Dave Knows Portland

Darwin Day, Take to the Ship, Wurstfest, and More! (February 11-13, 2011)

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Friday

Moby DickTake To The Ship! – A 24-Hour Reading of Moby Dick

Take To the Ship, Portland’s First Continuous Reading of Moby Dick begins Friday, February 11th at 5pm and will go on for about 24 hours, finishing up on Saturday. . .

Each of the 135 chapters of Melville’s classic novel Moby-Dick will be read by different readers, “a host of area writers, artists, luminaries, and landlubbers alike.” [more]

PortlandiaWhere to Watch Portlandia In Portland

Miss the big premiere event? Don’t have a TV? Don’t have the Independent Film Channel? Watch Portlandia, if you’re into that sort of thing, at the Portland venues listed below. [more]

Saturday

DarwinDarwin Day 2011 in Portland

Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution via natural selection revolutionized biological science and gave us a greater understanding of the origins of life.

Darwin Day is celebrated around the world on February 12th, the anniversary of the day Darwin was born in 1809. [more]

Saturday-Sunday

WurstfestWurstfest 2011

Wurstfest: A Mount Angel Celebration of German Sausage returns to Mount Angel for a third year.

Wurstfest was dreamed up in 2009 by the Bavarian-phile merrymakers in Mount Angel, Oregon, home of Oregon’s largest Oktoberfest celebration every fall. Heather and I attended the inaugural festival and enjoyed it immensely – it’s just like Oktoberfest, but in the winter. [more]

Sunday

OHSOregon Historical Society: Statehood Day Free Day

The Oregon Historical Society (1200 SW Park) is celebrating Oregon’s Statehood Day* by offering free admission on Sunday, February 13, 2011 from noon until 5pm . . .

At 2pm visitors can listen to a lecture by Kerry Tymchuk: “Laughing All the Way to the White House.” The celebration also includes birthday cake and frozen yogurt samples from Lucky Spoon Frozen Yogurt, while supplies last! [more]

And for even more weekend events and activities, visit Around the Sun, Blogging Portland on the Cheap, and PDX Pipeline!

Darwin Day 2011 in Portland

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Charles DarwinCharles Darwin’s theory of evolution via natural selection revolutionized biological science and gave us a greater understanding of the origins of life.

Darwin Day is celebrated around the world on February 12th, the anniversary of the day Darwin was born in 1809.

The Darwin Day website explains what the celebration is about:

Darwin Day is an international celebration of science and humanity held on or around February 12, the day that Charles Darwin was born on in 1809. Specifically, it celebrates the discoveries and life of Charles Darwin — the man who first described biological evolution via natural selection with scientific rigor. More generally, Darwin Day expresses gratitude for the enormous benefits that scientific knowledge, acquired through human curiosity and ingenuity, has contributed to the advancement of humanity.

Portland Area Darwin Day Events

Wurstfest 2011 (February 12-13)

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Dust off your Lederhosen, starch up your Dirndl and join the happy folk in Mount Angel for two fun days of celebration in honor of the WURST!

WurstfestWurstfest: A Mount Angel Celebration of German Sausage returns to Mount Angel for a third year.

Wurstfest was dreamed up in 2009 by the Bavarian-phile merrymakers in Mount Angel, Oregon, home of Oregon’s largest Oktoberfest celebration every fall. Heather and I attended the inaugural festival and enjoyed it immensely – it’s just like Oktoberfest, but in the winter.

Mount Angel area sausage makers present their best wursts at the fest, authentic German beers are on tap, and regional wines and Bavarian glühwein is available. Entertainment includes Oktoberfest-style music and dancing.

The fest takes place at the Mount Angel Community Building (500 S Wilco Highway) on Saturday, February 12 and Sunday, February 13. Hours are Saturday 11am until 11pm, and Sunday 11am to 5pm. Included in the $10.00 adult admission fee is a souvenir glass Bavarian beer mug (for first 2000 attendees). Kids get in free with an adult until 9pm.

This will be your last chance to celebrate in the old beer hall! Demolition of the Biergarten and construction of the new Mount Angel Community Center begins shortly after Wurstfest.

In 2009 we visited Wurstfest on Valentines Day, which coincidentally is Oregon’s Birthday. Read Heather’s review of the festival, I Went To A Sausage Fest, and check out the festival’s rendition of Happy Birthday Dear Oregon:

Happy Birthday Dear Oregon from Mile73 on Vimeo.

January 3, 1916: Robbery in Seattle Followed by Flight to Portland

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The Oregonian article from January 8, 1916George V. Keebaugh, aka “Diamond Tooth Casey,” Trixie Anderson, and Jess Barr were arrested in the first week of January, 1916 as they arrived in Portland by train after fleeing Seattle.

The men are charged with holding up a Japanese physician named U. Kakiki in the Northern Pacific Hotel in Seattle on January 3, and robbing him of a $260; watch and chain, a charm with a $30 diamond and $70 in cash.

Trixie, it seems, arranged the meeting with the gentleman, but her accomplices filled the appointment instead.

Police had no trouble recognizing Diamond Tooth Casey; in June of the previous year he had been arrested and sentenced in Portland for opium possession.

I can’t find any word in The Oregonian archives as to whether or not they were convicted of the robbery. I suppose it’s possible they only traveled to Portland for the typhoid-free water.