46. Obonfest
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (503) 254-9456
Address: 3720 Southeast 34th Ave.
Description: Set in a residential neighborhood, this is a Japanese-American Buddhist Festival of the Ancestors, which offers another perspective on multicultural life in Portland. The free festival is also an opportunity to learn about the long and not terribly comfortable history of Oregon’s Japanese-American community. More cultural than strictly religious, the fest includes Japanese and other Asian foods, crafts, music, and dancing.
47. Street Of Dreams
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (503) 292-1461
Description: To showcase their talents each year, between seven and ten local builders create a custom-designed, -decorated, and -landscaped house in a selected enclave. These are clearly not starter, or even average, homes: Prices begin at more than $2 million. Extravagance is the word here. But for $15, you can spend a pleasant afternoon seeing how and where the affluent plan to live. The event, a fund-raiser for local nonprofit organizations, opens with a black-tie tour. Hors d’oeuvres and liquid refreshments are included. (See the Relocation chapter for additional information.)
48. Art In The Pearl
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (503) 722-9017
Description: More than 100 artists gather here each Labor Day weekend for a lively three days of culture and commerce. In addition to artists and high-end crafters selling their wares, musicians and theater groups perform on a central stage. And you can try out artistic pursuits for yourself in the Education Pavilion, which has activities for children and their grown-up friends. And, naturally, you’ll find the usual festival food booths.
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
52. Sauerkraut Festival
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (503) 543-2010
Description: Why a sauerkraut festival? Because Scappoose used to be the home of a Steinfeld’s pickle factory. This history is preserved in this annual event in this pretty Columbia River town, about 30 miles west of Portland. You’ll find the regular cast of vendor booths and entertainment, a Volkswalk, and, of course, lots of sauerkraut. Admission is free.
53. Greek Festival
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (503) 234-0468
Address: 3131 Northeast Glisan St.
Description: This is a very popular event drawing visitors from throughout northwest Oregon and southwest Washington who come to enjoy Greek music and dancing, arts and crafts displays, and, of course, gorgeous food. At the gate, you’ll trade your dollars for Greek talents, which you’ll spend on food, icons, and other wonderful things. Visitors are invited to participate in the dancing, and there are tours of the beautiful Holy Trinity Church.
54. Howloween
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (503) 226-1561
Address: 4001 Southwest Canyon Rd. in Washington
Description: The Oregon Zoo holds many seasonal events, and Howl-a-Ween is one of the favorites. This event lets kids trick-or-treat in a safe environment—and learn more about the zoo animals as they go. A scavenger hunt sends them to different places around the zoo, where they answer questions and complete activities. All kids who finish the hunt are given bags of candy and prizes when they leave. Howl-a-Ween is usually held on the weekend closest to Halloween. This event is free with regular zoo admission.
55. Oktoberfest
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Description: This Oktoberfest at Oaks Park on the banks of the Willamette River features delicious German sausages and other treats, a sausage-eating contest, oompah bands, polka, and other Germania. For the younger set, a kinderplatz (children’s place) complete with Radio Disney is a big draw. Visitors will find traditional German foods, beers, and wines supplemented with local favorites, as well. Admission is $5 for adults, $2 for kids, and $3 for those 62 and older. Be alert: Sometimes this event is held in late September.
56. Portland Marathon
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (503) 226-1111
Insider Pick:
Description: While the 26.2-mile run is the logical centerpiece of this event, this well-organized open marathon, now in its fourth decade, includes a 5-mile run, a 10-kilometer (6.2-mile) walk, a half marathon, a noncompetitive 2-mile kids’ run, and a 2-mile Special Olympics run. The ethos of this event is very Portland—inclusive and friendly. But don’t try to run if you are not an official entrant. Spectators and supporters can participate in a sports medicine and fitness fair. The Portland Marathon has a reputation as a true people’s race, where anyone can enter. It is, however, a qualifier for the Boston Marathon. (For information on other running events, see the Recreation chapter.)
57. Wordstock
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (503) 549-7887
Insider Pick:
Description: Portland is a city of readers, and Wordstock is our annual festival of the book. This gala event brings writers and readers together for three days of workshops, dinners, music, readings by best-selling authors and rising stars, a book fair, a special Children’s Festival, and other fabulous events. Past Wordstocks have featured writers such as Ira Glass, Dave Eggers, Gore Vidal, R. L. Stine, Ariel Gore, Ursula LeGuin, Carl Hiaasen, and Donald Hall. Admission to Wordstock is $7 to $10, depending on your age, but if you’re willing to pay significantly more for gala fundraising events, you can mingle with literary stars.
58. Christmas At The Pittock Mansion
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (503) 823-3624
Address: 3229 Northwest Pittock Dr.
Description: Perched above Portland’s downtown, the Pittock Mansion (see the Attractions chapter) is the grandest of all Portland’s mansions. As such it is appropriately decorated and lighted for Christmas. The usual admission fee applies ($8 for adults, $7 for seniors, and $5 for anyone who is 6-18), but you’ll get the added bonus of seasonal music and other delights.
59. Pioneer Courthouse Square Holiday Happenings
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (503) 223-1613
Description: The one Portland tradition visitors must hear (and see) to believe is the annual Tuba Concert. With 100 or more tuba players ranging from symphony members to enthusiastic novices risking badly chilled lips and fingers, the downtown echoes (and echoes) with unique renditions of favorite holiday songs and carols. At times you can almost hear the carolers making a good-faith effort to match the tuba sounds. Don’t miss it. The city’s Christmas tree is displayed here too, delivered from a local tree farm by a log truck, bringing out the latent Scrooge in many. The tree-lighting ceremony happens right after Thanksgiving, and it is a sight to behold. The city’s official menorah is lit nearby when Hanukkah begins.
60. Wine Country Thanksgiving
City: Portland, OR
Category: Annual Events & Festivals
Telephone: (503) 646-2985
Description: This popular tour is held the fourth weekend in November, following Thanksgiving Day. Sponsored by the Willamette Valley Wineries Association, the event highlights dozens of wineries and vineyards with new vintages, winery tours, sale prices, and lots of food, crafts, and music. Like the Willamette Valley wine tasting event listed in May, this weekend is a great opportunity to see tasting rooms that are rarely open, get a chance to buy some wine futures, and purchase all your holiday grape beverages.