The 11th annual Montavilla Jazz Festival (MJF) will begin at the end of August with a weekend full of music events in the neighborhood and locations across Portland’s Eastside. The three-day celebration of local artistry starts on Friday, August 30th, and runs through Sunday, September 1st, with free and ticketed events. Each year, MJF brings music fans of all ages to the neighborhood and expands the general appreciation for jazz.
The yearly late summer music programming spans outdoor locations such as Mt. Tabor Park and Montavilla’s SE 79th Avenue Street Plaza. Neighborhood businesses will also become venues during the festival, including BoneJax, Montavilla Brew Works, Vino Veritas, Beer Brats & Beats, Portland Metro Arts, Threshold Brewing & Blending, and Beer Bunker’s patio. The MJF website has a detailed list of event locations, times, and links to secure tickets or reservations when necessary. Area businesses Yaowarat, Vino Veritas, Threshold Brewing, and The Observatory will offer nightly food and drink specials and entertainment during the three-day event. The Academy Movie Theater will participate in the celebration through special showings of the 1958 film noir classic “Elevator to the Gallows,” featuring a jazz-rich score by Miles Davis. Beyond the Montavilla area, Strum, The 1905, and Alberta Rose Theatre will host additional MJF performances.
Thanks to Prosper Portland’s Scale Up Grant for summer 2024, MJF can offer more than twice the number of performances than the previous year. It is the only Portland festival focused on original music from the city’s jazz artists. Preferences will feature the rising stars and creative artists connected to Portland. The 29 events include free concerts, three student stages, and a return to Mt. Tabor Park’s Caldera Amphitheater for two free concerts on Friday, August 30th.
Lynn Darroch, photo by Brenda Moseley and provided courtesy MJF
For the second year, MJF honors the late Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish’s contribution to the city’s jazz community by presenting an award in his name. On August 31st, presenters will deliver this year’s Nick Fish Jazz Community Award to writer, broadcaster, and performer Lynn Darroch. The jazz radio host on KMH is also an author and recording artist with an in-depth perspective on the local musicians who shape the regional jazz sound.
With added free events and more Montavilla locations, this is an excellent year to explore Montavilla Jazz’s contribution to the music community and discover a new appreciation for a foundational style of American music. People interested in attending should look at the event schedule now to find out if they need reservations or tickets to particular shows. Everyone should plan for a busier weekend around event locations starting on August 30th and consider visiting local businesses with MJF specials for unique menu options.
On Saturday, July 13th, Montavilla Brew Works will celebrate nine years of serving locally brewed beer with an all-ages event from noon to 9 p.m. Although this event commemorates the years since this pioneering neighborhood destination greeted guests, it represents a decade of work for founders Melissa and Michael Kora, who nurtured this ten-barrel brewery and taproom through good and challenging times. The festivities at 7805 SE Stark Street will have DJ MD providing music to guests inside and under the covered patio area, while Demarco’s Sandwiches will sell food from their food truck parked on SE 78th Avenue. The brew masters will also break out archived beers at the peak of their aging cycle for special pours of brewing history.
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. When the 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. 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.
Daugherty Auto Service garage. Photo courtesy Michael 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.
Montavilla Brew Works construction. Photo courtesy Michael Kora
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. Business is still recovering, but Kora expects it will not be on the same trajectory it was on before the pandemic.
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. Although they retained canned beer to some degree, wide expansion is not part of the company’s plans. “A good 80 plus percent is still draft, and the remainder is packaged because we don’t distribute that far out of Portland. Hence putting the name of the neighborhood on it. We want people to come here. You want them to come to the neighborhood,” explained Michael Kora. Montavilla Brew Works’ hyper-local interest extends beyond just its business name. Over the years, Kora collaborated with area businesses to produce cross-promoting brews. These include an American amber beer titled Academy Amber after the Academy Theater, East Glisan Mosaic is dedicated to East Glisan Pizza Lounge, and a German Pilsner-style lager called Plywood Pilsner spotlights neighbor business Mr. Plywood. “We figured we live here, bought our house here, our business is here. We’re going all in, and you know, it’s worked. It’s helped build a really loyal fan base,” said Kora.
People can find limited supplies of Montavilla Brew Works beer at around 300 locations from Hood River to Hillsborough and as far south as Eugene and Corvallis. However, the corner of SE Stark Street and 78th Avenue is the best place to experience it. This weekend’s celebration will feature vintage beers that Kora has stored for years, just waiting for a special accession. The staff will sell these beers in smaller sipper cups to let more people experience the limited stock of aged brews. The event will also allow children to attend. Montavilla Brew Works has famously prohibited children, smoking, and televisions inside the tap room during regular business hours. However, on street fair days and special events, they set aside the rules prohibiting kids and open the space to all ages. Guests are encouraged to stop by July 13th starting at noon, and those interested in the archival beers should drop by early to get a taste while supplies last.
Zwickelmania® is an annual celebration of Oregon craft beer during Oregon Craft Beer Month organized by the Oregon Brewers Guild. Member breweries open their production facility to the public for a behind-the-scenes view of their 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 annual event allows people 21 years or older to taste beer from a producer’s perspective.
New cask beer engine at Montavilla Brew Works. Image courtesy Montavilla Brew Works
Montavilla Brew Works will offer brewery tours with free Zwickel samples from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Guests can meet the brewers and purchase special beer releases throughout the day. The brewery owners will unveil their new cask beer engine and pass out special giveaway items to mark the occasion.
From 1 to 4 p.m., Threshold Brewing & Blending will invite attendees behind their roll-up door into the production area with hourly tours and Zwickel pours. Cousins Maine Lobster food truck will sell its crowd-pleasing food from noon to 8 p.m. on the 17th in partnership with Threshold, allowing people to make a day of Zwickelmania® in Montavilla.
Threshold Brewing & Blending owners Jarek and Sara Szymanski. Image courtesy Threshold
This weekend’s Zwickelmania® is taking place outside of Montavilla as well. More than 50 breweries across Oregon are participating, including beer producers StormBreaker Brewing and Gigantic Brewing Company, which have sales locations in Montavilla. However, the event focuses on beer production at the brewing location. Consequentially, those brands will greet Zwickel-seeking guests at their primary locations. A complete list of participating locations is available online at the official Zwickelmania® site.
Zwickel sample. Image courtesy Montavilla Brew Works
For people who miss this beer-rich opportunity on the 17th, Threshold Brewing & Blending will hold its 5th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, February 24th. That event will offer five beer releases served in exclusive and limited glassware. A line-up of DJs will provide entertainment, and wood-fired pizza from guest food truck Hearth and Soul will feed the hungry guests. February is a good month for exploring Montavilla’s brewing community, and walking to the potentially inebriating events is easy.
By
Jacob Loeb
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At 10 a.m., on November 24th, Red Shed Christmas Trees reopened their seasonal Montavillage location in the Vinje & Son’s parking lot near SE 78th Avenue and Washington Street. Shoppers will find a wide selection of Douglas, Nordmann, Grand, and Noble Fir trees ranging from 2 to 15 feet tall. Wreaths and garlands are just some of the extended holiday decorations offered at this outdoor sales lot. Owner Lesle Janssen has once again brought in local artists and makers to sell their crafts at a gift boutique located at the southeast corner of the property.
All Red Shed trees come from Greg Smith’s Molalla Tree Farms, where they locally harvested them with minimal pesticides. With 200 acres of naturally grown product, Janssen values the dependable relationship with the Molalla, OR, grower. “I really like Greg. He puts a lot of love into his trees. He has many different fields to choose from. So when there’s a hot summer. There’s a blight. There’s this. There’s that. He still has things to choose from, so we’re always getting good trees,” said Janssen.
Fighting inflation is top of mind for Janssen. Red Shed Trees is cash only this year to keep their prices low and maintain a respectful salary for the seasonal staff. That saves processing fees and reduces the payment bottleneck that complicates checkout. As a consequence of that discussion, Janssen says they will have competitive pricing compared to other options. “I notice that our prices are lower than Home Depot, and we have better trees.” There are online payment options for people shopping in the boutique for gifts or decorations, with the purchase going directly through the maker’s payment system.
Tree price card. Red Shed is cash only and trees larger than 10 feet often require reservation.
Lesle Janssen has made space in her tree lot for free festive activities for several years. Pre-pandemic, they offered craft activities for children, but they transitioned to take-home activity packs in recent years. This season, the owner’s mother, Janie Janssen, assembled 500 bags for kids to pick up and craft at home. They also offer two large outdoor-themed backdrops for people to take family photos. As in previous years, Peter McNamee Photography provided the forest and mountain shots used in the massive prints.
McNamee is a Montavilla resident and is one of the vendors selling their works in the boutique. Also returning to the holiday sales booth are the pottery and soaps from Shane Reaney Studios. While supplies last, people can purchase confections made by McTavish Shortbread. These baked-to-order items are a special treat rarely available in small quantities and often sell out. For those looking for a mood-setting addition to their centerpiece, Hannah Miller sells distinctive beeswax candles through her company Waxing & Raining Handmade Goods.
In addition to making space for craftspeople who don’t have a storefront, Red Shed is supporting Hats For Healing with another local business, Flipside Hats. Flipside makes all the beanies worn by tree lot staff, and Lesle Janssen is promoting their work. This year, the tree lot will sell tree seedlings people can plant on their property and earn Carbon reduction credits. Red Shed employee Alex Wick is also the founder and CEO of Cascadia Carbon. His NFTree program uses NFT technology to enable homeowners to register their carbon-sequestering trees and participate in the voluntary carbon offset market. People can purchase a Redwood, Douglas Fir, or Grand Fir seedling to register with the program, and they track its carbon capture as it grows.
David Kelly and Lesle Janssen in Seasonal Boutique stand
Red Shed Christmas Trees is open now and will remain open until they run out of stock. People can visit the lot daily from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with an additional hour in the evening on Fridays and Saturdays. They have both standard wreaths and hard-to-find juniper wreaths. Garland is sold by the foot, up to 75 feet long, and customers needing to buy a stand or arrange delivery also have options. Red Shed is a Montavilla tradition, serving 3,000 residents each year, and they are the official supplier of the community Holiday Tree installed in the Public Plaza at SE 79th Avenue and Stark Street.
Update: In a partnership with Montavilla Brew Works at 7805 SE Stark Street, people who purchase a Red Shed Christmas Tree will receive $2 off the price of a beer 4-pack or $3 off a 64oz Growler fill. Promotion ends December 24th and limited to one per customer, other exclusions may apply.
This Saturday, September 23rd, Montavilla Brew Works (MBW) will hold its first annual Deadtoberfest. This Grateful Dead infused Oktoberfest celebration will feature German-style Bratwurst and several beers from the brewery’s collection. Founder and head brewer Michael Kora, inspired by MBW’s successful Street Fair beer garden, decided to create this new fall beer and food festival.
Kora has wanted MBW to host an Oktoberfest event for several years. The enthusiastic showing from last July’s Montavilla Street Fair showed that people are ready to come out and enjoy gatherings again. The Grateful Dead tribute group The Weir Dose will provide music from 6 to 9 p.m. for an all-ages performance. From 3 to 9 p.m., MBW will pour selections of their beers brewed in-house, including the Körabräu Helles-style German Lager, Plywood Pilsner, and FH IPAs. Along with the beverages, people can purchase German-style Bratwurst from Zenner’s Sausage Co. throughout the event.
This Saturday’s festivities will occur in the covered outdoor patio area connected to the taproom. Kora has wanted to offer more community gathering opportunities since opening MBW in July 2015. Building the brand and moving past the pandemic hampered those desires, but MBW has now moved past those barriers. 2023 seems to be the year of new traditions for the microbrewer at 7805 SE Stark Street, and they hope people will stop by for a listen, a drink, or a bite on the 23rd.
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Last night people gathered in the Public Street Plazas on SE 79th Avenue and Stark Street to officially light the holiday tree. This event is part of a month-long celebration in Montavilla known as WinterFest. Coordinators paused this annual event over the last few years due to the pandemic. However, just like the Montavilla Street Fair, the WinterFest has returned in 2022.
Tree lighting, Image by Weston Ruter
Many shops and organizations are hosting giving opportunities to spread joy this season. Saints Peter & Paul Episcopal Church is hosting a Montavilla Collective fundraiser on December 10th at 247 SE 82nd Avenue from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. The money gathered by the art sale and silent auction will help support the evolving community of unsheltered and sheltered neighbors committed to improving community through collaboration and creativity. During the fundraiser, people can make holiday cards, visit with neighbors, and donate art supplies. Montavilla Brew Works is accepting donations of warm clothing items in partnership with Cultivate Initiatives. They can receive hats, gloves, coats, sweatshirts, pants, and socks through December. Items collected support marginalized and underserved people in the Portland area and beyond. Check the METBA Calendar for a complete listing of other charitable activities this season.
On the neighborhood’s north side, NE Glisan has a holiday celebration on December 17th called Winter Wassail. People are invited to come and join the holiday mood with carolers and lights all along the bustling street. Montavilla business district businesses on Glisan Street will host a festive walkabout from 4 to 8 p.m. that night. Shops and restaurants will remain open for last-minute holiday shopping, seasonal beverages, and snacks.
Yesterday’s evening festivities followed a handful of seasonal celebrations and charity events that started on December 1st. WinterFest is presented by the Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association (METBA) as a way to unify all the holiday activities within the business district. People are encouraged to see the lights and shop window decorations in the Historic Downtown Montavilla area and along NE Glisan. Printed WinterFest 2022 posters are up in windows throughout Montavilla to help people discover what is happening next.
Tree lighting video by Weston Ruter
As the first snow of winter falls on Sunday afternoon, this is an ideal opportunity to walk the streets of Montavilla and enjoy the holiday decorations or duck into someplace warm for drinks and a meal. Check #montavillawinterfest on Instagram and the METBA Calendar for the most up-to-date listing of events and promotions.
By
Jacob Loeb
Disclosure: The author if this article serves on the Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association (METBA) board.
On November 25th, Red Shed Christmas Trees returns to the seasonal Montavillage location in the Vinje & Son’s parking lot near SE 78th Avenue and Washington Street. This year, tree lot owner Lesle Janssen plans to expand the artistic offerings sold alongside the traditional wreaths and trees. Shoppers will find an assortment of Douglas, Nordmann, and Noble Fir trees. However, the location also features crafts from local artists, cookies, and activities for kids. Janssen acknowledged that the tree industry costs are rising, but Red Shed will absorb those increases and keep prices at the same level as last year, ensuring people can still afford a holiday celebration.
Beyond tree sales, Janssen is a fan of the holiday season and a dedicated supporter of local artists. Consequentially, the tree lot includes more than just standard items. Since opening the Montavilla tree lot in 2008, the variety of items and activities offered at the location has increased. This year they will have pottery and soap from Shane Reaney Studios, prints from Peter McNamee Photography, confections made by McTavish Shortbread, and other holiday accessories.
Shane Reaney is a neighborhood artist in the early stages of growing his business, and this venue increases exposure for lesser-known creators. “I’ve been making pottery and soap as a hobby for many years, but I am just beginning to do this full-time. Having an opportunity to get my creations in front of so many people in such a festive space will help introduce my affordable creations to lots of new people,” said Reaney. At the Red Shed location, people can choose from a selection of Reaney’s mugs, small planters, incense holders, and soap dishes. Staff will also display an assortment of hand-crafted soap to sell alongside the pottery options.
Peter McNamee Photography offers images capturing the wilderness areas of the Northwest. McNamee prints his photos on eight-by-eight-inch metal panels. The picture is fused onto specially coated aluminum, creating a vibrant image that is durable and impervious to water. Fans of McNamee’s work can also pose in front of a giant backdrop featuring one of his landscape photos.
For over 30 years, Portland’s McTavish Shortbread has provided fresh-to-order cookies for customers. It is an independent craft bakery providing the “foodie’s version of the classic Scottish cookie” to coffee shops, wineries, boutique hotels, and select grocery stores. The family-owned and operated bakery will only create a limited number of cookies for this location. Customers are encouraged to stop in early to buy the cookies they want.
Lesle Janssen is excited to bring back the children’s craft area this year. During the pandemic, Red Shed staff sent ornament creation kits home with kids, and that option will continue. However, kids can stay entertained at the designated holiday creativity station this year while parents shop. Janssen said this event is open to all children and does not require purchase. Crafty adults can also pick up free tree limbs that staff clip from the base of trees. A few inches are always trimmed from the tree’s base to allow it to mount in a watering stand. Those surplus branches can find a new use in mantel decorations or other projects.
For people interested in a wintry brew, a collaboration with Montavilla Brew Works grants tree purchasers a special deal on local beer. Customers will take their “Tree Cookie” token a block over to 7805 SE Stark Street and receive a discount on a six-pack or growler.
After Thanksgiving, shoppers can head to Washington Street to look for the holiday decorations and festive activities that will begin the buildup to the winder celebration. Vinje & Son at 544 SE 78th Avenue is again hosting Red Shed in its parking lot accessed from SE Washington Street. Starting Friday, they are open from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily with a bonus hour Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, keeping the lot open until 9 p.m. Paid delivery options are available to drop off trees at a customer’s doorstep.
By
Jacob Loeb
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