[July 23rd, 2008] There’s a whole country full of craft beer out there, and Portland’s 21st annual Oregon Brewers Festival aims to share it with you. In fact, given that only seven of the 72 breweries featured at OBF (one of the nation’s largest beer fests) hail from east of the Mississippi, you could say that the Oregon Brewers Festival is the end of the Oregon Trail of beer.

Join us, then, in a re-creation of the Oregon Trail via selected breweries that will be doling out samples at Waterfront Park this weekend.

And by Oregon Trail, we’re talkin’ about the ’80s-era educational Apple II computer game featuring a tiny pixilated covered wagon bound for Oregon City and the fertile Willamette Valley.

^Headout Picks

WEDNESDAY JULY 23

[MUSIC] THE ZOMBIES

We Yanks sadly missed out on the full reunion of classic Brit Invasion rockers the Zombies. But the return of the road band, featuring the group’s sonic architect, keyboardist Rod Argent, is a more than adequate consolation prize. Wonder Ballroom, 128 NE Russell St., 284-8686. 8 pm. $30. 21+.

THURSDAY JULY 24

[WORDS] ROCK ’N’ ROLL CAMP FOR GIRLS: THE BOOK

After years of teaching local ladies to kick sonic ass, the Rock ’n’ Roll Camp for Girls releases a print manual for its farther-flung fans. In Other Words, 8 NE Killingsworth St., 232-6003. 6:30 pm. Free.

[MUSIC] PDX POP NOW!

Like no other fest in Portland, let alone the U.S., all-local, all-free, all-ages fest PDX Pop Now! distills the best in local rock, experimental, R&B, dance and, uh, pop into three full days of mind-blowing entertainment. Rotture, 315 SE 3rd Ave., 234-5683. Friday-Sunday July 25-27. Free. All ages.

[SCREEN] WARGAMES

Bad news for Matthew Broderick: The world is coming to an end thanks to a computer glitch he accidentally caused. Good news: He gets to make out with Ally Sheedy. God, the ‘80s were wonderful. Cinemark Cedar Hills Crossing 16, 3200 SW Hocken Ave., Beaverton, 672-7469. 7:30 pm. $10.

FRIDAY JULY 25

[SCREEN] DAY OF THE ZOMBIE

A rock opera of the undead by Dan Abbot. Song, dance and BRAAAINS! Dante’s, 1 SW 3rd Ave., 226-6630. 9:30 pm Friday, July 25. $10 for the dead, $15 for the living.

SUNDAY JULY 27

[MUSIC] THE HOLD STEADY

The Hold Steady’s Craig Finn is singlehandedly (OK, along with Ted Leo) dragging trad-rock lyricism, kicking and screaming, into the 21st century. And his band’s doing the same for barroom rock. Thank goodness. Crystal Ballroom, 1332 W Burnside St., 225-0047. 9 pm. $20 advance, $22 day of show. All ages.

TUESDAY JULY 29

[MUSIC] THAO WITH THE GET DOWN STAY DOWN, HORSE FEATHERS, HARPER SIMON

Thao Nguyen’s garnering the attention of both indie kids and the Starbucks crowd. Hear why tonight. Holocene, 1001 SE Morrison St., 39-7639. 9 pm. $8. 21+.