Dave Knows Portland

Fix-it Fair (20 February 2016)

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Fix-it Fair 2016 posterThe last Fix-It Fair of the 2015-2016 season takes place this Saturday, 20 February 2016 at George Middle School (10000 N Burr).

The Fix-It Fair is a FREE City of Portland event where you can learn simple ways to save money and connect with resources. Join your neighbors and talk to the experts about how to spend less and stay healthy.

From 9:30 AM to 3 PM visit exhibits and attend workshops on water and energy savings, health, food and nutrition, recycling and composting, yard and garden care, transportation, and more.

The fair also features free small-appliance repair, door prizes and other giveaways, free childcare, free lunch, and even free bike tune-ups and flat repairs for students and families.

Now in their 29th year, the Fix-It Fairs are presented by The City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.

Chowder Challenge (20 February 2016)

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Chowder ChallengeLompoc Brewing‘s 10th annual Chowder Challenge takes place Saturday, 20 February 2016, at the Lompoc Fifth Quadrant (3901 N Williams).

Admission to the competition is free. Attendees 12 and older can purchase sample trays for $10 to participate in the tasting. All proceeds will be donated to the Community Transitional School, which provides educational services to homeless and at-risk children.

This blind tasting competition features New England-style chowder entries from Lompoc Beer 5th Quadrant, Burnside Brewing Co, Cascade Brewing Barrel House, D’S BAR, Farm House Cafe, Pelican Brewing Company, Produce Row Cafe, Saraveza, Sports on Tap, Stormbreaker Brewing, Uptown Market and Widmer Brothers Brewing. The top vote-getter will be named the People’s Choice Winner and will be awarded the Chowder Cup. Prizes will also be awarded to the first two runners-up.

The reputation of the New Old Lompoc’s clam chowder was the motivation behind the original Chowder Challenge. The New Old Lompoc restaurant on NW 23rd Ave. won the inaugural Chowder Cup; the Morrison Hotel stole it away in the following year, but it was wrested back by the New Old Lompoc at the next four events. In 2013, with the New Old Lompoc out of the competition while being rebuilt, the Ice Axe Grill swooped in and took the cup. In 2014, the New Old Lompoc – revived as the Lompoc Tavern – returned the cup to its original hands, and won again in 2015.

The all-ages Chowder Cup festivities include a beer garden (naturally), live music, and a raffle.

Black Out Beer Fest (19 February 2016)

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Lompoc Blackout Beer Fest 2016

Lompoc Brewing‘s fourth annual Black Out Beer Fest – featuring over two dozen dark beers, live music, and food specials – takes place Friday, 19 February 2016 at the Sidebar (3901A N. Williams) from 4 PM to 10 PM.

Featuring a range of styles including porters, stouts, coffee beers and black IPAs, the Black Out Beer Fest offers dark beer lovers an evening to celebrate. Participating breweries include 54°40′ Brewing, Baerlic Brewing, Buoy Beer, Breakside Brewery, Burnside Brewing, Cascade Brewing, Coin Toss Brewin, Double Mountain Brewery, Ecliptic Brewing, Everybody’s Brewing, Fire On The Mountain, Fort George Brewery, Gigantic Brewing, Hopworks Urban Brewery, Kells Brew Pub, Lucky Labrador Brew Pub, pFriem Family Brewers, Portland U-Brew & Pub, Roots Organic Brewing, Stormbreaker Brewing, Three Creeks Brewing, Upright Brewing, Uptown Market and Widmer Brothers Brewing.

This event is 21 and over only. $15 tasting packages are available at the door. In addition to the Sidebar space, there will be a heated tent in the adjacent parking lot. Visit the FB event page for more information.

23rd Annual Hillsdale Brewfest (20 February 2016)

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McMenaminsThe 23rd annual Hillsdale Brewfest takes place Saturday, February 20, 2016 at the Hillsdale Brewery and Public House (1505 SW Sunset Blvd).

Many of the finest beers from McMenamins’ breweries will be sent in to battle, their brewers vying for bragging rights as well as the notorious championship belt. Patrons order trays of beer samples, arranged from lightest to darkest. It is our guests’ official duty to decide who deserves the coveted title. The beers cover the spectrum of brew styles – from hefeweizen to oatmeal stout, barleywine to smoked amber ale and beyond. Each taster casts one ballot that lists his or her top three choices. (And beware the brewers’ shameless vote-mongering. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.)

Battle of the BeltIn past years the winning brewer earned the right to represent the McMenamins empire at the Oregon Brewer Festival, though it seems that tradition may be over. There’s still the belt though! It’s a stunner.

Visit the event page for more details, including the beer list.

Portland Weekend Amusements (12-14 February 2016)

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Fun weekend ahead – with or without a sweetheart: Beer, science, Oregon’s 157th birthday – and more!

Friday

Darwin Day – A celebration of Darwin’s Birthday featuring Dr. Kiki Sanford, host of the This Week in Science Podcast

Darwin DayDr. Kiki Sanford is a neurophysiologist by training and currently runs the This Week in Science radio program. Join Biology Investigation & Outreach to hear Dr. Kiki speak about genetics, evolution, and the future in celebration of Darwin’s 207th birthday!

5:30pm Science Communication Panel

6:00pm Keynote Address with Dr. Kiki

7:00pm Q&A Session

Location: Smith Memorial Student Union Ballroom

Tickets are FREE and everyone is welcome!

Friday-Saturday

Portland Night Market

Portland Night MarketThe Portland Night Market showcases 75+ businesses that call the great City of Portland home. Blending food, culture, music, drinks and retail together for an adventurous evening in the Industrial District. The event allows people to meet some of Portland’s best makers and creators set in the unique venue of a 100+ year old produce row warehouse. The PNM is a free event and open to all ages.

To kick off 2016, PNM is partnering with some of Portland’s sexier businesses for a special edition market, dubbed, “The Love Train.” We’ve brought on entertainment showcasing live music, aerialists, not to mention an aphrodisiac alley complete with chocolate, tastings, an oyster bar and loads of other goodies!

Saturday

Zwickelmania

Zwickelmania 2016Zwickelmania, the annual one-day event in Oregon when breweries open their doors to the casual and hardcore beer fans, lands on Feb. 13th this year — from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. More than 120 breweries, both big and small, are planning on participating with meet-the-brewer events and beer samples. For those who are planning a special Valentine’s Day trip to a place in Oregon, make sure to carve out some time to stop by a brewery or two while you are here. Visitors are invited to click on one of the six regions of Oregon on the Zwickelmania event page to see which breweries are participating.

Last year, more than 32,500 people toured 115 participating breweries statewide and the Oregon Brewers Guild is expecting that number to increase in 2016.

Sunday

Oregon Statehood Day

Oregon' 64th Birthday 1923 - Oregonian CollectionThe Oregon Historical Society invites one and all to a special Oregon Statehood Day celebration on Sunday, 14 February 2016 at the museum (1200 SW Park Ave).

“Celebrate Oregon’s birthday in style at the Oregon Historical Society! The one and only Thomas Lauderdale will be at the piano as former Governors Ted Kulongoski and Barbara Roberts lead the singing of “Happy Birthday.” Feast on cake from Gerry Frank’s Konditeri, and meet Gerry himself as he signs copies of the latest edition of Gerry Frank’s Oregon.”