washington while on vacation from her studio, which doubles as a teaching space.

Many traditional artists paint linen or sculpt stone. For an agri-artist such as Craig Easterly, though, a cornfield makes a perfectly good canvas. For more than a decade, Craig has been chiseling through the 12-foot stalks of his 5-acre field to create what is from the ground a maze of rustling green tunnels and from above a stunning tableau of Portland themes and images. "I like to create designs that resonate with Portlanders and our friends in the greater Portland area," he said in a 2011 press release. One year, his work cut the city's bridges and rivers into the corn; in another he incorporated the Portland Timbers insignia into his maze.

Many traditional artists paint linen or sculpt stone. For an agri-artist such as Craig Easterly, though, a cornfield makes a perfectly good canvas. For more than a decade, Craig has been chiseling through the 12-foot stalks of his 5-acre field to create what is from the ground a maze of rustling green tunnels and from above a stunning tableau of Portland themes and images. "I like to create designs that resonate with Portlanders and our friends in the greater Portland area," he said in a 2011 press release. One year, his work cut the city's bridges and rivers into the corn; in another he incorporated the Portland Timbers insignia into his maze.

Each fall, these Sauvie Island fields birth both Craig's famous corn maze and its evil twin, the Haunted Maize, which spooks its visitors at night with costumed actors and eerie animatronics. Along with its mazes, The Maize at The Pumpkin Patch also sprouts fall-centric family-friendly activities. Overall-clad patrons bounce along on free hayrides, get crowned king of the hay mountain, or mimic the beastly accents of farm animals in the big red barn.

Cinetopia's super-high-definition digital projectors, wide leather seats, fresh market-to-table cuisine, selection of local microbrews, extensive wine list, and art gallery have earned the cinema acclaim from multiple media outlets. The Mill Plain location boasts five Grand Auditorium theaters, each equipped with 50-foot, 2048p screens. Reclining seats ascend diagonally for unimpeded views, and ejection buttons allow audiences to escape the theater during too-scary shower scenes. The venue also houses three living-room theaters for patrons aged 21 and older with footrests, pillows, and waiters on hand. Live music performed from an overhead balcony fills these spaces before Friday and Saturday shows. View the schedule of current and upcoming showings here.

Apex Karting satisfies your undernourished need for speed by letting you experience the thrill of finally outracing your cheetah half-sister on one of the Pacific Northwest's longest indoor racetracks. And you'll do it all behind the wheel of an 11-horsepower Stratos Kart, a clean-burning conveyance that can reach speeds of 40 miles per hour. Races may be split between family, friends, and medieval scholars, and after you retire from the tracks for the evening, you can unwind in Apex's beer garden; while sipping one of their barley-pop selections (starting at $3), you can reflect on how much more thrilling engine-powered speed is compared with leg-powered penny-farthing rides. Your Groupon may also be redeemed for a $110 credit toward private-track rental (usually $725–$800 per hour).

Pet lovers congregate inside the Portland Metropolitan Expo Center’s 72,000-square-foot expanse for the 11th annual Northwest Pet and Companion Expo, featuring a weekend's worth of pet-centric exhibitions and more than 120 vendors. Now entering its second decade, the locally owned event entertains kids with face painting, bounce houses, and demonstrations by pet experts, while adults enjoy live entertainment and informational resources about adoption opportunities. Pets can accompany their owners through the fair's walk-through aviary and exotic animal display, and a truffle-dog tournament lets canines test their sniffing abilities in discerning pinot noir from chardonnay.