Archives for August 2015

Portland Weekend Amusements (21-23 August 2015)

August 20, 2015 by Dave Leave a Comment

A Timbers match is a nice way to start a weekend, and three cheers for fireworks and hot dogs! Sunday Parkways isn’t a bad way to top it off.

Friday

Portland Timbers vs. Houston Dynamo

The Timbers (11-8-6), undefeated in August and on a two match winning streak, host Houston Dynamo (8-9-7) at Providence Park this Friday, 21 August 2015 at 8 PM.

Houston lost on the road at New England last week, while the Timbers are coming off a rare road win at Salt Lake City.

The Timbers are in 4th place in the West. Houston, in 7th, is one spot out of the playoffs and four points under the Seattle Sounders, who the Timbers travel to face next week.

Saturday

Summer Spiritsfest

Saturday from 11 AM to 4 PM Portland Saturday Market is throwing a booze fest!

Spiritsfest highlights local distillers who are shaking up Portland’s vibrant scene. It is all about meeting the makers of the local crafted spirits and the wonderful concoctions people can create using local spirits.

Zach’s Shack 12th Annual Hot Dog Eating Contest!!

8 entry fee, sign up at the Shack.
Participant space is limited so sign up early!

But there is plenty of room to come on down and cheer on your favorite wiener! (har har)

Last year the champion consumed 24 dogs in 10 minutes! Who will go home with the belt this year, and how many dogs will it take?!

MAX Orange Line Picnic and Fireworks Spectacular

Celebrate the impending opening of the new MAX line and Tilikum Crossing at the MAX Orange Line Picnic and Fireworks Spectacular on Saturday, 22 August 2015 at Zidell Yards (3030 SW Moody Ave.).

The picnic starts at 5 PM. The fireworks begin at 9 PM. Though there will be picnic tables and benches, bring a lawn chair for the show.

Sunday

Southeast Sunday Parkways

Make your Sunday drive a bike ride – or walk – through mostly residential streets free of car traffic, from one park to the next on the 2-way, 7-mile Southeast Portland Sunday Parkways route connecting Laurelhurst, Colonel Summers, Ivon Parks, and Sewallcrest Park.

Ongoing

Movies in the Park

Friday, August 21

Laurelhurst Park – Cinderella

Saturday, August 22

Sewallcrest Park – Napoleon Dynamite

Concerts in the Park

Friday, August 21

Lovejoy Fountain Park – Portland Community Wind Band – Celebration of American Music

Southeast Sunday Parkways (23 August 2015)

August 18, 2015 by Dave Leave a Comment

Portland Sunday Parkways returns to close-in Southeast Portland (pdf) on 23 August 2015 from 11 AM to 4 PM.

Make your Sunday drive a bike ride – or walk – through mostly residential streets free of car traffic, from one park to the next on the 2-way, 7-mile Southeast Portland Sunday Parkways route connecting Laurelhurst, Colonel Summers, Ivon Parks, and Sewallcrest Park.

Food, music and activities are located in the parks and along the route.

Download the PDF map and brochure, and find more details, at PortlandSundayParkways.org.

MAX Orange Line Picnic and Fireworks Spectacular (22 August 2015)

August 18, 2015 by Dave 1 Comment

Celebrate the impending opening of the new MAX line and Tilikum Crossing at the MAX Orange Line Picnic and Fireworks Spectacular on Saturday, 22 August 2015 at Zidell Yards (3030 SW Moody Ave.).

TriMet will host a public viewing and picnic area complete with a BridgePort beer garden, food carts live music, and stunning views of the show. It’s the only place in town where you can taste BridgePort’s new Tilikum Orange Line IPA and Salt & Straw’s Catch the Orange ice cream in one place!

The picnic starts at 5 PM. The fireworks begin at 9 PM. Though there will be picnic tables and benches, bring a lawn chair for the show.

Show and picnic is free. Parking for cars is not provided. Bike (bike parking will be provided) or take the 35-Macadam/Greeley or the Streetcar to SE Moody and Meade.

The Microbiome: An Alien Organ Within the Human Body – OMSI Science Pub (18 August 2015)

August 16, 2015 by Dave Leave a Comment

Science Pub Portland presents The Microbiome: An Alien Organ Within the Human Body at the Empirical Theater at OMSI (1945 SE Water Ave.) on Tuesday, 18 August 2015.

For almost a century the human body has been conceived as a set of trillions of human cells organized into organs and systems that work synchronously to keep our body alive and free of germs. However, in the past few years it has become evident that in our quest to understand how the human body works we were missing one essential piece of the puzzle: a new organ composed of hundreds of trillions of microorganisms known as the human microbiome. This huge collection of microbes performs many vital functions helping us to fight diseases, participating in the processing and synthesis of essential nutrients and even controlling our behavior. In this talk Lorenzi will present what we currently know about the role of the human microbiome in health and disease, how it is inherited from our parents and varies across individuals and how it can be used as a therapeutic tool.

Presenter Hernan A. Lorenzi, PhD, is assistant professor in the bioinformatics department at the J. Craig Venter Institute.

The Portland Science Pub takes place monthly at the Empirical Theater at OMSI. Check in at the theater entrance (doors open at 5 PM) – there’s a $5 suggested admission. OMSI’s restaurant Theory, and the Empirical Cafe are open and you can take food and drinks into the theater with you.

Parking is free for the event, but consider taking the streetcar or any of the multitude of buses that cross the Hawthorne Bridge (eastbound/westbound), which has stops a few blocks from OMSI.

Portland Weekend Amusements (14-16 August 2015)

August 13, 2015 by Dave Leave a Comment

An amazing Portland weekend is afoot: multiple beer fests (include one of my favorites)j, street fairs (including one of the biggest), and even a rare weekend History Pub for good measure.

All Weekend

North American Organic Brewers Festival

One of my favorite Portland beer fests celebrates its 11th year with more than 60 organic beers, ciders – and even some meads and braggots – from 35 breweries. Live music, food and vendors; and activities for the kids make this festival one of the most family friendly beer fests of the summer.

Saturday

Port of Portland Seaport Celebration

Come join the fun on the waterfront at THE family-friendly event of the summer! On Saturday, August 15, the Port of Portland’s Terminal 4 will open up to the public for a unique opportunity to go inside the fences of a working marine terminal that is normally closed to the public. Best of all, parking and admission are free!

Timbers Army Block Party

The 2nd annual Timbers Army Block Party takes place Saturday, 15 August 2015 in front of the Fanladen (1633 SW Alder) between 16th and 17th.

Of course there’s a big tent for shade – and a beer and cider garden (21 and over, $4 beers for 107ist members), in addition to food vendors, a bouncy castle for the kids, music, games, and more.

Multnomah Days

This year’s fair, which runs through the heart of Multnomah Village on Southwest Capitol Highway, will feature more than 100 vendors who are every bit as eclectic as the Village itself. Booths will be open from roughly 10 a.m.-4 p.m.

PDX Adult Soap Box Derby

Once a year a brave group of racers convene on the daunting slopes of Mt. Tabor to test their metal to their mettle. These pages are dedicated to all those who have spilled their blood, or even worse, spilled their BEER. We thank the community and our beloved volcano for allowing us to tickle her spine.

Sunday

History Pub: A History of the Bagdad Theater: Hawthorne’s ‘Oasis of Entertainment’

McMenamins Historian Tim Hills presents A History of the Bagdad Theater: Hawthorne’s Oasis of Entertainment on Sunday, 16 August 2015 at the Bagdad Theater (3702 SE Hawthorne) at 11 AM until noon.

Hawthorne Street Fair, The Mighty Mites Session Fest

[V]endors will populate the street from 31st to 38th, there will be two beer gardens . . . , kids activities at 35th, music at the stage at 34th, and more. The Bazi Bierbrasserie (1522 SE 32nd Ave) beer garden is also the 4th Annual The Mighty Mites Session Fest, an all-ages friendly outdoor beer garden featuring a special cocktail, outdoor games, and food vendors.

India Festival

Bring your friends and family and come to Pioneer Courthouse Square for a free taste of Indian Culture! Get ready to experience a day of back-to-back dances, musical performances, and food from Portland’s finest Indian restaurants.