Archives for June 2011

PDX Urban Wineries Premiere (12-June-2011)

June 10, 2011 by Dave Knows Leave a Comment

The PDX Urban Wineries Premiere takes place Sunday, June 12, 2011 at The Slate (2001 NW 19th) from 3pm to 6pm.

The PDX Urban Wineries, an association of wineries that are happy to be producing wine in the city of Portland, OR, are ENSO Winery, Grochau Cellars, Helioterra Wines, Hip Chicks Do Wine, Jan-Marc Wine Cellars, Ribbon Ridge Vineyard, Seven Bridges Winery, and the Vincent Wine Company.

The members of PDX Urban Wineries make a variety of different wines, not just Pinot Noir. Many of us make wines from grapes like Syrah, Tempranillo, Pinot Blanc, Cabernet Sauvignon, Zinfandel, among others, as well as unique red and white wine blends. Wines meant to be enjoyed immediately in everyday situations, and wines meant to age in your cellars for your most special occasions.

We want to create an urban winery culture in Portland, where you can bike, bus, cab or even walk to visit our tasting rooms and sample the wines we make. To attend the events we hold. To explore the neighborhoods we’re located in.

Sunday’s premiere features all eight wineries pouring, plus appetizers, and a raffle. Buy tickets online. For more information visit the PDX Urban Wineries website, Facebook page, or follow on Twitter!

June 10, 1959: Oregon Centennial Exposition Opens In Kenton

June 10, 2011 by Dave Knows Leave a Comment

The Oregon Centennial Exposition and International Trade Fair opened with a hundred bangs on June 10, 1959 (The Oregonian, 11-June-1959):

Suddenly it was peopled and a show was born.
The howitzers cracked out their hundred rounds, jets swooshed above at ear-splitting levels, the speeches were made and the governor snipped the ribbon.
All at once as several thousands spread out over the 65 acres of the Oregon Centennial Exposition, the show that had been a headache, a worry, and the scoffers’ target had the ingredient that made it alive – people to look at the exhibits, ride the rides, have fun at the fair.

The 100 day long festival celebrated Oregon’s 100th year of statehood. The Kenton neighborhood’s famous 30-foot tall Paul Bunyan statue, which greeted about a million and a half visitors to the fair, is one the last remnants of the exposition.

The Oregon Exposition of 1959 entry at OregonEncyclopedia.com give a great summary of the fair, and check out the fantastic archive of Oregon Centennial photographs curated by the Salem Public Library.

Weekend Amusements (June 10-12, 2011)

June 9, 2011 by Dave Knows Leave a Comment

The 2011 Rose Festival is in full swing – Fleet Week is upon us, the Grand Floral Parade takes place Saturday, and the Milk Carton Boat Races are Sunday.

Meanwhile beer and cider drinkers, bicyclists, and Timbers fans are also in for a treat this weekend – see below!

Ongoing

Pedalpalooza 2011

“Pedalpalooza is 2+ weeks of bikey fun. With 239 events, most organized by individuals, bikers of all persuasions are likely to find many events of interest. Nearly all events are free.”

Runs June 9-26. [more]

Saturday-Sunday

Portland Fruit Beer Festival

“Fruit beers are the red-headed stepchild of craft beer, often overlooked by beer lovers because of preconceptions that they are sweet, boring, or artificially flavored. The first annual Portland Fruit Beer Festival aims to change all that and open minds to the strange and exotic possibilities that fruit beers can offer.” [more]

Saturday

Cider Summit Portland

The inaugural Cider Summit Portland takes place Saturday, June 11, 2011 at Elizabeth Caruthers Park (3508 SW Moody) from 11am until 7pm.

The lineup features multiple ciders from two dozen cideries, including Oregon’s 2 Towns Ciderhouse, Wandering Aengus, Blue Mountain Cider Company, Bushwhacker (who will be demonstrating apple pressing at the event too!), Carlton Cyderworks, and EZ Orchards. [more]

Portland Timbers vs Colorado

The Portland Timbers (5-4-2) aim to regain form at home Saturday when defending MLS champions Colorado (4-3-7) make their Jeld-Wen field debut.

Though the Timbers lost to Colorado to open the season, they’ve been strong at home and have a chance to get revenge. Colorado have played to draws the last five matches.

Sunday

Milk Carton Boat Races

The Westmoreland Park casting pond is the place to be on Sunday, June 12: the 2011 Milk Carton Boat Race kicks off at 11am!

My favorite Rose Festival event, I have not missed a race since the 2009 revival, and I won’t miss the 2011 spectacle either. [more]

Cirque Du Cycling

This year’s Cirque du Cycling takes place Sunday, June 12, 2011. A benefit for Albina Youth Opportunity School, it’s a street festival, a circus, a bike race and a parade on North Mississippi.

The Cirque features an art bike parade, a criterium-style street race, a cargo bike race, and a family ride. And to accompany the festivities? Exhibitors and a beer garden! [more]

PDX Urban Wineries Premiere

The PDX Urban Wineries Premiere takes place Sunday, June 12, 2011 at The Slate (2001 NW 19th) from 3pm to 6pm.

The PDX Urban Wineries, an association of wineries that are happy to be producing wine in the city of Portland, OR, are ENSO Winery, Grochau Cellars, Helioterra Wines, Hip Chicks Do Wine, Jan-Marc Wine Cellars, Ribbon Ridge Vineyard, Seven Bridges Winery, and the Vincent Wine Company. [more]

And for even more weekend events and activities, check out the Dave Knows Calendar, and visit Around the Sun, Blogging Portland on the Cheap, and PDX Pipeline!

June 9, 1902: Harry Tracy Escapes From The Oregon State Penitentiary

June 9, 2011 by Dave Knows Leave a Comment

On June 9, 1902, notorious criminal Harry Tracy, along with less notorious criminal David Merrill (whom Harry would later kill with a shot to the back) staged a bloody escape from the Oregon State Penitentiary in Salem.

Salem Online History:

After killing three guards, the fugitives made good their escape and touched off a massive Northwest manhunt of three months’ duration. Salem’s daily papers kept up a running account of sightings, false leads, reports from authorities, warnings, and criminal histories of the two escapers. Merrill’s body was found late in June. Tracy was finally cornered in Washington and shot in August. Both were returned and buried in the prison cemetery.

But for a longer, and more interesting, history check out Slabtown Chronicles: Harry Tracy: The Mackintosh Bandit

June 8, 1918: Solar Eclipse Observed From Baker City, Oregon

June 8, 2011 by Dave Knows Leave a Comment

The path of the solar eclipse of June 8, 1918 touched the southwest corner of Washington before tracing a line across the state of Oregon on its way across the continent, heading out over the Atlantic after crossing the Florida peninsula.

The U.S. Naval Observatory received a special grant from Congress to observe the eclipse from the eastern Oregon town of Baker (now known as Baker City).

Baker, the Oregonian reported on February 2, 1918, was determined by the Government as the best point to view the eclipse. Of the other cities and towns the eclipse would pass over, including Canton, Mississippi; Dodge City, Kansas; Denver, and Pocatello, Baker was deemed the most advantageous point for observation, because the eclipse zone will pass directly through the center of the city, and Naval observatory officials believed the climatic and atmospheric conditions prevailing at Baker (i.e. low probability of cloud cover) would be ideal for observation of the eclipse (Oregonian, 15-March-1918).

Below are several excerpts from the Oregonian coverage from Baker published the day after the eclipse:

When the moon this afternoon on schedule time darkened the face of the sun for a period of one minute and 53 seconds persons in the path of totality of the eclipse enjoyed or suffered all the many thrills and sensations which tradition connects with the heavenly spectacle. In the weird darkness of mid-afternoon, observers marveled, feared or experienced a combination of emotions indescribable, as the phenomenon affected them.

…

The scientists, as they emerged from their buildings and tents after the eclipse, were pleased, indeed, as they realized that their weeks of preparation had not been in vain, and that they had not made a long journey and set up a carload of atronomical instruments without result.

…

Eclipse Day was made the occasion for a half holiday in Baker, stores and business places closing for part of the afternoon, and mills allowing employees half a day off, so all might take full advantage. Practically everyone had prepared smoked glasses, as advocated by Government astronomers, to witness an event that will not come to Baker again for 250 years.

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