Category: Event

Community, Event

10th Annual Montavilla Jazz Festival

Tonight, supporters of the music community will gather for the 10th Annual Montavilla Jazz Festival Season Reveal Fundraiser at two venues. Proceeds from the event will help fund this milestone jazz festival. Attendees will begin inside Flattop & Salamander at 6:00 p.m. and conclude the event at 9 p.m., two blocks away inside Strum PDX. The festivities will include live jazz, soul food, and musical “surprises” to celebrate a decade of hi-lighting Portland’s rich musical community.

Starting Monday, May 22nd, tickets will go on sale for the yearly three-day musical event. This season’s Montavilla Jazz Festival spans five venues and features 11 concerts showcasing Portland’s renowned jazz musicians. The festival begins with a world premiere of Views of an Urban Volcano, a three-part commission inspired by Portland’s Mt. Tabor. That project features a 12-member Portland Jazz Composers Ensemble and includes new works influenced by a series of community input events. Performances run from September 1st through the 3rd, with two concerts live-streamed for those who can not attend in person. Montavilla Jazz leaders will announce the full lineup on Saturday, May 20th, at Montavilla Jazz’s Season Reveal Fundraiser. Event organizers will post more information about the event on montavillajazz.org starting Monday.

Alan Jones – Photo by Kathryn Elsesser and provided courtesy Montavilla Jazz.

September’s Montavilla Jazz Venues include:
Mt. Tabor Park Caldera Amphitheater
Alberta Rose Theatre (3000 NE Alberta Street)
Portland Metro Arts (9003 SE Stark Street) – Live Streamed and in-person
The 1905 (830 N Shaver Street) – Live Streamed and in-person

By

Jacob Loeb

Community, Event, History

Art Explores Local Japanese American History

This Friday, May 5th, people are invited to attend the Furin Project Symposium at Portland Community College’s (PCC) SE Campus. Attendees will see the culmination of a year-long community art project led by artist Midori Hirose and learn more about a project that aims to bridge the Japanese farming history of Southeast Portland with its modern diversity and culture. Since early April, PCC has exhibited a collection of Furin, Japanese “wind bells,” made during free ceramic bell-making workshops. Now, the community can explore three related exhibits, including the work from PCC’s Geographic Information System Club, a Sound Map project, and the Furin wind bells display.

In collaboration with the Asian Pacific American Network of Oregon (APANO) and Mural Arts Institute in Philadelphia, Midori Hirose’s Furin Project involves honoring the history and legacy of the Japanese American Farming community that once thrived in Montavilla and surrounding area. The project centers on the intersection of the current social landscape in relation to food resilience, farming, and green spaces.

People interested in participating should register to save a free spot at the event. Attendees should gather before 4 p.m. near the Learning Garden at 2305 SE 82nd Avenue and then take part in the short walking tour. The event coordinators have created several stopping points for speakers to present, leading up to the Furin exhibit inside the Student Commons building. APANO will host a potluck in their building across SE Division from the PCC campus to wrap up the event.

By

Jacob Loeb

Graphics provided by APANO and the Furin Project

Event

82nd Avenue of Roses Parade 2023

On April 29th, the 17th Annual 82nd Avenue of Roses Parade returned to the streets with participants embarking from Eastport Plaza at Bush Street. The colorful and raucous group headed north on 82nd Avenue towards Yamhill Street. Spectators lined the entire path to observe the various groups walking, dancing, and cruising down the road.

What had started as a small parade in 2007 grew into a significant community event over the years, taking a break during the pandemic. After three years off, it returned with many familiar faces and some new participants. All four Portland Commissioners participated this year alongside the businesses and community groups. Portlands’s ABC affiliate KATU live-streamed this year’s event. A recording of the stream is available on the KATU website.

The 82 Roses Community Enrichment Coalition organizes this East Portland parade. Today’s celebration is the first event on the roadway since the City of Portland took control over 82nd Avenue from the Oregon Department of Transportation. The success of today’s event offers an optimistic view of 82nd Avenue’s future and a gradual return to normalcy.

By

Jacob Loeb

Commissioner Rene Gonzalez
Commissioner Mingus Mapps
Commissioner Carmen Rubio
Commissioner Dan Ryan
Event, Renovation

Local Building Featured in 2023 Northwest Green Home Tour

The 2023 Northwest Green Home Tour features two projects from Montavilla’s low-carbon designer Harka Architecture, with one of their featured projects located within the neighborhood at 7631 NE Glisan Street. Ticket holders will have an opportunity to view the environmentally friendly transformation of Harka’s headquarters, learning about all the innovative techniques that went into the 577-square-foot Art Deco structure’s remodel.

For 30 years, the Northwest EcoBuilding Guild has represented a community of professionals committed to ecological building in the Pacific Northwest. The Northwest Green Home Tour allows the interested public to learn about sustainable building practices from the people and businesses that support it. The 2023 tour will take place on April 29th from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. This year’s event features green building approaches that reduce energy usage, lowering a building’s carbon footprint and reducing operating costs for its owner. The featured structures boast a variety of green building certifications, including Passive House, Built Green, and Net-Zero.

Image courtesy Northwest EcoBuilding Guild

The seventeen tour locations are spread over the Pacific Northwest. However, people can selectively visit the locations that appeal to their interests. In addition to Harka Architecture’s Glisan Street location, the tour features another of their creations, Mason Studios. That Cully neighborhood development added two new residences and a large shop on a property with three existing homes. Tickets are available on the Northwest Green Home Tour website. People can register for free or choose to donate funds at several levels. This upcoming event is an excellent opportunity to visit an iconic Montavilla building and learn about its low-carbon renovation.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Event, Food and Drink

Food Cart Week 2023 Starts April 16

Because Portlanders love food carts and week-long eating celebrations, the food cart community created Food Cart Week. Sponsored by  Downtown Portland, The Oregonian/OregonLive, and Here Is Oregon, the second annual street-food dining event runs from April 16th through the 22nd and spans the entire city. Although cart discovery is the primary focus for participants, people can also enter several contests to win $100 in prizes.

Contestants have a few ways to participate. Oregon Live is hosting a People’s Choice Award. Submissions of a favorite Portland food cart will enter participants into a chance to win a $100 Visa gift card. Cart diners can also participate in a mobile app-based contest run by BabbleBuy. Top posters could win $100 worth of food from their favorite cart. Organizers will update the event’s website (portlandfoodcartweek.com) with more information as the festivities kick off this Sunday.

Supporting food carts helps small business owners and is an excellent way to experience the widest variety of culinary possibilities. Montavilla has a collection of options inside the Yard at Montavilla Food Carts pod at 8220 NE Davis Street. Other carts are anchored next to local businesses, including Rey Taco Cart at 145 SE 82nd Avenue and Thai Me Drunken Noodle at 803 SE 82nd Avenue. Beyond the neighborhood boundary, CORE – Collective Oregon Eateries at 3612 SE 82nd Avenue and Eastport Food Carts at 3905 SE 82nd Avenue host many eating options. There are also often overlooked nearby pods, including Powell 82nd Food Carts at 3405 SE 82nd Avenue and The Barley Pod at 6035 NE Halsey Street.

By

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The Author of this article serves on a board with BabbleBuy’s founder

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Event

Special Election Candidate Forum

On April 23rd, Saints Peter & Paul Episcopal Church will host an event featuring the three candidates running for Multnomah County District 3 Commissioner. Voters will select a permeant replacement to serve the remainder of Jessica Vega Pederson’s term as commissioner during the May 16th election. People interested in asking candidates a question can RSVP and submit questions online. Attendees should arrive at 247 SE 82nd Avenue by 3 p.m., with activities concluding by 4:30 p.m.

Candidates Julia Brim-Edwards, Albert Kaufman, and Ana del Rocio have confirmed their attendance. Multnomah County has played an increasingly visible role in the Montavilla community, with two houseless support sites planned in the neighborhood. Many Portlanders look to the City for most issues affecting their lives. However, the County is responsible for a wide range of services, including support for seniors, people living with disabilities, animals, mental health needs, addiction recovery, and support for people experiencing poverty, including the unsheltered.

Event flyer for April 23rd Candidate forum. Courtesy Saints Peter & Paul Episcopal Church

District members elect four commissioners to the Multnomah County Board, and all County voters elect the Board Chair. Jessica Vega Pederson designated Diane Rosenbaum as the interim Multnomah County District 3 Commissioner when she moved into the Chair position after winning the seat last year. Commissioner Rosenbaum has served on the Board since January 4th and will continue until a replacement is elected. If no candidate receives the majority of votes this May, a runoff will occur on November 7th.

Meet Candidates: April 23rd 3:00 to 4:30 p.m.

Saints Peter & Paul Episcopal Church
247 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland, OR 97216
(503) 254-8168 or info@spp-pdx.org

Special District Election on May 16, 2023

Update April 21st, 2023: Candidate Julia Brim-Edwards will attend the event. However, she may be late due to a scheduling conflict that had previously prevented Brim-Edwards from attending. An earlier version of this article said only two of the three candidates would attend.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Event

82nd Avenue Parade Returns April 29

Update April 29th, 2023: See images from the 82nd Avenue of Roses Parade

The 17th Annual 82nd Avenue of Roses Parade returns on Saturday, April 29th. Festivities begin at 9:30 a.m. with participants embarking from Eastport Plaza at Bush Street, heading north on 82nd Avenue towards Yamhill Street. Spectators will line the streets to watch the various groups walk, dance, or drive down the road. Those looking to participate can register to walk with a group or volunteer as a traffic monitor.

What had started as a small parade in 2007 grew into a significant community event over the years, taking a break during the pandemic. After a few years off, it is back with KPTV’s Joe Vithayathil (Joe V) as the Grand Marshal. Some featured participants include The Lee’s Association Dragon and Lion Dance, Last Regiment of Syncopated Drummers, and The Beat Goes On. The Royal Rosarians are joined by The Friesian Horses from Washington heading north on 82nd Avenue. Not all cars are moving in the parade. Collectors from the Classic Car Club will display their best vehicles at the Cruise-In hosted by Gary Small SAAB, 1940 SE 82nd Avenue.

Event organizers explained that working on the parade is how they show their appreciation of community art, music, and dance by celebrating the diverse population that defines 82nd Avenue. People looking for a front-row seat can volunteer as parade traffic monitors. One or two volunteers control every crossing along the 82nd Avenue route, and staff coordinators still need many intersections covered. Interested people can signup online at https://bit.ly/82Roses or by emailing 82RosesParadeVolunteer@gmail.com, and the 82 Roses Community Enrichment Coalition invites everyone to view the parade on April 29th.

Image courtesy of the 82nd Avenue Business Association

By

Jacob Loeb

Event, Food and Drink

Threshold Celebrates Zwickelmania and 4th Anniversary

This Saturday, February 18th, Threshold Brewing & Blending will invite attendees behind their roll-up door to the inner workings of the Montavilla-based brewery at 403 SE 79th Avenue. Ro’s City BBQ popup will serve smoked pulled pork sandwiches and ribs while people tour the facility and consume Zwickel pours at this Zwickelmania event. One week later, Threshold staff will again celebrate beer and food at their 4th-anniversary party. The February 25th affair will feature special beer releases, a live DJ, and Polish foods.

Zwickelmania is an annual celebration of Oregon craft beer organized by the Oregon Brewers Guild. Member breweries open their production facility to the public for a behind-the-scenes view of the operation and to offer unique sampling opportunities. The event’s name stems from the word Zwickel, describing the valve or sample port mounted outside a cask or tank. Brewers use those ports to test the product during fermentation, and this is a yearly opportunity for the public to taste beer from a producer’s perspective. Threshold’s tours began at noon, with the first hourly Zwickel pour starting at 1 p.m. The last tour will conclude at 4 p.m., followed by the final pour. Ro’s City BBQ will start food service at noon and continue until they sell out.

Threshold’s 10-barrel brewery opened its doors in early 2019 and quickly took a foothold in the Montavilla community. Over the years, the business has grown, with owners Jarek and Sara Szymanski reporting that their brew house capacity increased 60 percent this year, and they’ve tripled staff positions. The brewery continually evolves its offerings. The 4th-anniversary celebration on February 25th will feature an NW-style Pilsner collaboration with ForeLand Beer called FourShadow, and a brand new Polish-style IPA. The IPA is a hoppier beer compared to the Polish Lagers and Pilsners they’ve historically produced. Food will include Threshold’s traditional Polish street food Zapiekanka which joined the Taproom’s menu in 2021. They will offer discounted $4 anniversary Zapiekankas while supplies last.

Both events run from noon to 4 p.m. on the next two consecutive Saturdays. Beer fans and meat aficionados should find something to enjoy at these celebrations. Reservations are not required, but organizers recommend early attendance to ensure all items are available.

Zapiekanka

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Event

2023 Jade Night Market in Question

Organizers of the annual Jade International Night Market will soon decide if this is the year for the popular community event to return. The last occurrence attracted more than 20,000 visitors in 2019, but like many other events, the pandemic disrupted the yearly tradition. Now the market’s planning committee needs input from the community through a survey to determine if the Night Market will return this August.

Since 2014, the late summer gathering has highlighted the best parts of the area centered on SE 82nd Avenue and Division Street. “[The market] provides a space to celebrate and recognize the diversity and culture of the communities who live and work in the Jade District and sheds light on the issues impacting a neighborhood in transition,” explained the Jade District manager Alisa Kajikawa. However important the two-day-long event is to the community, the organization has a finite capacity to organize group activities. The survey results will significantly help determine the public interest in the Night Market and explore other formats that better-fit community needs.

The Jade International Night Market’s planning committee meets next Tuesday, February 21st. Jade District staff invite people to complete the survey before the meeting to help guide their evaluation. The survey will remain open after next week’s meeting, and all input is welcome.

By

Jacob Loeb

Article image courtesy APANO

Promotion: Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Event

In My Shoes Walking Tour of Montavilla

This Saturday, February 18th, the Word is Bond organization will host two In My Shoes walking tours of Montavilla. The month-long project highlights stories and experiences of young Black men across Portland and Southwest Washington. Each excursion is designed and led by a community ambassador from Word is Bond, with personal stories of the ambassador’s experience and the neighborhood’s history. Talks address race, class, community investment, gentrification, community safety, and equity.

In My Shoes Ambassadors, Noor and Mubarak will meet pre-registered participants in Montavilla Park at 1:30 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. for a one-hour walk through the neighborhood seen through their experience. There is no fixed cost to attend. Tours are offered on a sliding scale from $0 to $25, depending on each person’s ability to pay. This neighborhood walk is one of eight locations featured in this year’s 2023 In My Shoes season that began on February 4th and runs through the 25th. The Word is Bond website has the full tour schedule and links to other resources.

The walking tours expose community members to the experiences of young Black men around Portland, creating dialogue about racial equity and inclusion. It is also an opportunity for ambassadors to engage their community through tour interactions and a walking community audit. People interested in attending should register soon to reserve space on the Montavilla tour or one of the other remaining neighborhood walks.

Update – February 15th, 2023: Tickets are currently sold out but they have a wait list.

In My Shoes Ambassadors Noor and Mubarak. Article images courtesy Word is Bond. Portraits by Brett Brown

Eventbrite registration Saturday, February 18th: 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm

“82nd street” tour led by Mubarak and Noor will touch on their upbringing in the Montavilla neighborhood being Muslim and Black. Noor invites us into his perspective of growing up in a neighborhood he calls “home” while others call “dangerous” and the ways in which he reminds himself, his home is safe to be in. Rewriting a narrative that is often from a white perspective, we will hear from Noor the ways in which his neighborhood has lacked the resources rather than the safety. Mubarak being Somalian and Ethiopian, he will invite us into spaces where he finds windows of what feels like home to him. From the Mosque to a Somalian food spot, Mubarak will teach us what his life has been fighting against Islamaphobia by sharing with us where he has found safety from this hate and what he calls “home bases”.

By

Jacob Loeb