I like to think I know Portland, but Southwest Portland is largely a mystery to me. Its crazy spaghetti street network combined with my abysmal sense of direction have, over the years, discouraged me from getting too familiar. Nevertheless I have vowed, this year, to attend the Multnomah Days street fair and parade, in Multnomah Village. I’ve been to John’s Market quite a few times, but I always have to google-map it before I go (or rely on the SW PDX erudition of whoever is driving). I’m counting on my co-pilot Saturday.

The street fair begins at 8:30am with a Pancake Breakfast put on by the Kiwanis Club. A six block parade begins at 10am. Enjoy the craft and food vendors from 11am to 4pm, and don’t miss the beer and wine garden in the Key Bank parking lot, where Paris Slim and the Parasites will be entertaining. Portland Woodshed Jazz Orchestra and Mosey will be playing at MVP Volvo.

I can’t help you with any of the directions to Multnomah Village however, try google maps 😉

Sunday, safely back in grid-patterned Southeast Portland, the Hawthorne Street Fair takes place, connecting the two loops of the simultaneous Southeast Portland Sunday Parkway. The street fair runs from 11am to 5pm. Most activities occur between 34th and 41st, but there’s a music stage down on 12th behind the Shell station, and Skeleton Key Tattoo at 17th is hosting a prize drawing and face painting, and giving away coloring books for the kids – and talk to them about your next Unicorn tattoo (this is Portland after all) – August is Unicorn Special month! In the ever important beer department, BridgePort Ale House (3632 Hawthorne) us offering Happy Hour pints all day. For a full list of events and bands click here.

This is the last Sunday Parkway of the summer, so you don’t want to miss it. Heather and I walked the inaugural Sunday Parkway last summer, but for this one we’re riding our bikes (she just got a new one!). On Portland has a good summation of why the Sunday Parkways rock.

And, dang, this is one of those summer weekends where there are way too many things to do.

• The India Cultural Association is throwing their annual India Festival downtown at Pioneer Courthouse Square on Sunday.
• Saturday at Waterfront Park the 2009 Tour de Fat takes place.
• The Timbers are playing (in Rochester), and the English Premier League kicks off the 2009-2010 season – find out where to watch the matches in Portland here.
• Don’t miss the Portland Pie-Off Sunday – some folks get very excited about this one!
• Bridgeport Brewing in the Pearl District (1313 NW Marshal) is throwing a block party to celebrate its 25th anniversary.
• And damn, I’m going to miss the Junction City Scandinavian Festival, which runs all weekend.

Check out Around The Sun and PDX Pipeline for even more!