Montavilla Jazz is back this weekend for a three-day, village-style festival spanning locations inside and beyond the neighborhood. Over the Labor Day Weekend, the 13th Annual Montavilla Jazz Festival celebrates Portland’s music scene between September 4th and 6th. Montavillajazz.org has a detailed schedule of ticketed and wristband-accessed performances. However, many Montavilla locations will present live music featuring student, youth, and emerging artists as official Village Stage hosts. Those performances will not have a cover charge.
2024 Montavilla Jazz Festival’s SoundsTruck NW stage located in the Montavilla Plaza
Threshold Brewing & Blending at 403 SE 79th Avenue hosts a live music Village Stage and serves Polish favorite foods, including pierogi, sausage dogs, and zapiekanka. Replicant / Mudd Work Cafe at 7033 NE Glisan Street will also host Village Stage music throughout the weekend. Vino Veritas Wine Bar & Shop at 7835 SE Stark Street has often hosted live jazz throughout the year, and its Village Stage is booked throughout the festival weekend. Montavilla Brew Works at 7805 SE Stark Street has two nights of Village Stage music paired with food vendors. They will allow all ages in the brewery during the event.
Montavilla Brew Works Saturday, September 5th, Live Performances and meals by Korean Wagon food truck 2:00–3:00 PM Ian Arellano Trio | Clark College/PSU 4:00–5:00 PM Ian Arellano Trio | Clark College/PSU 6:00–8:00 PM MHCC Kane St. Combo
Montavilla Brew Works Sunday, September 6th, Live Performances with food by Oi!The Sausage pop-up 2:00–3:00 PM Tommy Blize Jazz Trio 4:00–5:00 PM Swingin’ Sounds Community Combo 6:00–8:00 PM MHCC Division St. Combo
Academy Theater at 7818 SE Stark Street will show Thelonious Monk: Straight, No Chaser (1988) on Thursday, September 3rd at 7 p.m. and Breathless (1960) on September 4th at 10 p.m. for those looking to enjoy jazz on the big screen. Primary Venues this year include Caldera Amphitheater at Mt. Tabor Park. Alberta Rose Theatre at 3000 NE Alberta Street, Portland Metro Arts at 9003 SE Stark Street, Show Bar at 1300 SE Stark Street, and the SoundsTruck NW located in the Montavilla Plaza at 79th Avenue and SE Stark Street. The Montavilla Jazz Festival has grown beyond the neighborhood where it started, but it still works to boost the area businesses that support musicians year-round. People are invited to purchase tickets within their means or visit Village Stage locations to join Portland’s annual jazz celebration.
On August 30th, My Voice Music (MVM) and Ascending Flow will host a Block Party with live youth music, DJs, and skateboarding to introduce the BUS-A-Flow mobile studio. The MVM youth-focused nonprofit organization opened its Montavilla facility at 8911 SE Stark Street in September 2023. Recently, muralists completed work on the outside of the building, highlighting this music-based after-school program provider’s activities within. People are invited to visit between 1 and 6 p.m. to participate in this free gathering.
Event organizers will close SE 89th Avenue north of SE Stark Street beside the MVM building preceding the Sunday, August 30th, activities. The block party will showcase performances representing the range of music being created by My Voice Music and Ascending Flow participants. Ascending Flow will use its converted transit vehicle dubbed BUS-A-Flow to bring a mobile recording studio, performance stage, and creative hub to communities across Oregon. This mural-painted, customized vehicle will further the nonprofit’s work, including free programs for young people navigating foster care, experiencing housing instability, and seeking to build positive life skills.
Ascending Flow works out in the community but lists the SE Stark Street address as its main location, joining MVM in its rehabilitated former bakery building. Since 2008, MVM has served young people by facilitating their artistic expression through writing, recording, and performing original music. Several setbacks delayed the opening of the Montavilla SE Portland headquarters, including the 2021 death of MVM’s founding Executive Director, Ian Mouser. For the last three years, the youth music center has helped expand the organization’s programs and supported efforts by similarly aligned organizations.
This co-hosted event serves as the annual Ascending Flow Show and showcases the new MVM mural created through a partnership between the two non-profits working from the location, with support from an Oregon Metro Community placemaking grant. Members of the MVM community shared the program’s significance to their lives, and young artists translated those stories and experiences into the mural’s imagery and design with guidance from Damon Smyth and OC Note.
The block party includes many activities with skate ramps, basketball, and face painting. Attendees can enjoy free food, Live DJs, and youth performances. The Portland Bureau of Transportation will have bike helmets and supplies for bike-decorating activities. The community is invited to experience the new mural, see the BUS-A-Flow mobile studio up close, and learn about the supportive programs at this East Portland resource destination.
By
Jacob Loeb
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On September 7th, 2024, the Belmont Library closed for renovations that tripled its original size with a two-story addition to the 1924-era brick building. Demolition crews removed portions of the building added in 2000 and part of the parking lot to make way for the now-completed addition. Despite its modest 5,420-square-foot capacity, this branch was one of the busiest locations in the entire Multnomah County Library system before closing. During the closure, patrons visited a temporary branch at 3557 SE Hawthorne Boulevard. Library staff provided extra effort to keep the temporary location open even as they worked to ready the new facility for this opening weekend. However, the community has been without a local pickup location since August 3rd, and the hold shelves at the new location are already populated with an impressive number of reserved books, according to staff.
This work is part of a voter-approved library expansion initiative and represents the last major update to complete the work. Bora Architecture and Interiors designed this cross-laminated timber expansion featuring wood products from Oregon and Washington. Crews created dedicated areas for different age groups of readers. The entire century-old part of the building serves the youngest patrons and their caregivers with interactive and tactile displays, size-appropriate furniture, and shelves of children’s books. This area also features remembrances of Jeanie Diaz, a youth librarian killed by a driver who crashed into a bus stop near the library where she was waiting in 2023. People can see a note from one of Diaz’s two children inside an interactive display. Library representatives say a plaque honoring Jeanie Diaz is also planned for the space.
A note from Jeanie Diaz’s child included in the Belmont Library’s kids reading room interactive display.
In addition to the kids’ room, holds pick-up area, and Lucky Day items shelves, the first floor also features a large reservable community space for gatherings and events. Other amenities and the primary book shelves are on the second floor, accessed by two elevators and a public staircase at the front of the building. Visitors can find flexible meeting spaces with updated technology, laptops for on-site work, and fixed computer stations. Library staff understand the changing role of the public resource they provide. Consequently, high-speed internet throughout the facility is a key feature of these upgrades, along with access to printers and other digital tools people require to connect with job opportunities and services. This top-floor space also offers a teen area with facilities for homework and creative expression, alongside young-adult book titles on the adjacent shelves.
Fabric artwork mimicking large scale pages torn a spiral notebook created by Britt Howard
Above the teen space is the fabric artwork by Britt Howard that looks like a paper airplane made from a lined spiral notebook page. A paper fortune teller and a crumpled ball flank the classic folded flyer. Its exaggerated scale and playful, soft-sculpted schoolroom shapes provide a sense of place where young people fight boredom and embrace their own interests. The upper walls of the second floor feature a mural with over 200 handmade objects integrated into the artwork. It is the creation of Pacific Northwest artist Emily Counts.
LED lights with device charging ports at a reading table in the library shelves
The new library offers four on-site parking spaces. Two are reserved for people with a Disabled Person Parking Permit to use without a time limit, and the other two are available for quick visits that are less than 15 minutes. Crews reconstructed the sidewalk around Belmont Library, making more space for pedestrians and adding locations with enlarged bicycle parking that can support cargo bikes. Landscapers have planted new street trees to replace some cut down during construction and have also installed other public amenities around the property.
Automated material handling equipment sorts returned books into bins
Technology improvements in the facility also assist staff with automated material handling, which sorts returned books into bins for transfer or reshelving. Kiosks throughout the building allow people to find titles and resources or check out items without needing to find a person for assistance. However, public feedback made clear that people visiting this branch also enjoy the human interaction. So the library features strategically located desks in public places so that an employee is often accessible to visitors and staff can see if people need help. They also use an in-building communication system that lets everyone stay in contact wherever they are for support and collaboration that isn’t tied to a desk.
People interested in joining the weekend celebration starting at 9:30 a.m. on August 15th can park in the Walgreens lot to the north of the library or take public transit to the location. After the office opening, the library will resume its normal schedule and welcome back an eager public to this well-used community resource.
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On Saturday, August 15th, the PDX Adult Soapbox Derby returns for its 27th year of gravity-induced fun. Starting at 10 a.m., people will gather for this free event along SE Reservoir Loop Drive and at locations around the Mt. Tabor Park course to watch contestants roll down the extinct urban volcano at increasing speed. Over 150 volunteers will assist racers and attendees on the derby day until the event concludes at 4 p.m. Montavilla residents can cheer on the local business entrant and sponsor, Covert Cafe.
PDX Adult Soapbox Derby 2025 (Jacob Loeb)
In the summer of 1997, Paul Zenk and Eric Foren loosely organized a small group of friends to race down Mt. Tabor’s winding roads in an event that would create the inaugural PDX Adult Soapbox Derby. The annual community gathering has grown yearly to include 42 racing teams and between 7,000 and 10,000 spectators. This free-to-attend day of races features highly engineered carts and some haphazardly crafted contraptions that all rely on gravity for propulsion. People wishing to attend should anticipate walking some distance to the event and bringing water or other refreshments. Some concession items and merchandise are available for purchase at the event.
PDX Adult Soapbox Derby 2025 (Jacob Loeb)
In 2016, Justin James and his ‘Team Rusty Rocket’ secured the track’s fastest run at 71.10 seconds. Each year, participants put in significant effort to create fast, thematically creative entries. Some carts travel up to 50 MPH down the paved park roads as they try to secure the quickest time or the biggest cheers. The Soapbox Derby is a family-friendly event, but volunteers must clear the track before each run for safety, and responsible adults need to remain close enough to ensure their children are out of the way when a race starts. Parking in the park and neighborhood is limited, and people should plan to bike, walk, or take transit.
This article will update with photos of the 2026 Adult Soapbox Derby
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For sixteen years, the Landmark Saloon served the community below the western base of Mt Tabor at 4847 SE Division Street before closing on February 13th. Regulars at that establishment, Graham Talley and Scott Phillips, feared the loss of an affordable community gathering space in an area undergoing significant redevelopment. They took over the lease of the converted 1906-era house and brought on Nick Wilson, who previously owned the Landmark, to guide them as they spruced up the place. On Friday, July 24th, they will begin a two-day grand opening celebration for the Switchback Saloon with drink specials and live music.
The Switchback Saloon is a cultural continuation of the Landmark, but it’s also a new business that draws inspiration from the community and staff as it constructs its future. The owners want to make sure Landmark regulars feel at home in the updated establishment, but they also want to make their space inviting to all people looking for a third space—a location that is neither home nor work. “We’ve met a lot of folks here over the years, and it’s been a good community gathering space,” explained Phillips. “The watering hole that everyone goes to.” However, they know the national trend shows people drinking less adult beverages. Consequently, they are embracing non-alcoholic drink options that include mocktails and NA-beers. They are also looking at serving coffee in the morning with breakfast items that will not price out a neighborhood regular. “We really want to be a resource to serve the community,” said Talley. “We probably won’t be doing anything really fancy, but if someone can come and spend $10 to $12 to get a good filling breakfast, and a cup of coffee under $5, I think that would be great.”
The well liked photo-booth will remain but the arcade games will be replaced by a pooltable
People will have to wait for some of the new additions. Work to this point has focused on repairing the hardwood floors inside, completely reconstructing the two bathrooms to remove their “dive-bar” aesthetic, updating the kitchen, and general decluttering of the building. As they make changes and plans for the future, the partners say they are involving staff in those choices. “We’re passionate about alternative business models and methods, a more democratic workplace where the staff gets to decide the policies, not just us dictating them,” explained Talley. They will be instituting profit-sharing programs and keeping the books open, letting employees see the finances.
Both the new owners are experienced businesspeople, but have never owned a foodservice or bar establishment. That is why they are seeking help from the former owner and the people who know the space well. “The decisions we’re making around here are coming from literally interviewing the customers and our staff to figuring out what they want to see,” said Talley. “There definitely seems to be a demand for a little more low-scale offerings, like the cowboy breakfast and cowboy coffee.”
Outdoor stage for scheduled performers
The nod to the cowboy in the menu is intentional. The Landmark Saloon was a well-received country and western music venue with small stages for recognizable regional performers and developing musicians in the genre. The Switchback Saloon will continue that to a degree but will also make room for other tastes. “We’re planning on expanding outside of just the classic kind of country western honky tonk, still doing live instrumentation, but we’ll be expanding into jazz, funk, and soul,” said Talley. They removed the permanent stage at the front of the interior seating area to make room for more tables, but will replace it with a convertible stage that can transform from a guest area in 30 minutes on event nights. The existing outdoor covered stage will remain the primary venue space, as it is centrally located in the large private yard adjacent to the saloon.
Covers outdoor seating and racked corn hole game boards
The new owners acknowledge that there are several other bars in the area, but note that this one offers a unique format that is not easy to replicate in an area where available land is rapidly being redeveloped for multifamily projects. The saloon’s property features a large outdoor patio that is several times the size of the bar’s interior. Within that fenced outdoor area is a stage, a secondary bar serving canned beers and shots, and clusters of covered seating fill all corners, and bark-chip-covered grounds make room for outdoor game play, including corn hole. Within the exterior space is Leroy’s Familiar Vittles food cart. That independent business operates overlapping hours with the saloon and is the primary food service provider. The menu features smoked and grilled meats along with mac and cheese, collard greens, and other classic country dishes.
Their drink menu features mostly local beers on tap and whisky. The owners explained that they sell a healthy number of packaged beers, with some notoriety. “We sell a ton of cans. I think at some point, [Landmark Saloon] was like number five for Rainier sales in the entire country,” recalled Talley. “We still sell out of Rainier cans every weekend,” added Phillips. They will add craft beer and some top-shelf whisky to meet higher-end interests, but appreciate the affordability of canned beer. “It’s one of our cheapest drinks. Buying a Tallboy, coming out here, hanging out with friends, that’s very much one of the things that we want to keep alive,” said Talley. “Regardless of what is in your bank account, people should have that third space they can go to and just actually hang out with old friends and new ones.”
Second bar outside for cans and shot sales
The regulars are already back in the space as word of the reopening spreads, but the owners know they will need to find new people looking for a social space. “Gen Z’s not as active in the bar scene, and I think in Portland you’ve seen less activity in some of these local bars, which is why they’ve closed,” said Phillips. He hopes their investment in the Switchback will keep Portlanders invested in their local bar spaces and help bolster personal interactions. “Whether it’s for music, or events, or just to hang out with their friends after work, whatever it is, just keeping that social connection alive.” Talley acknowledges it will take work to keep this space alive. “I know from experience it’s not easy running a small business, and there are a lot of bars shutting down. I’m just hoping we keep getting the support that we’ve been getting so far from the Portland community, so that we can keep going.”
New owners Scott Phillips (left) and Graham Talley (right)
The Switchback Saloon’s grand opening spans Friday to Saturday, July 24th and 25th. They currently serve people from 3 pm to midnight on weekdays and open an hour earlier on the weekends. Times will adjust as they update offerings. The event will feature live music both nights and a mustache-shaving service, where the new owner, Graham Talley, will remove his well-groomed lip hair in solidarity with patrons who want to start the long and awkward grow-out period. Past patrons and interested people are invited to the grand opening of the Switchback Saloon. The owners hope everyone will enjoy the updates and the homage to its past incarnation. For those not excited for the name change, they may only need to wait until the old name becomes available again in the State registry. Graham Talley and Scott Phillips said the new name is an inside joke because, after much effort to find a new name, they decided it didn’t matter and may “switch back to calling it Landmark.”
Article and photos by
Jacob Loeb
Promotion: Check out East Portland News as it continues to advocate for and report on outer East Portland. You will find frequently updated articles and an archive of more than 5,000 stories written over the past 20+ years alongside a robust Community Calendar of events.
On Sunday, July 26th, the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) will host the 13th annual Street Fair on SE Stark Street. Early that morning, crews will close the road from SE 82nd to 76th Avenues, along with segments of side streets, to allow the 150 booth operators to set up ahead of the 10 a.m. opening. Vendors will sell a variety of items, including food and drinks, unique artwork, handcrafted goods, and clothing. Mixed in with people selling items, organizations will provide information, and performers will entertain the crowds until 6 p.m. Vehicle traffic will resume on the street later that evening after organizers clear the area. Still, people can stay in the neighborhood to visit the bars and restaurants along SE Stark and NE Glisan Streets. Last year, a record-breaking number of people from around the region visited Montavilla’s historic downtown to participate in the annual community party. Event organizers expect that it will increase again this year.
Montavilla Street Fair 2026 banner
A week before the event, sign installers placed the banner over SE Stark Street at 80th Avenue, announcing the Street Fair date to everyone passing by. Although many people in the area have already marked the date on their calendars, raising the banner represents Montavilla’s invitation to the city of Portland. Thousands of visitors attend this annual neighborhood event, driving record sales for local businesses and introducing people to the historic downtown Montavilla.
This year’s event is music-forward with four stages. HONK! PDX will offer a special all-acoustic stage experience. People can also enjoy performances at the SE 79th Avenue Plaza Stage next to the Threshold Brewing beer garden. The Main and Brewery stages will feature a diverse mix of larger acts throughout the day. Montavilla Brew Works, Threshold Brewing, and The Observatory will again feature beer gardens. Many past fair booth operators are returning, alongside a new crop of makers, food vendors, and organizations. As a bonus, the Montavilla Farmers Market will be open during its regular hours on the 26th, providing attendees with access to more booths and food options at SE 76th Avenue and Stark.
Parking in the neighborhood is always in short supply during the street fair. People are encouraged to take public transit to the event or explore other modes of travel. Portland transportation leaders organized a Community Ride/Bike Bus to the Montavilla Street Fair this year to reduce parking challenges in the area while providing a family-friendly ride along neighborhood greenways and new protected bike lanes near downtown Montavilla. Interested participants can gather starting at 10:30 a.m. near the Irving Park covered area for a relaxed 5.6-mile ride to the fair leaving at 11:00 a.m.
Promotion: Montavilla News will have a booth at the fair this year. We will give away stickers and sell year subscriptions that will come with a logoed hat or pin, while supplies last.
On Saturday, July 11th, Montavilla Brew Works will host an eleven-year all-ages celebration event featuring special beer releases, food from Oi! The Sausage, and music provided by DJ MD. Melissa and Michael Kora opened Montavilla Brew Works at 7805 SE Stark Street on July 15th, 2015, and started using the annual celebration of that event to host a summertime gathering. Michael Kora saw this year’s event as a way to support Friends of Seasonal & Service Workers (FSSW) by donating a portion of the proceeds from the beer, with longtime neighbor Mr. Plywood matching the brewery’s contribution.
Montavilla Brew Works grew from a home-brewer’s passion and a desire to create a neighborhood-scale enterprise. Before starting his brewery, Michael Kora secured work with Bridgeport Brewing Company after briefly working for the owner’s winery business. His time working as a seasonal employee influenced this year’s support of FSSW, which assists independent organizing efforts by farm, seasonal, and service workers with efforts including food drives and medical access. When Kora’s seasonal wine work ended, Dick Ponzi learned of Kora’s desire to work in the brewing industry and found a place for him in his other business where he could learn about operations. “I didn’t get to brew because I didn’t go to brew school. I was driving a truck, working in the warehouse, shipping, distributing, moving beer around, and learning brewing at home. I then nano brewed for a while at the Green Dragon,” recalled Kora. After growing his skills and experiencing the brewing business from the inside, it seemed time to branch out on his own. Sitting at McMenamins Edgefield, Michael and Melissa Kora sketched out a five-year business plan and agreed to start looking for a space to rent.
Melissa and Michael Kora touring the Daugherty Auto Service garage 2013 that became MBW. Photo courtesy Michael Kora
The couple moved into Montavilla several years before starting their business. After agreeing to start a brewery, they looked for commercial spaces in neighboring areas but could not find a suitable location that fit their vision for the taproom. However, with some luck and good timing, Michael Kora discovered the neglected former Daugherty Auto Service garage at the corner of SE 78th and Stark Street. “I was riding home from the gym and came by Stark Street just to kind of look at what was going on and there was a for sale or lease sign. This building was so dilapidated it was nothing to look at, but Melissa and I were from the Detroit area of Michigan. I’d seen worse, so [I thought] this building is pretty cool and would make a cool brewery,” said Michael Kora. William “Dave” Beets, the operator of the now-demolished Beets Auto Body, owned the property and was excited to see it go to new owners for such an unexpected use. “He was a character, but he was surprisingly stoked. He said, ‘I think this is awesome. You guys are gonna be the first. There’s no breweries around here like this. It’s gonna be good for the community and the neighborhood.’ He was a neighborhood guy even though he didn’t live here,” recalled Kora.
The Kora’s became tenants of the Stark Street building in 2013, but it would take over two years to open the doors to the public. The original owners of the 1922-era auto garage never designed it to house any other type of business, and it took substantial efforts to rehabilitate the building. Permits took four months to approve, and construction lasted another nine months. Kora discovered that the building roof slopes significantly to the northwest corner of the property for rainwater drainage, forcing him to place his tall brewing equipment at the south-facing front of the building, blocking windows and putting beer production centerstage. During construction, he added onto the north side of the building to create a walk-in cooler and storage room needed to keep finished beer and ingredients out of the limited customer-facing space.
Construction delays, the added brewery inspections, and unanticipated expenses drained their cash reserves. Michael Kora started beer production offsite to begin bringing in funds and building the brand. Flying Pie Pizzeria was an early supporter, buying the pre-opening batches and installing a permanent Montavilla Brew Works tap handle at the restaurant, replacing Bud Light. Initially, they relied on help from friends, but the couple mainly worked alone at Montavilla Brew Works for the first few years. “Melissa designed everything on the interior. So she made this place feel like it does. And I was the beer guy and eventually the business guy. It was her and I for the first four and a half years,” recalled Kora. After the early lean years, they brought in help to brew their beers and cover bar shifts. With the added staff, it was beginning to feel sustainable until the pandemic upended the business model. Montavilla Brew Works focused on serving draft beer onsite with little attention paid to the at-home market. They distributed a limited number of kegs to local businesses but had not embraced canning. COVID-19 bar closures forced a change in the whole microbrewery industry. “We completely 180’d, and we’re in this world where we were doing 100% draft, and then we switched to 100% cans. Melissa and I were out there every week delivering to people’s homes,” said Michael Kora. They had to let their employees go to keep the business going. The brewery survived that scary time and invested early in outdoor seating to bring people back as soon as possible.
Post-COVID, Melissa and Michael Kora spend less time in the brewery during service hours. Both are more focused on improving operations and branding, with a goal to make each subsequent batch better than the last. For the celebration, they will release an Anniversary Pilsner which is a special dry-hopped version of Plywood Pilsner, a Montavilla Brew Works’ mainstay beer. Attendees of the 3 to 9 p.m. anniversary celebration can also purchase two additional special releases, Lesh Is More, an India Pale Ale honoring Grateful Dead bassist Phil Lesh, and the Peregrin porter aged with Palo Santo wood.
Portland City Council permanently banned the sale and use of all consumer fireworks within city limits in March 2022. This restriction includes Independence Day celebrations, often occurring during hot and dry weather. The ban also prohibits the purchase of personal fireworks outside the City and returning to Portland to use them, so Portland Fire & Rescue (PP&R) encourages people to attend the professional July 4th fireworks displays presented throughout the region. Montavilla residents can usually view the 10 p.m. Waterfront Blues Festival display from Mt. Tabor Park uphill from Reservoir Number 5.
The consumer fireworks prohibition passed the 2022 Portland City Council unanimously, in part due to a fatal fireworks fire the previous year and in reaction to the Eagle Creek Fire in the gorge, which started with the use of personal fireworks. Fire departments regularly experience a spike in injuries, fires, and fatalities during the fireworks season, which begins on June 23rd and runs through July 6th. People with pets also report significant stress inflicted on their animals during this time, with some dogs and cats becoming separated from their owners when they run away from the explosive sounds.
Portland Maps image with MV News illustration
On June 15th, Portland’s Fire Marshal issued a burn ban for the City due to forecasted high summer temperatures and ongoing dry conditions. Effective immediately, people must refrain from using recreational campfires, fire pits, or burring yard debris. Outdoor grills, smokers, and similar cooking appliances are allowed if they use clean, dry firewood, briquettes, wood chips, pellets, propane, natural gas, or similar fuels. Residents should exercise extreme caution when using the allowed outdoor cooking devices and place them at least ten feet away from anything combustible, such as siding, fences, or shrubbery. The burn ban will remain in effect throughout the summer weather season.
People can contact PF&R 503-823-3700 for additional information about the burn ban. Although the City prohibits the use of personal fireworks, emergency services request that people refrain from calling in reports of firework violations to 911 so that the dispatch system can remain open for reports of serious crimes, fires, and injuries. For non-emergencies reports of illegal fireworks displays, residents who witnessed the unauthorized use of fireworks can report the incident online (portland.gov/311/report-fireworks).
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On June 6th, the White Lotus Summer Market began its four-weekend-long event featuring food, culture, and community behind the Fubonn Shopping Center at 2850 SE 82nd Avenue. Every Saturday and Sunday in June from 2 to 10 p.m., the over 40 vendors invite people to experience the outdoor market bringing together local vendors, cultural energy, and a community atmosphere.
Past occurrences of this summer event took place at the Shun Fat Supermarket, 5253 SE 82nd Avenue near Foster Road. The organizers designed the pop-up market to support Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI)-owned businesses and local entrepreneurs, providing a place for people to shop, eat, and connect. Entry to the market is free, with vendor assortments changing each weekend. People should review the market’s website to see the specific weekend guides. The 2026 White Lotus Summer Market season ends on June 28th.
People wanting direct access to the market can use Fubonn’s new, permanent, secondary entrance on SE 85th Avenue. The market removes some parking, but space remains around vendor stalls and in front of the complex adjacent to SE 82nd Avenue. Attendees are also encouraged to visit the year-round tenants of Fubonn Shopping Center who offer complimentary items and services. Time is running out to visit the White Lotus Summer Market, but residents will have another opportunity to shop at a market-style event on August 29th during the Jade International Night Market 2026, taking place at the nearby Portland Community College’s Southeast campus.
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Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) launched a pilot express shuttle service this summer to help people from all over the city reach Forest Park and Washington Park. Shuttle buses operate on a regular Friday and Saturday schedule with stops extending into neighborhoods within East, North, and Northeast Portland. Park officials hope this program will allow more people to connect with the vast park resources on the west side of the City.
Washington Park reflecting pool 3
The Forest Park and Washington Park Express Shuttle began service on June 12th and will operate until the end of the pilot program on August 22nd. Regional private transportation provider EcoShuttle is operating buses for the program, making regular stops between select neighborhoods and the two popular city parks. The free buses provide access to the unique park resources of Forest Park and Washington Park, as well as planned activities. Shuttle schedules to the parks and back to boarding points vary, and interested riders should consult the program’s website before making plans. Additionally, pets are not allowed on the shuttle, but service animals are allowed to accompany their people.
Forest & Washington Park Express Shuttle Map Courtesy PP&R
Montavilla and East Portland residents can access the shuttle at the Gateway Transit Center on NE 99th Avenue or the entrance to Floyd Light Middle School at 826 SE 108th Avenue. Riders can find a timetable on a sign near the stop by looking for the Express Shuttle logo. Restrooms and other facilities at the adjacent community center are available to people waiting for the shuttle during center operating hours. The park terminus is located at the traffic circle at the Lower Macleay Trailhead, which features picnic tables, a covered picnic pavilion, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)-accessible restrooms, and a short, paved, ADA-accessible trail.
Forest & Washington Park Express Shuttle schedule Courtesy PP&R
Within the parks, a connecting shuttle takes riders to Washington Park, Oregon Zoo (Stop A), Pittock Mansion (Stop B), Upper Macleay Trailhead (Stop C), Lower Macleay Trailhead (Stop D), and Leif Erikson Drive Trailhead at Germantown Road (Stop E). PP&R collaborated with community partners who offer programming that includes guided hikes, events, and activities in Forest and Washington Parks.
TriMet transit options remain a good way to access Forest Park and Washington Park. However, this express shuttle eliminates travel costs and speeds up the journey across the city. Organizers hope this program will help people enjoy Portland’s largest parks during these warm summer days, when people are looking to get outdoors. Interested residents have until August 22nd to take advantage of this free express shuttle service.
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Neighborhood news site focused on buildings and changing businesses
