The 11th Montavilla Street Fair had record attendance in 2024, with an estimated 25,000 people walking along SE Stark Street from SE 82nd to 76th Avenues. The day started overcast, keeping temperatures lower than the previous two years. However, by the afternoon, the skies were solid blue. Temperatures climbed over the remaining hours until the vendors broke down their booth at 6 p.m. After the fair, many attendees remained in the neighborhood, dining and drinking at local restaurants and bars.
Original Article published July 20, 2024.
On Sunday, July 28th, the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) will host the 11th annual Street Fair on SE Stark. 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. This year’s event will run an hour later, allowing the anticipated 18,000 guests to stay until 6 p.m., with traffic returning to the street later that evening. Attendees will have access to four beer gardens and entertainment at four stages placed along the 1,400-foot-long community party.
On Wednesday, July 17th, sign installers placed the banner over SE Stark Street at 80th Avenue, announcing the Street Fair dates to everyone passing by. Although many people in the area already marked the date on their calendars, raising the banner represents Montavilla’s invitation to Portland. Thousands of visitors attend this neighborhood event annually, driving record sales to local businesses and introducing people to the historic Montavilla downtown.
This year, event organizers added a teen music stage on SE 80th Avenue and a pet cooling station sponsored by Noble Woof Dog Training. Younger fairgoers can gather for kids’ focused singer-songwriters performing on the SE 79th Avenue Plaza Stage. The two main stages will feature a diverse mix of local Portland music and national touring artists. Many past fair booth operators are returning alongside a crop of new makers, food vendors, and organizations. As an extended bonus, the Montavilla Farmers Market will open during its regular hours on the 28th, allowing attendees access to more booths and food options at SE 76th Avenue and Stark.
Sponsorship from Adventist Health Portland and a grant from the Portland Office of Events & Film help fund what has become one of the largest street fairs in Portland. Other local businesses, like Mr. Plywood, Washman Car Wash, and OnPoint Community Credit Union, are supporting this year’s street fair. People can find day-of-event updates and the full music lineup, including performance times, at the METBA website (metba.org).
On July 18th, from 4 to 8 p.m., the Montavilla Farmers Market will host a Berry Bash Summer Celebration in the Montavilla Plaza on SE 79th Avenue at SE Stark Street. Attendees can receive free berry recipe tastings and make shortcake treats. The event will feature live music and berry sales from market vendors. Threshold Brewery will host a beer garden at the plaza during the celebration. As an extension of the event, Redwood restaurant will host a Strawberry Social happy hour featuring on-theme cocktails and desserts a few doors down the street at 7915 SE Stark Street.
Funding from Prosper Portland and Portland Events and Film helped create this Plaza activity as part of the reimagined Thursdays on the Plaza summertime programming. Berry Bash is an interactive event that celebrates locally grown Oregon berries. The Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association (METBA) coordinates 79th Avenue Plaza activities with summer events like this, Montavilla Movie Nights, and many other family-friendly activities to bring people together in the seasonally comfortable weather. Later this month, METBA will host the 11th Street Fair on Sunday, July 28th. The well-attended event closes SE Stark Street from 82nd to 76th Avenues and offers food, music, beer gardens, and vendors. This year’s street fair lasts an hour longer, running from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
People looking for a mid-week activity should consider attending the Berry Bash Summer Celebration this Thursday and keeping an eye on the METBA calendar for future Plaza events. The Firsts Montavilla Movie Nights starts at 8 p.m. on August 8th with Ghostbusters Frozen Empire. People can attend Rock’ N Roll High School on August 15th and Cloak & Dagger on August 22nd.
Article and photos by
Jacob Loeb
Promotion: Montavilla News will have a booth at this year’s Montavilla Street Fair. Please see us for a free sticker. We hope to see you there.
This Saturday, June 1st, the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) will host a block party from noon to 5 p.m. at NE Glisan Street and NE 70th Avenue. The Montavilla’s Spring Fling Block Party follows a month of neighborhood activities sponsored by the organization, which included a donation drive and a district-wide street cleanup. Organizers will fill the Rocket Empire Machine‘s parking lot at 6935 NE Glisan Street and close NE 70th Avenue from NE Glisan Street to NE Hoyt Street for the activities.
The family-friendly community event will feature live music, vendors, and art alongside the selection of eateries inside the Rocket Empire Machine food hall. In addition to food, Gigantic Brewing’s tap room offers a selection of adult beverages for sale, allowing for a fun event with something for everyone. Vendors will showcase jewelry, gifts, pottery, games, kid activities, and services.
Image courtesy METBA
Visitors will find booths staffed by local businesses offering products and information. Stark Adornments will sell its wearable art, and Board Bard Games will bring a selection of the store’s tabletop entertainment supplies. Shane Reaney Studios and Xtina OnFire Ceramics will display and sell select handcrafted pottery. DolFUN Dynamics will have information about its youth-oriented swimming and gymnastics programs, and OnPoint Credit Union will tell people about its banking services. Tyrell Givens of 2025th Street will also host a video game inspired arts and crafts session during the event. Look for updates about times at METBA’s site (metba.org).
This weekend’s Block Party on NE Glisan Street starts the summer event season in Montavilla, which builds up to the big neighborhood celebration at the end of July. This year’s Montavilla Street Fair is on Sunday, July 28th, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. That event will close SE Stark Street between SE 76th and SE 82nd Avenues. METBA organizers hope to see people out at both events.
On March 20th, the Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) held its first widely attended public meeting regarding shelter plans for the Multnomah County-owned property at 333 SE 82nd Avenue. The second County run meeting on April 3rd will continue the community conversation with JOHS staff, City of Portland representatives, and site operator Straightway Services in attendance. On April 8th, the Montavilla Neighborhood Association (MNA) will dedicate a significant portion of its meeting to the Good Neighbor Agreement (GNA) for this site in cooperation with the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA). Then, on April 11th, the Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners plans to vote on authorizing funds to demolish the existing RV sales office on the site and construct the required trash enclosure, plumbing, and electrical connections for the modular structures.
JOHS officials began working on a usage strategy for the shelter site in 2022, giving it the working title Montavilla Community Village. Multnomah County purchased the former RV sales lot and another site several blocks south to create shelter services along 82nd Avenue. Resident selection for Montavilla Community Village will prioritize unhoused individuals with passenger vehicles from the Montavilla area. Shelter operators will then accept people living unsheltered on the nearby streets, working with established services groups to locate potential residents with ties to the neighborhood. The site’s design provides space for 29 Pallet shelters, 33 onsite parking spaces, trash services, showers, restrooms, laundry, and a communal kitchenette. Montavilla Community Village could house up to 40 people with 24-hour wraparound support from Straightway Services staff.
KGW’s coverage of Multnomah County March 20th community meeting
At the March 20th meeting, Montavilla residents asked questions and voiced concerns. Comments focused on the proposed shelter’s location and effect on the surrounding blocks. Some attendees expressed support for the project, while the most vocal in the group asked for more consideration for the impact on neighboring businesses and residents. Leaders of JOHS and Straightway Services clarified some assumptions about the site operation, saying that they have no intention of bringing in new unhoused people to the neighborhood. They explained that they intend to support those people already living unsheltered in the area who want to come in from the streets. They recognize that not everyone wants to follow site rules or join the community. Instead, they will concentrate on people looking to change their current living situation by providing supportive services and access to stable housing opportunities.
Montavilla Community Village site rendering courtesy Multnomah County
The site is on SE 82nd Avenue next to a McDonald’s restaurant and a new day services provider. Six single-family homes share the block with the 333 SE 82nd Avenue property, and one of the homeowners in attendance at the March meeting expressed concern over site orientation with the trash enclosure abutting her property. The JOHS has not submitted permits for this project to the City of Portland, and they will provide an opportunity at the April 3rd meeting to hear suggestions for the final layout. Some community members asked questions to JOHS leaders on March 20th that did not have immediate answers. Staff notetakers at the meeting recorded those questions so presenters could provide answers at the April meeting or through the Montavilla Community Village Newsletter. People who want to attend the Wednesday, April 3rd meeting should RSVP. The in-person event runs from 6 to 7:30 p.m. in the Montavilla United Methodist Church at 232 SE 80th Avenue.
The following Monday, April 8th, residents and business people can attend the MNA meeting to hear the latest information on the project and receive updates on the JOHS’s timeline. MNA leaders will provide an overview of GNA focus points already identified, and the community will have time to provide feedback. METBA members involved in the GNA joint committee will attend the meeting for the conversation. The Montavilla United Methodist Church will host this MNA meeting. Organizers plan to offer online access to the meeting, but they encourage in-person attendance.
Julia Brim-Edwards, Multnomah County Board Commissioner for District 3, speaking at March 20th Meeting
On December 7th, the Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted to postpone the two agenda items related to Montavilla Community Village, asking JOHS for more community engagement before breaking ground on the SE 82nd Avenue site. District 3 Commissioner Julia Brim-Edwards endorsed the initial pause due to requests from her Montavilla constituents requesting better communications from JOHS. Four months and several meetings later, those agenda items are in front of the Board of Commissioners again. The county already owns the land but needs Board approval to spend money demolishing the 2,328-square-foot office building and constructing sufficient power, sewer, and water to support the new residents. The 29 shelter pods are surplus from a Creating Conscious Communities with People Outside (C3PO) site decommissioned in 2021. Each shed-style shelter has electricity, heating, and air-conditioning. Even with those project cost savings, the County staff need $2,273,611 to redevelop this site and will seek authorization for those funds at the April 11th Board meeting.
The JOHS and MNA meetings are open to the public, and organizers encourage community members to participate in the GNA process. Anyone interested in watching the Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners vote can view the live stream via the MultCoBoard YouTube channel. People intending to provide comments before the vote can testify in person or virtually by completing a request form. Even if County Commissioners approve the funding, residents will not move into Montavilla Community Village until late December, allowing months of continued work on the multi-party GNA.
Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the 82nd Avenue Business Association Boardwhich will be an invited signer of the GNA
Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
The Montavilla 2023 WinterFest begins on December 2nd with the Holiday Tree Lighting in the Plaza at SE 79th Avenue and Stark Street. The Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) has made an annual tradition of this districtwide celebration that offers events throughout the month, including Santa or Hanukkah Harry pictures, shopping, and a self-guided boozy-tasty tour of the neighborhood.
Once again, the shops of Montavilla have coordinated a festive itinerary for residents and visitors alike. It starts with the ceremonial Tree Lighting in the Plaza on December 2nd at 5 p.m. For two hours, beginning at 4 p.m., people can purchase mulled wine and beer or enjoy complimentary hot cocoa while listening to festive music in the plaza. Attendees are encouraged to bring an ornament to hang on the community tree provided by Red Shed Christmas Trees.
Those looking to take their Santa and Hanukkah Harry pictures can visit Board Bard Games on Saturday, December 9th, without the high prices or arduous journey to the mall. The free three-hour-long do-it-yourself (DIY) photo event starts at 11 a.m. within the storefront at 7960 SE Stark Street. Dress up and swing by with your camera or phone to snap a photo with one of the holiday icons.
On December 16th, people can enjoy the food and beverage event Merry Montavilla Soiree at locations throughout Montavilla. Select locations in the business district will offer special menu items and seasonal drinks from 4:00 p.m. until the close of business. Check the METBA website for updates and participating locations.
Then, on December 17th, people are encouraged to support neighborhood businesses with a special Shop Local Montavilla event from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. This day represents an opportunity to look for those unique holiday gifts that do not require a click and a containership to deliver.
Recognizing that the winter season is not all about personal joy, METBA is hosting a districtwide donation drive throughout December. Businesses throughout the neighborhood will collect items for Montavilla Collective to distribute to those in need. They accept outerwear, blankets, sleeping bags, socks, boxers, gloves, hats, and scarves. See the donation drive’s webpage for details about item condition requests and drop-off locations.
Halloween falls on Tuesday this year, giving fans of the holiday a whole weekend to build up to the night itself. In Montavilla, festivities begin mid-afternoon on Saturday, October 28th, with the Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association’s (METBA) Fall Crawl. Then, as the sun drops, people can make their way over to the Ha Ha Halloween experience, presented by Nightmare on Taylor Street. On Sunday, kids can don costumes and trick-or-treat at businesses throughout the neighborhood.
METBA’s Fall Crawl has around 25 businesses offering special menu items, discounts, activities, and other themed goodies as part of the districtwide Halloween celebration. Those activities run through the close of business. The next day, on October 29th, many of those same businesses participating in the Crawl will join other shops and churches in offering a safe place to take kids with the Trick or Treat Montavilla event. A complete list of participating locations is available online at metba.org. Attendees will find participating spots on NE Glisan Street, 82nd Avenue, SE Stark Street, and the surrounding area.
For a more spooky experience, the annual Nightmare on Taylor Street walkthrough haunted house runs from 6 p.m. through 9:30 p.m. at 7926 SE Taylor Street. This one night is your chance to see the complete scary carnival-themed walkthrough that has taken years of collecting to bring to the community. Volunteers will staff the free event, featuring a curvy path of frights and pre-Halloween scares.
Anyone looking for a party this weekend with fewer monsters and ghouls can head over to The Yard at Montavilla (8220 NE Davis Street) for a two-day party as part of the Around the World in 82 Dishes event underway. From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m., people can enjoy music, drinks, face painting, and special promotions based around the 82 Dishes Passport. More information is available at 82dishes.com.
Regardless of how people enjoy this holiday, local businesses and groups want them to find it in Montavilla.
A team of spray-paint artists recently completed a multi-building mural on SE Stark Street at 81st Avenue. The resident business, ATC Auto Body, worked with the local arts non-profit Portland Street Art Alliance (PSAA) to create this wrap-around graphic presentation honoring local Asian-Americans in East Portland. Artist Demecio “Dre” Sierra designed the art installation, painting over 200 feet of wall with the support of fellow street artists.
Earlier this year, the property’s owner and tenant at 8120 SE Stark Street worked with the Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association and the City of Portland to secure financial support for a mural on his two Montavilla buildings. The city provided grant funds to the PSAA, who hired Sierra and rented an aerial lift required to paint the project’s higher elevations. The property owner eventually settled on a theme honoring the local Asian-American community around 82nd Avenue and East Portland. Initially, Sierra considered options that would highlight the automotive nature of the location but failed to find much inspiration around that concept. “The first idea was different. They wanted to keep it auto-body related, and I really didn’t know what to do for that exactly. They ended up telling me that the business owner wanted a multicultural Asian mural,” remembers Sierra.
That multicultural directive helped drive the project forward, with Sierra sketching ideas on an iPad. He used bright colors to add vibrancy to the dark Pacific Northwest winter skyline and incorporated Maneki Neko, pandas, and origami birds into the culturally inspired design. The scope of the mural project was initially smaller, focusing on SE Stark Street. However, the contract permitted him to continue painting until he ran out of supplies or time. Sierra ended up having extra material and reached out to his artistic group of friends. The team filled unpainted gaps along the building, each contributing their unique style to the extended piece. “I tried to include a lot of artists that don’t get opportunities to have their art on the walls. It’s a challenge to try to wrangle up a bunch of people, but it was a good challenge, and I’m lucky to have that group of friends willing to put their time and effort into helping beautify our community,” said Sierra.
Sierra faced other challenges working on this project, utilizing new tools and working outside his comfort zone. The height of this project required the use of a self-propelled scissor lift. Having never used that equipment before, Sierra became a certified lift operator and quickly learned the dangers of elevated painting. Uneven ground demanded the use of tire shims before the device would rise, and overhead power lines presented deadly obstacles. Additionally, the size and texture of the building also demanded more involved tools. “I used mostly spray paint. [However], there were some spots where I had to use a cordless sparer for the first time to do some of the radiating lines that came off the top. That thing is like a giant spray can, and it was a really great piece of equipment that I’ll be using again in the future,” explained Sierra.
Although continually learning new skills, Sierra has over a decade of experience creating mural artwork in the city. “I’ve been in Portland for 15 years. I came up here after leaving a city job I had. I pulled out my retirement and said, ‘You know, I could work for the city for another 20 years and retire, or I could go fulfill this dream of being an artist.’ So I came up from Arizona with some money in my pocket and my dreams,” said Sierra. It took several years to establish himself as an artist, and he attributes much of his success to working with the PSAA. He also attributes it to a change in city policy that rewards art over advertising. “I think it’s great that the city has allowed us to start building murals again. There was a period where there were no murals in the city due to Clear Channel,” explained Sierra.
In 1999, Clear Channel – doing business as AK Media – won a legal challenge to Porltand’s strict signage regulations. As a result, the city could no longer differentiate between murals and commercial signs. That ruling allowed property owners to sell blank wall space for advertising, so the Portland leaders opted to restrict billboards and murals under the same city code. Over the next decade, public art advocates led by muralist Joe Cotter worked to repair the broken system, eventually freeing murals from the city’s sign code in 2009. Three years later, PSAA began its work to facilitate street art projects throughout the city, and Portland has seen a resurgence in the mural craft.
Demecio “Dre” Sierra takes substantial pleasure in painting murals around Portland. Not only does he have large canvases to fill, but he can rotate through communities, meeting people and hearing their stories. “That’s part of the job, getting to go around all these neighborhoods and spend maybe a week or two in them, see it from their eyes,” said Sierra. That helps shape the art and makes it a rewarding career. He thanks his fellow contributors on this project, including Rile, Abnr, Mctools, and The Earwig. The project is complete and available for anyone walking around the Historic Downtown Montavilla area to enjoy.
Update – September 17th, 2023: Added the Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association as a city partner on the project.
Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association board but did not work on this project.
Promotion: Montavilla News could use your support through Patreon. We invite those who can financially support this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
Starting this Wednesday, Montavilla Movie Nights return with free outdoor screenings in the Plaza at the corner of SE Stark Street and 79th Avenue. The monthly events began around dusk at 8 p.m., and people are encouraged to bring their own chair, blanket, or cushion.
The summertime event is organized by the Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association (METBA) and sponsored by Mr Plywood and Adventist Health. The three film series offers a new movie on the last Wednesday night of the month for July, August, and September. The July 26th event will feature the 1999 comedy Galaxy Quest. Then on August 30th, attendees can view the 1996 film Kingpin. The summer fun concludes with the 1979 movie Rock ‘n’ Roll High School, featuring the Ramones, on September 27th.
Event organizers encourage people to arrive early to order food and drink items from area businesses before finding a spot in the SE 79th Avenue Plaza. The Academy Theater across the street will sell concessions to Plaza viewers wanting the complete movie experience. Threshold Brewing & Blending will sell beer for people to enjoy while they watch. Montavilla Movie Nights is in its second season, and its continued popularity could bolster its return in subsequent years. As the sun sets on the last Wednesday of the month, consider heading to the Plaza for some free community-based entertainment.
Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the METBA board.
Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
Next Sunday, July 30th, Montavilla will celebrate its tenth street fair with music, food, beer, and over 140 vendor booths. The event will close SE Stark Street to vehicle traffic from SE 82nd to 76th Avenues, welcoming attendees to stroll the roadway between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. People can sample regional brews at four different beer gardens and listen to a wide range of music performed on three stages. Last year marked the return of the community gathering after a pandemic pause, and now event organizers expect crowds to meet or exceed the 2019 attendance level.
Image courtesy event organizer Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association (METBA)
The Montavilla Street Fair had modest beginnings when it launched in 2011. Instead of closing the main street, organizers set up the booths on several side streets and parking lots north of SE Stark. It rained that day but had respectable attendance, including Mayor Sam Adams. The mostly annual event continued expanding, growing into a city-wide attraction in 2019 that brought 15,000 people into Montavilla’s historic downtown. After a two-year Covid hiatus, it returned slightly smaller but still attracting substantial crowds. This year, organizers have positions for more booths than last year but still sold out ahead of the registration deadline. There is a sizable wait list for vendors looking for space, and all signs point to a larger event with an increased community turnout.
People interested in attending should plan on a fair amount of walking, first from their parking spot and then along the 1,500 feet of booths on SE Stark Street. Attendees able to walk, bike, or take transit to the site should allow for easier street parking in the neighborhood. Band schedules and vendor lists are available at the METBA.org website but expect this article to update with additional information on the day of the event.
Update: The street fair exceeded expectations with an estimated 16,000 people in attendance. Many businesses participating in the event reported selling thorough supplies and record setting sales for the fair.
Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the METBA board and will work in a booth at this event.
Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.
Two events will attract visitors to Montavilla’s commercial corridors this Saturday evening. Winter Wassail along NE Glisan Street features festive beverages, snacks, carolers, and holiday lighting. Participating stores and restaurants between 82nd and 68th Avenues will remain open for last-minute holiday gifts and festivities. People are invited to Wassail (Go from location to location caroling and/or drinking in merriment) on Glisan from 4 to 8 p.m. this December 17th.
Promotional image provide by event coordinators
That same night, SE Stark Street businesses will host the Montavilla Soiree & Pub Crawl from 6 to 9 p.m. The Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) organized this winter celebration in the historic downtown to support neighborhood businesses as they enjoy the best parts of the colder months.
Promotional image provide by event coordinators
Drinkers, shoppers, and anyone looking for a fun Saturday night can explore the collection of holiday-themed cocktails, food specials, live music, and late-night last-minute shopping in one big evening event. No matter where you reside, some part of Montavilla will have an activity to warm your spirit on a cold night.
These are some of the participating businesses on Glisan Street:
