Dave Knows Portland

Greek Festival 2011

by Leave a Comment

Greek Festival 2011The 60th annual Portland Greek Festival takes place this weekend, September 30 through October 2, 2011 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (NE 32nd and Glisan).

Immigrants for Greece began arriving to the Northwest in the late 1800s to work in fishing, lumber, railroad and other jobs. Settling in Portland they established their church, Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church in southeast Portland. Moving to a new and larger church on 32nd and NE Glisan in 1952, the mortgage had to be paid off. The ladies decided to help by holding a bazaar with their handwork, food, pastries, music and dances from their homeland. This was the beginning of what is now known as the Annual Greek Festival which is one of the largest of its kind.

Join about 15,000 other guests enjoying the greek food (feta, lamb, souvlaki, spanakopita, koulourakia, diples, bougatsa, etc.), cooking demonstrations, crafts, and of course beer and wine!

Entertainment includes Greek Folk Dancing performances and music, and activities for the kids.

The fest runs 10am to 10pm Friday and Saturday, noon to 8pm on Sunday. Visit the festival website for more details.

October 1-3: Greek Fest, Oktoberfest, Lovecraft Film Fest, Oregon Archive Crawl, and More!

by Leave a Comment

Friday

The Lost BoysCort and Fatboy’s Midnight Movie – The Lost Boys

The latest edition of Cort and Fatboy‘s Midnight Movie takes place Friday, October 1st at the Bagdad Theater (3702 SE Hawthorne). The film is a doozie: The Lost Boys!

“Before “24,” Before “Speed 2,” Before “Dream a Little Dream,” Kiefer, Jason and the Corey’s gained large amounts of fame by baring fangs and trashing Santa Clara, CA, a town that would be a wonderful place to stay if it weren’t for all the damned vampires.” [more]

Friday-Sunday

Greek Festival 2010Greek Festival 2010

The 59th Annual Greek Festival takes place Friday, October 1 through Sunday, October 3 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (NE 32nd and Glisan).

Over 15,000 guests are expected to come out to enjoy the greek food (feta, lamb, souvlaki, spanakopita, koulourakia, diples, bougatsa, etc.), cooking demonstrations, crafts, and of course beer and wine! Festival goers can also enter a raffle, visit the Ethos Bookstore, and sign up for guided tours of the church. Entertainment includes Greek Folk Dancing performances and music. [more]

H.P. Lovecraft Film FestivalLovecraft Film Festival & Cthulhu Con

The 2010 H.P. Lovecrat Film Festival and Cthulhucon takes place Friday, October 1 through Sunday, October 3 at the Hollywood Theatre (4112 NE Sandy). . . .

This year’s festival may be Portland’s last, so you won’t want to miss it!

Lovecraftian films El Monstro Del Mar, Pan’s Labrynth, Primal, The Burrowers are just a few of the features films this year. Twenty shorts will also be shown. In addition to the films and film discussions, vendors will be hawking their horror-related wares and Howies will be awarded. [more]

Saturday

Oregon Archives Crawl 20102010 Oregon Archives Crawl

October is Oregon Archives Month. By way of celebration four downtown Portland historical archive locations will be welcoming visitors from 11am to 4pm on Saturday, October 2 – it’s the First Annual Oregon Archives Crawl. . . .

Archives Crawl passports will be issued to participants to help in navigation. The event, and passport, is free. [more]

Saturday-Sunday

ProstProst! Oktoberfest and Oktoberfest Bier Challenge

Prost! Portland (4237 N Mississippi) is throwing an Oktoberfest celebration this Saturday and Sunday, October 2 and 3.

The Mississippi Marketplace food carts are also joining the festivities, and of course Prost makes a mean pretzel sandwich too.

$20 gets you your own liter stein to keep, filled with bier! [more]

I can’t imagine fitting anything else into this weekend, but no doubt Around the Sun, PDX Pipeine, and Blogging Portland on the Cheap will find a way!

Greek Festival 2010 (October 1-3)

by 3 Comments

Greek Festival 2010The 59th Annual Greek Festival takes place Friday, October 1 through Sunday, October 3 at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (NE 32nd and Glisan).

Over 15,000 guests are expected to come out to enjoy the greek food (feta, lamb, souvlaki, spanakopita, koulourakia, diples, bougatsa, etc.), cooking demonstrations, crafts, and of course beer and wine! Festival goers can also enter a raffle, visit the Ethos Bookstore, and sign up for guided tours of the church. Entertainment includes Greek Folk Dancing performances and music.

This festival continues to elude me – but I may just make it this year! I did attempt to attend one year but found the lines so excruciatingly long that I gave up and went to the Horse Brass Pub instead. I suspect that, like the Polish Festival the key to avoiding the worst of the crowds is to arrive either right at opening (10am Friday and Saturday, noon Sunday), or to arrive after sundown, two or three hours before the festival wraps up in the evening (10pm Friday, Saturday and 8pm Sunday). Also, of course, weather can be a major factor on attendance.

October 2-4: Greek Festival, H.P. Lovecraft Films, The Wedge, Baconfest, Wax Broker Riot, and the Timbers

by Leave a Comment

This weekend has something for everyone – you really have no excuse not to hit at least three of the following:

greekfest2009-100Greek Festival 2009

The 58th Annual Greek Festival takes place this weekend, Friday, October 2nd through Sunday, October 4th at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (NE 32nd and Glisan).

Festival organizers predict over 15,000 people will be in attendance to enjoy the greek food (feta, lamb, souvlaki, spanakopita, koulourakia, diples, bougatsa, etc.), cooking demonstrations, crafts, and of course beer and wine!

hplovecraft09-1002009 H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival and Cthulhucon

Come for the cosmic horror, stay for the unnameable fear; yes, the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival and Cthulhucon returns to the Hollywood Theatre (4122 NE Sandy) this weekend, Friday, October 2nd through Sunday, October 4th.

wbroct09-100Wax Broker Riot

Hall of Records will be hosting a Wax Broker Riot this Friday, October 2nd, at It’s a Beautiful Pizza (3342 SE Belmont) from 7-11pm.


thewedge-100The Wedge

The Wedge: Portland Celebrates Cheese Festival brings over 30 cheesemakers to SE Portland to share (and sell) their artisan and farmstead cheeses.

Hosted by The Green Dragon Pub (928 SE 9th), the farmers market style event takes place on SE 9th between Belmont and Yamhill from 10am to 4pm. Activities include seminars on pairing cheese with distilled spirits, demonstrations on how to make cheese at home, and contests and prizes for the kids.

bfest09-100Portland Bacon Fest 2009

As the cheese fest winds down, head over to the EastBurn (1800 E Burnside) to celebrate another fantastically arteriosclerotic food: bacon. The 2009 Portland Baconfest, a Bacon Extravagana for the Masses runs from 3 to 10pm.

Timbers!Timbers vs. Vancouver Seminfinal Match

The Portland Timbers face the Vancouver Whitecaps in the USL Division 1 semifinals. The first leg of the 2 game series begins Thursday, October 1st in Vancouver B.C.

The teams face again in Portland on October 4th at 4pm at PGE Park in the second leg. Buy your tickets now!

October 2-4: Greek Festival 2009

by Leave a Comment

Update: 2010 Greek Festival details here!

greekfest2009The 58th Annual Greek Festival takes place this weekend, Friday, October 2nd through Sunday, October 4th at Holy Trinity Greek Orthodox Church (NE 32nd and Glisan).

Festival organizers predict over 15,000 people will be in attendance to enjoy the greek food (feta, lamb, souvlaki, spanakopita, koulourakia, diples, bougatsa, etc.), cooking demonstrations, crafts, and of course beer and wine! Festival goers can also enter a raffle to win an iPod, a TV, a weekend at the Inn at Spanish Head, or a trip to, your choice, Greece or Hawaii!

This festival continues to elude me, and it appears that might be the case again in 2009. I did attempt to attend one year but found the lines so excruciatingly long that I gave up and went to the Horse Brass Pub instead. I suspect that, like the Polish Festival this past weekend the key to avoiding the worst of the crowds is to arrive either right at opening (10am Friday and Saturday, noon Sunday), or to arrive after sundown, two or three hours before the festival wraps up in the evening (10pm Friday, Saturday and 8pm Sunday). Also, of course, weather may be a major factor on attendance.