Dave Knows Portland

New Year’s Eve in Portland

by Leave a Comment

Helping you make plans to ring in 2013 since 2012 – this page will be updated throughout the week leading up to January 31st as more events are identified.

New Year's EveArea New Year’s Eve Events, Parties, and Celebrations

New Year’s Eve Fireworks

FireworksI haven’t found any Portland area New Years Eve fireworks displays. If you head up to the mountain, however, you have a couple options.

  • Brrring in the New Year at Mt. Hood Meadows – Fireworks start around 10 p.m., lifts run until midnight.
  • Mt Hood Skibowl’s 25th Annual New Year’s Eve Extravaganza. Skibowl West will be entertaining all day long with MC Snow Go! in the base area having comps and giving out swag and prizes. Around 11:45, the lights on the hill will be turned off and the countdown festivities will begin starting with the torchlight parade led by the Powder Hounds doing a snow bike demo, then followed by skiers and riders carrying the torches down the slopes featuring members of the Mt. Hood Race Team. Lastly, the New Year will be kicked off with world record Olympic speed skier Petr Kakes launching down the hill into the base area starting the fireworks extravaganza!

New Year’s Eve Travel

After midnight cops and drunks make up the majority of driver – take the train, bus, or a cab!

  • TriMet service is free after 8 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. Buses and streetcar will run on weekday schedules, and MAX will be running extra late.

MAX Blue, Green and Yellow lines
• The last Blue Line trip to Gresham leaves Pioneer Square South at 3:07 a.m. and the last trip to Hillsboro leaves Pioneer Square North at 3:07 a.m.

• The last Yellow Line trip to Expo Center leaves Pioneer Courthouse/SW 6th at 3:02 a.m. and the last trip to Downtown Portland leaves Expo Center at 2:16 a.m. A trip to Rose Quarter Transit Center and Ruby Junction/E 197th leaves Expo Center at 3:41 a.m.

• The last Green Line trip to Clackamas leaves from Pioneer Courthouse/SW 6th at 3:10 a.m. and the last trip to Downtown Portland leaves Clackamas Town Center Transit Center at 1:44 a.m.

MAX Red Line
• The last trip of the night to the Portland International Airport leaves Pioneer Square South at 10:30 p.m. and the last trip of the night to Beaverton Transit Center leaves the airport at 11:49 p.m.

Festival of Zappadan 2010

by 1 Comment

Update: 2011 Festival of Zappadan

December 4, the anniversary of Frank Zappa‘s death, marks the beginning of the Festival of Zappadan. The festival ends on his birthday, December 21st.

I recommend you visit The Aristocrats and Fried Green al-Qaedas, both of which traditionally do some Zappa-blogging throughout the festival. And you can follow @Zappadan on Twitter. iVoryTowerz is sadly, now defunct, but in the archives you’ll find a good explanation and history of the festival: Zappadan 2008.

The festival is a creation of Zappa fans in the blogosphere, and runs virtually from Dec. 4 (the date of FZ’s death) until Dec. 21 (the date of FZ’s birth). So you see, the end of Zappadan is neigh. Best to dig through that vinyl collection for Hot Rats or Weasels Ripped My Flesh, and quickly.

Anyone know if there will be any Portland-area observations of Zappadan in 2010? I know there are Zappa fans in Portland, like Lucas at the Nerd is the Word: Flower Power Sucks!

Now, as tradition dictates, I present to you this Portland moment of Zappa:

A Toast To Repeal Day 2010

by Leave a Comment

Headline from the Oregonian, Dec 5 1933Sunday, December 5 2010 marks the 77th anniversary of Repeal Day, the day in 1933 when three quarters of the states ratified the 21st Amendment to the Constitution and thus repealed the federal prohibition on the sale, manufacture, and consumption of alcoholic beverages!

Every red-blooded American is obligated to toast to our brewers, vintners, distillers, distributors, publicans, bartenders, waitrons, and friends on this anniversary. And a toast is best performed amongst friends, so head to to your local drinking establishment or throw a cocktail party!

In 2008, the 75th anniversary Repeal Day, several local bars and restaurants were swept up in the celebration, this year not so much. However, the Teardrop Lounge (1015 NW Everett) continues with the tradition by throwing their annual Repeal Day 2010 bash (It’s very important to read the rest of the announcement at the Teardrop Lounge event page – a password is required to enter the party!)

And a few blocks away the Irving Street Kitchen is hosting a Repeal Day Industry Party from 4 to 6pm on Sunday, December 5 2010, with free food and drinks for industry people!!!

For more information about my favorite secular holiday, visit RepealDay.org, a site created by local bartending and mixology blogger Jeffrey Mogenthaler, one of the first individuals to propose treating the anniversary as a holiday.

World Toilet Day 2010 and a Portland Loo Unveiling

by Leave a Comment

Mike Vogel and the LooWorld Toilet Day, a day to celebrate the importance of sanitation and raise awareness for the 2.6 billion people who don’t have access to toilets and proper sanitation took place on Friday, November 19 2010.

Events were held around the world, including in Portland, where the public was invited to celebrate World Toilet Day at the First Flush of the Ash Street Portland Loo with Commissioner Randy Leonard.

Alas, this extremely Portland event escaped my attention until it was underway. Fortunately intrepid local filmmaker and blogger Mike Vogel attended. He provided an entertaining live commentary of the event on Twitter, and blogged his special contribution to the ceremony this morning.

When I heard that they would be opening a new Portland Loo on World Toilet Day, I knew that I would have to go, but I also didn’t want to get my hopes up that I would be the first person to officially pee in it. I’m sure construction workers or plumbers installing the Loo used it, and who knows if it was locked before the ceremony. But what if I could be the FIRST person to pee in the new Loo after the ceremonial first flush? A boy can dream.

Read the rest at MikeVogel.com: The Portland Loo on World Toilet Day

October 9: Storm Day at the Pittock Mansion

by Leave a Comment

Pittock Mansion in the aftermath of the Columbus Day StormStorm Day: Commemorating the Columbus Day Storm takes place at the Pittock Mansion on Saturday, October 9 2010 from 11am until 4pm.

OMSI representatives will be on hand demonstrating a small tornado chamber, a weather balloon, and a Van de Graaff generator. They will also lead hands-on projects to create a wind vane and a rain gauge. Guests will share stories from the 1962 Columbus Day Storm. The Red Cross will provide storm preparation tips.

On Columbus Day, 1962, the most devastating wind storm in recorded history to hit the Pacific Northwest, known as the “Big Blow,” caused major destruction in northern California, Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. The extratropical cyclone, which began as Typhoon Freda, was the greatest natural disaster to strike the West Coast in more than half a century.

With wind gusts reported of up to 170 mph, the 1962 Columbus Day Storm was 125 miles wide and covered an area of 75,000 square miles. It caused at least 46 fatalities and hundreds of injuries, and destroyed more than 50,000 homes. Total damages were in excess of $200,000,000 (in 1962 dollars) in Oregon alone.

The then privately owned, and up for sale, Pittock Mansion sustained significant damage during the storm. A fundraising effort by concerned citizens spurred the City of Portland to purchase the mansion in 1964 (for $225,000!). It was restored and in 1965 opened as the historic house museum we know it as now.

Regular admission prices apply on Storm Day. Members and children under 6 get in fro free, youth (6-18) entry is $5, adults $8, and seniors (65+) get in for $7.