Portland’s summer weather generally skips over June but lingers through September. So far so good this year. While I’ve no problem huddling under the tent in the rain (with my beer!) during the festivals that populate every weekend in September, the tradition is that I get my last sunburn of the year this month, and I have a surefire prescription:
Thursday
The Timbers take on Charleston at PGE Park in the last Thirsty Thursday of 2008. This battle between the friendliest city and the most environmentally aware city will, in all likelihood, be the last home game for the boys this year (barring a post-season exhibition or the now remote possibility they make the playoffs). So come on out. The weather will be beautiful, the crowd will be raucous, and maybe, just maybe, the Timbers will surprise us all and go for a redonkulous 4 goals like last week!
Friday-Sunday? Monday?
El Grito y Fiestas Patrias returns to Pioneer Square this weekend . . . or maybe on Monday? The big banners at Pioneer Square say it’s running all weekend, but the website calendar says the 15th. Anyone have more details? If it’s like last year there will be music, dancing, food. El Grito is supposed to be on the 16th, so . . . I don’t know. El Hispanic News does not have a website for this year’s event as far as I can tell.
Saturday
The 11th annual Alberta Street Fair runs from 11am to 6pm Saturday. After Mississippi’s, this is my favorite street fair of the year. Like last year I presume 20 blocks will be car free and filled with multiple stages for music, food vendors, arts and crafts, and of course a parade (at 2:30pm). I say presume because the website has none of this information (except the parade and hours). Alberta Street Fair: get a better website! In any case, this is the sunburn part of the weekend. You might want to wear a hat. Warning: If you suffer from coulrophobia stay away from Alberta; despite the best efforts of the gentrifiers the neighborhood is still rife with clowns, especially during the streetfair!
Best. Weekend. Ever.
Mary Sue – And we have Octoberfests, the Polish and Greek Festivals still to come!
I was waxing poetic about the Greek Festival yesterday, and my coworker admitted she’d never been.
“I bet you’ve never been to the Polish Festival, either,” I said, and she admitted that, too!
*shakes head* Kids these days, I tell you.