Dave Knows Portland

Archives for May 2010

2010 North American Organic Brewers Festival Needs Volunteers

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NAOBFThe 2010 North American Organic Brewers Festival doesn’t take place until June 25th through 27th at Overlook Park. Fifteen thousand beer aficionados are expected at the 6th annual event, and volunteers are needed to help serve them delicious beer! So the NAOBF organizers are throwing a party this Friday, May 28th from 5pm to 9pm at Roots Brewing(1520 SE 7th):

We’ll have Happy Hour beers, complimentary snacks, plus 4 tokens for anyone who signs up to be a volunteer for this year’s event. And to be fair to those who have already signed up, they just need to give us their info – we’ll check the database, and they’ll get 4 tokens, too!

Visit the festival website, www.NAOBF.org, for available shifts and volunteer guidelines.

May 28 – June 6: Village Building Convergence 2010

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VBC2010The 10th annual Village Building Convergence takes place in Portland from May 28th through June 6th.

Everyone is invited to participate for in the 31 community placemaking sites that will be in creation all across the city and beyond. Learn about cob and natural building, permaculture, public art, and much more as you help bring these communities projects from an idea into a reality!

The convergence features workshops, musical performances by Chervona and lots of other bands, and guest speakers from all over.

Download the official guide to the VBC, the VillageBuilder. And visit the official Village Building Convergence webpage for more information.

May 28: 2010 Rose Festival Fireworks

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Rose Festival 2010I’m not particularly fond of most of the Rose Festival experience. Okay, I’m downright cynical. In particular the mud, clowns, parades, and strident corporate sponsorships are major turnoffs for me.

That being said, some of the events can even draw me in. One of those takes place this Friday, May 28th at around 10pm: the Rose Festival Fireworks display.

Portland’s downtown waterfront illuminates during the Fireworks Spectacular, the Portland Rose Festival’s kick-off event.

Billed as one of Oregon’s largest fireworks displays, this thunderous pyrotechnics show soars over the Waterfront Village beginning at nightfall. Visitors can expect some special features in 2010 — this year’s show will be choreographed to music to add excitement and ‘punch’ (as our fireworks experts say!).

And the coolest thing is that you can see the fireworks from lots of places that you don’t have to pay $5 admission to get into.

Thanks to perhaps Portland’s most talented time-lapse photographer, Andrew Curtis [read my interview with him here!], here’s a taste (from Rose Fest fireworks two years ago):

Portland Rose Festival Fireworks! from Andrew Curtis on Vimeo.

Tuesday Timbers Tidbits (05/25/2010)

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TimbersI’m getting a bit tired of this, but I am an optimist by nature. I predict the Timbers will go at least a week and a half without a loss in USSF Division 2 play [next league match is June 6th]. Like paulsepp at Dropping Timber, I never liked the month of May anyway.

I watched the Champions League Final this past weekend, and as both teams efficiently distributed the ball with precision around the midfield I was reminded once again that I don’t watch the Timbers for beautiful play. I am a Timbers fan because I love our town, our team, and the sport. Beautiful can happen – all goals are beautiful – but we certainly can’t expect the same level of play we see on the world’s big stages. And goldarnit, the Timbers have been SOL as of late. That may change, and instead of ricochets off the crossbar we’ll be seeing some more goals.

But maybe a partial explanation for the especially sour play of late is that Gavin’s head and tactics are somewhere else (though I doubt he’ll be thrown under the bus). But we do still have the rest of the season to get through. Let’s hope the mediocre play of late will not be emblematic of this final Timber USL season.

On the bright side, this Saturday, May 29th the Timbers host Boca Juniors in a friendly at PGE Park. The result doesn’t matter, so I hope to just enjoy the atmosphere and wide open play.

And lastly, I saw the video below recently and it struck me that this is exactly the kind of farewell homage to the fans the USL Timbers might want to entertain.

May 25: What’s Eating You: People and Parasites at OMSI Science Pub

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Omsi Science PubOMSI’s Science Pub event for May 2010 takes place this Tuesday the 25th at the Mission Theater (1624 NW Glisan).

Hofstra University professor Eugene H. Kaplan, PhD, the Axinn Distinguished Professor of Conservation and Ecology, presents What’s Eating You: People and Parasites

Personal and upfront stories about parasites from a person who should have known better. For people who have a morbid curiosity about parasites and for travelers who have just returned from a trip and feel queasy.

The event runs from 7 to 9pm, but arrive early (doors open at 5pm) to secure your beer, grub, and a seat! There’s a $2.00 suggested donation/cover charge. 21 and over only!