Update: 2010 Polish Festival details here!
Just below the masthead on the Polish Festival website are the words: the best kept secret of Portland, Oregon.
Well, the secret is out.
Archives for September 2008
Hunger Squad: think of it as a Portland-style Kozmo.com
Remember Kozmo.com? During the dotcom bubble you could order a candy bar from their website, and for about what you’d pay at Plaid Pantry they’d deliver it to your door via orange scooter, or sometimes bicycle. I can’t imagine how that business model failed! 😉
It’s been a long wait, but the idea has returned to Portland, but with a Portland-style twist: all deliveries are by bicycle.
Hunger Squad begins offering its service today. There’s a $10 minimum order, and currently they only deliver to the downtown area.
BikePortland.org has the story: ‘Hunger Squad’ brings bike delivery concept to downtown
Polish Festival Tips
Here are some tips to help you get the most out of the best Fall festival in town, the Portland Polish Festival.
- Bring cash! The longest line at the fest is the ATM line. Pay cash for the $1 tokens to buy drinks and food.
- Take MAX! Get off at the Overlook stop on the Yellow Line and walk 2 blocks up Interstate. You don’t want to have to drive or ride your bike after a few Black Bosses (see second to last tip below)
- Stay late Saturday night! The street dance from 7:30-10pm is the most fun you’ll ever have in a parking lot listening to the Polka Beats!
- Go for the combo plate and the placki! Enough pierogis, gołąbki, kiełbasa, bigos, and potato pancakes for a small village; share with a friend!
- Beware the Black Boss! Delicious but strong (9.4% strong!)
- Post-Fest: The Alibi – literally stumbling distance from the festival; one block up Interstate.
Polish Festival 2008: Piwo, pierogies, and polka
The 15th annual Portland Polish Festival takes place this Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 27-28 at the grounds of the Polish Library Hall and St. Stanislaus Church on North Interstate and Failing.
From the press release:
The festival runs from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday, and noon to 6p.m., Sunday, with continuous stage entertainment and a Saturday night street dance.
Performers will include the popular Polonez renaissance court dance company from Vancouver, B.C.
This year’s festival foods will include pierogis, Polish entrees, fruit-filled pastries and, delectable kielbasa sausages, and beer garden featuring Polish lagers, porters and other beers. Chefs have ordered 15,000 pierogis for the two-day fete and imported 6,000 bottles of Polish beers and wines.
I attend a lot of festivals, but this one is my favorite. Friend-of-the-blog Brent’s review of last year’s festival will give you an idea of what to expect. Around the Sun also has a writeup about last year’s festival, with photos: Sights From Polish Festival, 2007, Portland. Come for the Polish beer and delicious food, stay for the music and dancing.
Prop Manipulation in the Rose City
The Portland Juggling Festival returns to Reed College (3203 SE Woodstock Blvd) this weekend, September 26-28th. The Juggling and Vaudeville Extravaganza will once again be held at Benson Tech (546 NE 12th), Saturday at 7pm.
The Portland Juggling Festival is the largest regional juggling festival in the United States, with jugglers from around the world and down the street joining together to share their knowledge and show their skills. We have performers, hobby jugglers, and beginners joining together for a two and a half days of throwing. Expect a big show Saturday evening, workshops for beginning, intermediate, and advanced jugglers, and vendors of every variety of juggling prop.
Friend-of-the-blog Lesley attended last years extravaganza and came away impressed:
Most of the acts were entertaining; some were quite impressive, some quite funny. Those that I would use other, less positive, descriptors were at least short.
Read the rest over her review: Entertaining, silly, endearing and creepy: A Juggling Extravaganza to remember