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September 24-26: Oktoberfest, Juggling Fest, Polish Fest, and last Sunday Parkways of 2010

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So here’s what I would do: Head to Oaks Park Friday night for a lead in to your weekend; enjoy a bratwurst, a beer, and the oompah. Turn in relatively early. Saturday take in some of the workshops at the Juggling festival, and then around sunset make your way to North Portland for the Polish Festival (here are some tips). Fill up on pierogies and beer and dance the night away to Chervona. Whew. Sunday, dust off your bike and head up to NW Portland for a leisurely ride around the Sunday Parkways route. If you’re feeling ambitious spend sunset Sunday evening at Chapman school watching the Vaux Swifts!

Friday-Sunday

Oktoberfest at Oaks ParkOktoberfest at Oaks Park

The 2010 Zenner’s Oktoberfest at Oaks Park takes place Friday through Saturday, September 24-26.

The authentic German beers and food options (e.g. bratwurst, chicken schnitzel, braised red cabbage, sauerkraut, German Potato Salad, and Tater Tots!) are reasonably priced, and there are enough places to put in your order that the lines don’t often get too long. [more]

Friday-Saturday

Juggling FestivalPortland Juggling Festival and Vaudeville Extravaganza

The 18th Annual Portland Juggling Festival takes place Friday through Sunday, September 24 through 26. Prop manipulation, juggling, and unicycling workshops are just a part of this event held at the Reed College Sports Center (3203 SE Woodstock).

A highlight of the festival is The Portland Juggling & Vaudeville Extravaganza, held on Saturday, September 25th at the Benson High School Auditorium (546 Northeast 12th). [more]

Polish FestPortland Polish Festival 2010

The Polish Festival is one of this Portland’s best annual cultural events, and my personal favorite. It takes place this year on Saturday and Sunday, September 25 and 26.

Take in non-stop music (much of it featuring accordions!), dance performances, a street dance, and polka contests while enjoying Polish food like pierogies, kielbasa, gołąbki (cabbage rolls), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes), and other delectable options – and of course delicious Polish beer! In the vendor village, check out the jewelry, clothing, Polish pottery, and sundries for sale. [more]

Sunday

Sunday ParkwaysNorthwest Portland Sunday Parkways

The final Sunday Parkways of 2010 takes place Sunday, September 26th in Northwest Portland.

Take the opportunity to spend a pleasant (hopefully) summery Sunday morning and afternoon (10am to 3pm) winding your way on bike or foot through the mostly car free streets of Northwest, and a sliver of Southwest, Portland. [more]

Portland Polish Festival Tips for 2010

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Polish FestivalAs a veteran festival goer, I have some suggestions below for how to get the most out of the Portland Polish Festival, which takes place this Saturday and Sunday, September 25 and 26! In my book, this is the best fall festival in Portland.

  • Bring cash! There’s an ATM, but why wait in two lines when you can wait in just one – the token line. Pay cash for the $1 tokens to buy drinks and food.
  • Take MAX! Get off at the Overlook stop on the Yellow Line and walk 2 blocks up Interstate. Or take the 4-Fessenden to Mississippi and Failing, walk west and cross the Failing Street Pedestrian Bridge. You don’t want to have to drive or ride your bike after a few Polish porters (see below)
  • Plan your Saturday arrival for after sunset! That is, if you’re not particularly fond of negotiating dense crowds and waiting in hour-long lines for potato pancakes. The crowd thins a bit after sunset on Saturday, and that’s the best time to be at the fest!
  • Stay late Saturday night! The street dance from 8pm-10pm is the most fun you’ll ever have dancing in a parking lot to the music of legendary Portland band Chervona!
  • Go for the combo plate and the placki! Enough pierogis, gołąbki, kiełbasa, bigos, and potato pancakes for a small village; share with a friend! Since the potato pancakes are served up from a different booth, split up and establish a meeting spot for after you’ve got your delicious food in your hands.

    • Beer!

  • Beware the Polish Porters! Delicious but strong (ranging generally from 8.5-9.5% ABV). The pilsners and other choices are also delicious, and of more typical strength. There’s also wine and mead!
  • Post-Fest: The Alibi – literally stumbling distance from the festival; one block up Interstate.

Heather and I both blogged the festival in 2008 and 2009 – reap more tips by perusing our reviews:

Mile73.com

Dave Knows

Portland Polish Festival 2010 (September 25-26)

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2012 details here!

Polish FestivalThe Polish Festival is one of this Portland’s best annual cultural events, and my personal favorite. It takes place this year on Saturday and Sunday, September 25 and 26.

Take in non-stop music (much of it featuring accordions!), dance performances, a street dance, and polka contests while enjoying Polish food like pierogies, kielbasa, gołąbki (cabbage rolls), placki ziemniaczane (potato pancakes), and other delectable options – and of course delicious Polish beer! In the vendor village, check out the jewelry, clothing, Polish pottery, and sundries for sale.

Below the masthead on the festival website are the words: the best kept secret of Portland, Oregon. But the festival is not a secret anymore – it’s one of the premier fall festivals in the Portland area.

Entrance to the Polish Festival is free. It takes place Saturday, September 25th, from 11am to 10pm and Sunday the 26th, noon to 6pm, and is held on North Failing street, east side of Interstate, between the St. Stanislaus Church and the Polish Library (3900 N. Interstate). Take the 4 – Fessenden to Mississippi and Failing and then take the Failing Street Pedestrian Bridge across the freeway and you are there. Or take the Yellow Line MAX to the Overlook Stop – Failing street is two blocks north up Interstate. Check out the festival website for more information.

Heather and I both blogged the festival in 2008 and 2009:

Mile73.com

Dave Knows

Festival veteran tip: arrive Saturday evening after sunset to avoid the bulk of the crowd, and the ridiculously long lines. (Read more tips here!)

Polish Festival 2009

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Update: 2010 Polish Festival details here!

polishfest09

Again this year the Polish Festival lived up to its reputation as one of the best fall festivals in Portland. Like last year’s festival, which also took place during a spate of fantastic weather, the crowd was huge. By cleverly splitting up and tackling a line each, Heather and I managed to quickly acquire a pair of Okocim Porters and a combo plate to share. Placki ziemniaczane (aka potato pancakes), Heather’s raison d’être, would have to wait – the line snaked half a block down Failing Street, and seemed to be barely moving; we learned the wait was 45 to 60 minutes.

[Read more…]

September 25-27: Oaks Park Oktoberfest, Juggling Festival, and the Polish Festival

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More fests this weekend than you can shake a stick at. Knowing this was the case I started blogging about them early in the week. To recap:

Polish FestivalPolish Festival 2009

The Polish Festival is one of Portland’s best annual cultural events (and one of my favorites), and it takes place this weekend: Saturday and Sunday, September 26 and 27th.

Below the masthead on the festival website are the words: the best kept secret of Portland, Oregon. Well, the secret is out.

German GirlOktoberfest at Oaks Park

Three words: Wiener dog races. That’s really all you need to know, but in addition you will also enjoy imported German beer, sausages, all the oompah music you can stomach, and chicken dancing until the wee hours! Yup, the Zenner’s Oktoberfest at Oaks Park takes place this weekend, from Friday, September 25 through Sunday, September 27th.

Juggling FestivalPortland Juggling Festival 2009

The 17th annual Portland Juggling Festival begins this Friday evening, September 25th, and runs through Sunday the 27th.

Prop manipulation, juggling, and unicycling workshops take place throughout the weekend at the Reed College Sports Center. General admission
for the entire weekend is $35.

Our plan is to attend both the Oktoberfest and Polish Festival, both of which I consider unmissable. With luck and fortitude we will accomplish this feat!