Archives for May 2016

Portland Memorial Day Weekend Amusements 2016

May 26, 2016 by Dave Leave a Comment

Kick off the long weekend with Friday night fireworks at the Waterfront, then spend the rest of the weekend at a fair, market, or Oaks Amusement Park!

Friday

Rose Festival Opening Night Fireworks

Because nothing says celebration quite like fireworks, the Portland Rose Festival gets the festivities started off on an awe-inspiring note. This year you’re invited to join us for an amazing night of fireworks!

Be there on Friday, May 27 for the Opening Night Fireworks presented by Oregonian | OregonLive, the Portland Rose Festival’s kick-off event. The fireworks will be choreographed to music provided by Live 95.5.

All Weekend

Rose Festival CityFair

It’s Excessive Celebration for everyone as the Rose Festival’s waterfront activities kick off on May 27 at 5:00 p.m. for Memorial Day weekend and three consecutive weekends at Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park (May 27-May 30, June 2-5 and June 9-12, 2016).

Saturday-Monday

Multnomah County Fair 2016

The 2016 Multnomah County Fair takes place Memorial Day weekend at Portland’s historic Oaks Park.

Activities include petting zoo, a magic show, pony and camel rides, and some sort of weird robotic stuffed animal rides, $5 for 5 minutes!

Enjoy live music and dance performances on two stages all weekend. On Saturday afternoon, on the main stage, don’t miss the talent competition.

And true to the county fair genre, exhibitors include 4H, a rabbit showcase (!), and amateur competitions in art, photography, floral arrangement, crafts, and more.

Sunday

Portland Flea + Food

A gathering place for the best of Portland’s makers, food purveyors and curators of vintage to sell their wares and grow their businesses!

A free, monthly event on last Sundays. See you May 29, 11-4pm on the corner of SE 6th Ave. and SE Salmon at Rejuvenation and Jacobsen Salt Co.

The market showcases 50+ vendors & awesome local food + drinks

Multnomah County Fair 2016

May 25, 2016 by Dave 1 Comment

The 2016 Multnomah County Fair takes place Memorial Day weekend at Portland’s historic Oaks Park.

This is one of my favorite local events, and not just because of the bunnies. Check out the highlights of our visit in 2010.

Activities include petting zoo, a magic show, pony and camel rides, and some sort of weird robotic stuffed animal rides, $5 for 5 minutes!

Enjoy live music and dance performances on two stages all weekend. On Saturday afternoon, on the main stage, don’t miss the talent competition.

And true to the county fair genre, exhibitors include 4H, a rabbit showcase (!), and amateur competitions in art, photography, floral arrangement, crafts, and more.

Last but not least, don’t forget the Oaks Park thrill rides – here’s your chance to ride Looping Thunder, Portland’s, uh, biggest roller coaster!

The fair runs noon until 7 PM Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. Admission – and parking – is free.

Darcelle XV: An Oregon Experience Film Premiere (23 May 2016)

May 23, 2016 by Dave Leave a Comment

Street Scene with Darcelle XV Female Impersonators Sign — *By Adam Jones, Ph.D. – Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=22223888*

Darcelle XV: An Oregon Experience Film Premiere is the latest History Pub at the Kennedy School (5736 NE 33rd), on Monday, 23 April 2016.

Join us for the premiere screening of Darcelle XV: An Oregon Experience, including a conversation with the documentary’s producer, Kami Horton and commentary by Darcelle. Darcelle XV is likely the country’s oldest performing female impersonator, and operates what is thought to be the nation’s longest-running drag revue. At 85-years old, Darcelle is a Portland icon who has helped usher in dramatic change within the LGBT community.

History Pub is presented by McMenamins, Oregon Historical Society, the Oregon Cultural Trust, and the Holy Names Heritage Center. This event is free and open to all ages. Doors open at 6 PM, and the talk begins at 7 PM.

Portland Weekend Amusements (20-22 May 2016)

May 19, 2016 by Dave Leave a Comment

Very Portland Weekend ahead: an art walk, a market – at night, unconventional transit, the Timbers, and more!

Saturday-Sunday

Mt. Tabor Art Walk

The 2016 Mt. Tabor Art Walk takes place this weekend – Saturday and Sunday, May 21-22, on and around Mount Tabor.

The Mt. Tabor Art Walk showcases the many artists who live in this neighborhood. It is designed to promote high-quality visual art in a variety of media within the unique setting of the Mt. Tabor neighborhood.

PDX Night Market

100 of Portland’s best vendors celebrating local food, culture, music, drinks and retail.

The Portland Night Market showcases the many unique & diverse businesses that call the great City of Portland home. Blending food, culture, music, drinks and retail together for an adventurous evening in the Industrial District. The event allows people to meet some of Portland’s best makers and creators set in the unique venue of a 100+ year old produce row warehouse. The PNM is a free event and open to all ages.

Sunday

Tram Sunday Kick Off

Photo credit: Tram photo by Wikipedia user Cacophony. Used under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic license.
Sundays at the Tram are back! Kids and parents can expect face-painting, fun craft activities, a free Tram activity book and temporary Tram tattoo. Great views from the Tram and the Observation Deck will delight the whole family.

The Tram will be open 1 to 5pm. Children 6 and under ride free with a paying adult.

Portland Timbers vs. Vancouver Whitecaps

Cascadian rival Vancouver Whitecaps visit Providence Park on Sunday, 22 May 2016 to face the slumping Portland Timbers.

The Timbers, in second to last place in the conference standings, hope to gain something resembling good form after two consecutive losses on the road, and one at home last Sunday to NYC FC.

In contrast, the Whitecaps are third in the standings and in fine form – winners of their last three matches including May 7th’s 2-1 defeat of Portland.

The match begins at 1:30 PM.

Science Pub Portland: Backyard Bees (17 May 2016)

May 16, 2016 by Dave Leave a Comment

OMSI presents Science Pub Portland: Getting to Know the Bees in Your Backyard on Tuesday, 17 May 2016 at the Empirical Theater at OMSI (1945 SE Water Ave.).

Bees are arguably one of the most important insect groups on the planet. Despite their importance, bees are remarkably misunderstood by most people. For example, it is commonly thought that the U.S. and Canada are home to just a handful of bumble bees, sweat bees, and honey bees. In fact there are over 4,000 species. Many people list ‘hives’ ‘stings’ and ‘colony collapse disorder’ among ‘facts’ about bees. The truth is infinitely more fascinating than this simple list suggests, filled with the same twists and turns, complexities, horrors, and delights that an hour long television show provides each evening. This talk aims to dispel the common myths of bees, and will provide engaging accounts of the bees encountered in this region of the world, with clues for telling these stunning creatures apart.

The presenter is Joe Wilson, assistant professor of biology at Utah State University – Tooele (USU).

The Portland Science Pub takes place monthly at the Empirical Theater at OMSI. Check in at the theater entrance to reserve your seat (doors open at 5 PM) – there’s a $5 suggested admission. Food – which you’re welcome to bring into the theater for the show – in available at the restaurant Theory or the Empirical Café. Theory serves wood fire pizza, salads and salt & straw ice cream.

Parking is free for the event, but OMSI is mere steps away from the Tilikum Crossing buses, streetcar, and MAX; and only a few blocks from the Hawthorne Bridge’s multiple bus lines.