Get out and play: Aug. 15-17

I'm not going to lie to you. It's going to be hot. If I weren't heading to Seattle to visit my newborn nephew, I can tell you where I'd be: lying prone in a kiddie pool filled with ice cubes being fanned by two sweaty children, trying to instruct them how to operate the bottle opener. Stay cool, folks.

Here's a list of outdoor swimming pools in the Portland area. Or check this list if you prefer indoor pools. The movie Wall-E is still playing in theatres; my kids loved it. The Children's Museum and OMSI are good bets. The Portland Art Museum Family Day is Sunday; always free for kids!

Summer Nights: A Musical Review, Aug. 15-17. Hopefully the summer nights inside the theatre will be a lot cooler than the stifling ones outside. Students from the Northwest Children's Theater perform the best of Broadway. Can you say jazz hands? Tickets are $5; best enjoyed by ages 5 and up. Aug. 15 @ 7pm; Aug. 16 @ 2 & 7pm; Aug. 17 @ 2pm. Northwest Cultural Center, 1819 NW Everett.

Mt. Hood Jazz Festival, Aug. 15-17. Enjoy steamy sax solos? Burning brass ensembles? Do you see a weather-related theme here? Lots of FREE performances on Saturday & Sunday. Mt. Hood Community College, 26000 SE Stark in Gresham.

Music in the Parks, Aug. 15-17. At Washington Park it's all about opera on Friday night, followed by a Caribbean dance party with Conjunto Alegre. On Sunday, skip on over to Laurelhurst Park for the final Portland Festival Symphony performance. All concerts start at 6pm. FREE

Tour de Fat, Aug. 16. Crazy, wacky, zany, bikey fun! Performances by the Sprockettes and March Fourth Marching Band. Noon-5pm at Waterfront Park, north of the Hawthorne Bridge.

Multnomah Days! Aug. 16. Party in the village! The parade, emceed by Sam Adams, starts at 10am. There's also a pancake breakfast beforehand, 5-block street fair, kids' play area, food, street entertainers, musicians and more. FREE

Multnomah Outdoor Theatre, Aug. 16. School of Rock. Have you ever noticed that Jack Black is really sweaty? Just watching him makes me want to take a shower. But I love this movie: good, clean fun. Movie begins at dusk. Multnomah Arts Center, 7688 SW Capitol Hwy. FREE

Stellaluna, Aug. 16. The Tears of Joy Puppet Theatre brings this favorite book about a baby fruit bat to puppet life at the Woodstock Library. 1-2pm. FREE, air-conditioned, but limited seating. Get there early! 6008 SE 49th.

Music with Suzi Shelton, Aug. 16. Suzi Shelton, an award-winning children's music performer, presents a FREE show at the Midland Library from 2-3pm. 805 SE 102nd.

Family Bike Ride,  Aug. 17. The Portland Wheelmen will lead this ride down the Springwater Corridor, starting in Gresham heading east. Ride starts at 10:30am at Gresham City Park at Powell Blvd. & Main St. FREE