Things to Do in Lents

Seven Seas' Discover Scuba class prepares curious scuba dabblers to meet the deep in a safe, kraken-free environment. Class begins with a DVD viewing at the dive shop, as well as an introduction to Seven Seas' expert diving staff. Then, undersea novices are whisked away to the facility's nearby pool for practice using underwater breathing devices and other scuba equipment. By the end of class, eager greenhorns' interests are piqued and prepared to begin their pursuit of open water certification, also available through Seven Seas. A $25 credit toward certification assists future divers in accomplishing their dreams of viewing an authentic tableau of dogfishes playing poker. Grab a Groupon and view the website's calendar to see which session best fits your schedule, then call to reserve your spot.

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.

For nearly a quarter-century, the Portland Fall Home and Garden Show has showcased the wares and talents of hundreds of local nurseries, landscapers, and contractors. Widely acknowledged as the best time to plant and prepare for spring blooms, the fall season is ideal for consulting with professionals on upcoming projects and putting seeds and bulbs to ground. Attendees can glean inspiration from 11 onsite garden displays before shopping the extensive selection of trees, azaleas, shrubs, perennials, and bulbs, as well as garden gnomes that don’t steal your socks while you sleep.

When chemist Gary Gougér first started making wine, he was an amateur who was simply translating his love of vino into a pleasurable hobby. Soon, his passion took over, and he began racking up numerous International Gold awards for his red blends. His science background, coupled with training at one of the world’s finest winemaking schools in Australia, helped Gougér take his wines to the next level. Now the proprietor of his own Cascadian winery, he crafts blended creations, along with single-varietal bottles, that take center stage at tasting-room events ranging from holiday events to varietal samplers.

Bella Organic Farm's 100 acres of picturesque rural farmland yield a cornucopia of produce, which its workers cheerily harvest and sell directly to Portland residents. Not content to keep customers well fed, the farm also draws families, music lovers, and food aficionados to its pastoral atmosphere with a plethora of seasonal activities. A series of harvest festivals fill the air with blues, rock, bluegrass, and country music and simultaneously sate the appetites of guests with food-cart fare and local microbrews. Sun-soaked youngsters can take refuge in a bounce house, navigate twisting hay and corn mazes, relax on a hayride, or explore a petting zoo stocked with barnyard animals and friendly carpet samples.

It must be terrifying to watch 20 arrows speeding at you at once. Luckily, the only ones watching this are the yellow targets attached to hay bales in the indoor archery lanes at Archers Afield. The whoops of shooters pierce the air as they examine their targets, congratulating each other on shots well aimed. This pattern of arrow shooting and retrieving continues throughout the day, as archers young and old trying their hand at target practice. In addition to supervising solo pursuits, Archers Afield’s seasoned staff of instructors takes to the floor to bolster shots with private lessons. They teach pupils of all abilities essential archery skills, such as bow handling and how to maintain a passable British accent while robbing from the rich and giving to the poor.