RiverFest 2009 Events Calendar
Scroll down to see detailed event descriptions, or click on the event below for more information.
| Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday | Sunday |
| August 19 | August 20 | August 21 | August 22 | August 23 |
Bill Naito Legacy Fountain Dedication Women on Bikes - Glimpse the Greenway (6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.) |
Portland Kayak discounted tours
(10:00 am - 2:00 pm) KINK Friday Early Escape Cruise South Portland Riverbank Tour Council for Responsible Sport speaker: "Sports and Sustainability" Portland Bohemian Walking Tours: Deep Water theme (6 p.m. at Tom McCall Waterfront Park near the Steel Bridge) |
RiverFest Fair at South Waterfront. (11am - 6pm) South Portland Riverbank Restoration Work Party (9:00 am - 12:00 pm) Portland Kayak discounted tours (10:00 am - 2:00 pm) Legacy Fountain & Saturday Market Grand Opening (11am - 4pm; Ankeny Plaza) SOLV Eastbank Cleanup ( 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.; at Eastbank Esplanade) Urban Willamette Photo Essay (2:00 p.m. & 4:00 p.m. at South Waterfront) Portland Fireboat display (5:30 p.m. at South Waterfront Greenway) Portland Bohemian Walking Tours: Deep Water theme (6 p.m. at Tom McCall Waterfront Park near the Steel Bridge) |
Freshwater Trust Portland Triathlon (7:30 am - 1:00 pm; Waterfront Park)
Portland Kayak discounted tours (10:00 am - 2:00 pm) Portland Bridge Tour (10:00 am - 12:00 pm : meet at Salmon Street Springs) Legacy Fountain & Saturday Market Grand Opening (11am - 4pm; Ankeny Plaza) SOLV Kelley Point Park Cleanup ( 12 p.m. - 3 p.m.; at Kelley Point Park) Portland Bohemian Walking Tours: Deep Water theme (6 p.m. at Tom McCall Waterfront Park near the Steel Bridge) |
Thursday, August 20
Bill Naito Legacy Fountain Dedication
11:45 pm to 1:15 pm
Join Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish and honored guests to dedicate the Bill Naito Legacy Fountain - then kick off your shoes and fall in line behind the Chinese Lion Dancers as they lead the parade that will officially turn on the fountain. Prepare to get wet!
- Taiko Drummers
- Native American Blessing
- Lawson Inada, Oregon's Poet Laureate
- Chinese Lion Dancers
- Ice Cream Treats
The Bill Naito Legacy Fountain, located just south of the Burnside Bridge in Waterfront Park, honors Portland's immigrants with a poem etched into its steps, celebrating the diverse cultural influences that have shaped our city.
The celebration continues over the weekend, too, with multi-cultural performances on the Saturday Market Main Stage honoring the legacy of Oregon's earliest immigrants.
For more information and the complete performance schedule, go to http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=50729
Women on Bikes - Glimpse the Greenway
6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Explore the North Portland Greenway Trail and Baltimore Woods during this 10-12 mile ride. Meet at Columbia Park - Columbia Cottage, 4339 N Lombard, N Lombard and Russet.
Janis McDonald, 503-823-5358, janis.mcdonald@pdxtrans.org
Portland Bureau of Transportation
Friday, August 21
Portland Kayak Company - Ross Island Tours
Departures at 10am and 2pm
Ross Island Tour - 2.5 to 3 hours (no experience required).
First-time kayakers and experienced paddlers alike will enjoy a unique perspective of Portland on this guided tour circumnavigating Ross Island on the Willamette River. We'll paddle past an impressive blue heron rookery and possibly see bald eagles and osprey as we glide by Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. There is an unparalleled view of Portland's skyline on our way back to the dock.
Departures at 10:00 and 2:00 on August 21, 22 and 23, reservations are required. Cost: $45
Portland Kayak Company
www.portlandkayak.com
6320 SW Macadam Ave.
Portland, OR. 97239
phone (503) 459-4050
fax (503) 459-4051
KINK Friday Early Escape Cruise
Boards at 2:45pm, Departs at 3:00pm
The perfect way to kick off your weekend! Take the Portland Spirit down the Willamette River and enjoy live entertainment by Patrick Lamb. The cruise leaves from Intersection of Salmon and Naito Parkway (near the Salmon Street Springs Fountain in Tom McCall Waterfront Park)
Ticket is $22 per person (no food). Additional $8 per person for BBQ Buffet
Contact Portland Spirit River Cruise Dining at 503.224.3900 or visit www.portlandspirit.com
South Portland Riverbank Tour - Restoration in Action
5:15 -7:00 pm
Come see what volunteers, city staff and a commitment to urban habitat can do for the Willamette. By removing invasive species, restoring native plants, enhancing important confluence areas, these South Portland Riverbank projects will help fish and wildlife along 7,000 feet of river frontage. The restoration tour will begin at Willamette Park and end at the Stephens Creek Confluence, which provides critical rearing and resting habitat for salmon and steelhead, rainbow and cutthroat trout, and Pacific and brook lamprey. The tour will be a 1/2-mile guided walk led by restoration experts. Don't miss seeing these beautiful sites and learning from the people who helped restore them. Wear sturdy walking shoes. Meet at 5:15 at the picnic area in the southern portion of Willamette Park. After the presentation at Stephens Creek, participants are welcome to continue enjoying the area then return on their own.
http://www.portlandonline.com/shared/cfm/image.cfm?id=188627
Portland Bohemian Walking Tours presents "Deep Water"
6 p.m. at Tom McCall Waterfront Park near the Steel Bridge
Bohemian Storytelling Tours offers a radically unique walking tour of downtown Portland that is best described as site-specific street theater. Tour groups will be treated to theatrical and musical performance, poetry, and local history, and will be invited to actively participate. Deep Water is a tour in two acts. In act one we consider whether a river is held captive by her bridge, and in act two we examine the life of a raindrop as it falls from the sky and travels through Portland on its way to the Pacific Ocean.
RESERVATIONS: Reservations are recommended, but not required. Additional tours may be scheduled upon request. Call 503-296-5749 and please leave a message.
COST: Tours are "pay what you want”. At the conclusion of the tour we invite tips or payment (cash only).
Saturday, August 22
Portand Kayak Company - Ross Island Tours
Departures at 10am and 2pm
Ross Island Tour - 2.5 to 3 hours (no experience required).
First-time kayakers and experienced paddlers alike will enjoy a unique perspective of Portland on this guided tour circumnavigating Ross Island on the Willamette River. We'll paddle past an impressive blue heron rookery and possibly see bald eagles and osprey as we glide by Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. There is an unparalleled view of Portland's skyline on our way back to the dock.
Departures at 10:00 and 2:00 on August 21, 22 and 23, reservations are required. Cost: $45
Portland Kayak Company
www.portlandkayak.com
6320 SW Macadam Ave.
Portland, OR. 97239
phone (503) 459-4050
fax (503) 459-4051
Portland RiverFest Fair at South Waterfront
11 am to 6 pm
Portland RiverFest returns to South Waterfront this year on Saturday, August 22. This free, family-friendly festival celebrates life on the river with live music, food and drink, attractions and fun activities. Last year's RiverFest was a huge success, and this year is shaping up to be even better. Festivities take place throughout the day beginning at 11 a.m. on the expansive South Waterfront greenway. Mayor Sam Adams and other city officials will be present to kick off the celebration. Look for a complete schedule of events coming soon. Festival highlights include:
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
10:00am
Pampered Pooch Open House with activities, prizes and a raffle: John Ross Plaza
11:00am
Festival begins:
Vendor booths open Greenway and SW Pennoyer
Kids Fun Zone opens with bounce house, pony rides and carnival games: Greenway, north end (nominal fees apply)
11:30am
The Ardea Presents: Free ice cream, karaoke, vendors, community tours and a weekend stay raffle: Ardea Plaza
11:30am
Grand Ronde Honor Song and Invocation: Main Stage
11:45am
Opening remarks by Mayor Sam Adams and dignitaries: Main Stage
Noon
PDX Jazz: Mary Kadderly: Main Stage
Noon
Portland Trail Blazers Basketball Clinic: Atwater Retail Space on SW River Parkway
* Portland Trailblazers Outreach Clinic – Elementary and Middle School Children are invited to join members of the Trail Blazers Basketball Outreach Staff for a free basketball clinic of drills, skills, and contests from Noon-2pm at South Waterfront. Waivers must be signed by a parent or guardian onsite. This clinic is for boys and girls under the age of 14.
Noon
Heidi McBride Gallery Presents Sculpture Mike Suri: Atwater Retail Space on SW River Parkway
1:00pm
River Poem Reading: Main Stage
1:15pm
PDX Jazz: Darrel Grant and On The Territory: Main Stage
2:00pm
Urban Willamette Photo Essay: John Ross Plaza Studio
2:45pm
PDX Jazz: Stephanie Schneiderman: Main Stage
4:00pm
Urban Willamette Photo Essay: John Ross Plaza Studio
4:00pm
Watch Hoffman Construction “Jump the Giant Crane” at the Mirabella: View from the NW corner of SW Curry and Bond
4:15pm
PDX Jazz: Tom Grant with Shelly Rudolph: Main Stage
5:30pm
Fireboat display: Greenway
Join your fellow river lovers in restoring, appreciating, and recreating on the Willamette. The festival at South Waterfront is part of a four-day celebration along the Willamette that runs from Thursday, August 20 through Sunday, August 23.
Saturday, August 22, 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Urban Wilamette Photo Essay
2:00 pm & 4:00 pm
Local photographers Barry Peril and Dale Shank will present striking photographs from their Urban Willamette project. Urban Willamette is a photo essay that vividly documents daily life along our Willamette, from Oregon City to the Columbia River. Their river scenes range from the panoramic to the river-intimate, and carefully document river ecology, commerce and recreation.
Artist-in-Residence Studio
The John Ross Building, Ground Floor
3623 SW River Parkway, Portland OR 97239
South Waterfront
South Portland Riverbank Restoration Work Party
9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Help restore a natural treasure—Portland’s South Riverbank. Remove invasive Reed Canary grass, spread woodchips around native plants, and paint stencils of wildlife on the nearby bike path (great for kids!). Gloves, tools, and training will be provided. Volunteers should dress for the weather, wear sturdy shoes, and bring water to drink. All ages are welcome but children must be accompanied and supervised by an adult. Volunteers should meet at the sheltered picnic area at the southern most part of Willamette Park (SW Macadam Avenue and SW Nebraska Street) to sign in and get free parking waivers, then walk to the work site (Willamette Moorage Natural Area). 503-823-7016
Portland Fireboat Display
Time: TBA
Portland Fire and Rescue's fireboat David Campbell provides a red, white, and blue display.
SOLV Eastbank Clean-Up
9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Join SOLV in the Second Annual Willamette RiverFest Cleanups in celebration of Portland’s front yard, the Willamette River! Volunteers will be picking up trash at Sellwood Riverfront Park and the Eastbank Esplanade on Saturday, August 22nd from 9AM to 1PM and at Kelley Point Park in N Portland on Sunday, August 23rd from 12PM to 3PM. This year we are expecting over 70 volunteers who will show their appreciation for the river by scouring the banks for litter.
For more information or to register contact:
Brett Lyon
503-844-9571 x 332
www.solv.org
Legacy Fountain & Portland Saturday Market Grand Opening Weekend
11 am to 4 pm
Construction is complete. Saturday Market has a new home and Legacy Fountain is shooting jets of water skyward. It's time to celebrate. The Market's new space in Waterfront Park includes an open-air pavilion, interactive Legacy Fountain, and new views of the Willamette. Operating since 1974, the Portland Saturday Market is the largest continually operating outdoor arts and crafts market in the nation.
- Kid's Activities
- Artist Demos
- Give-aways
- Main Stage: multi-cultural performances celebrating Legacy Fountain, which honors Portland's earliest immigrants
The celebration continues on Sunday. For more information and the complete performance schedule, go to http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=50729
Portland Audubon's Ross Island Sternwheeler Cruise
6 pm to 8 pm
Join Mike Houck from the Urban Greenspaces Institute and staff from Audubon Society of Portland on a family-oriented two hour cruise around Ross Island. If you don't paddle and canoe or kayak this is time for you and your family to get out on the river and see great blue herons, osprey and bald eagles nests. The Sternwheeler Rose will cruise through the Holgate Channel and circumnavigate Ross, Hardtack, and East Islands. Cost is $25 per person (children 5 and under are free) and space is limited. This is a Wild in the City trip and pre-registration is required by going to www.audubonportland.org or you can register by calling 503-292-6855 x 122. Directions and other details will be sent to registrants.
Portland Bohemian Walking Tours / Deep Water
6 p.m. at Tom McCall Waterfront Park near the Steel Bridge
Bohemian Storytelling Tours offers a radically unique walking tour of downtown Portland that is best described as site-specific street theater. Tour groups will be treated to theatrical and musical performance, poetry, and local history, and will be invited to actively participate. Deep Water is a tour in two acts. In act one we consider whether a river is held captive by her bridge, and in act two we examine the life of a raindrop as it falls from the sky and travels through Portland on its way to the Pacific Ocean.
RESERVATIONS: Reservations are recommended, but not required. Additional tours may be scheduled upon request. Call 503-296-5749 and please leave a message.
COST: Tours are "pay what you want”. At the conclusion of the tour we invite tips or payment (cash only).
Sunday, August 23
Freshwater Trust Portland Triathlon
7:30 to Noon
Portland, Oregon hosts the third annual Freshwater Trust Portland Triathlon on Sunday morning. Swim beneath the signature bridges, ride amongst the steel and concrete giants, run through parks and paths teeming with urban life. Olympic and sprint-distance races are offered for both individuals and relay teams. Swimmers start from the docks at RiverPlace Marina and finish on the swimming beach just south of the Hawthorne Bridge. Dragon boats, kayakers, and the Coast Guard will provide support and directional guidance.
Portand Kayak Company - Ross Island Tours
Departures at 10am and 2pm
Ross Island Tour - 2.5 to 3 hours (no experience required).
First-time kayakers and experienced paddlers alike will enjoy a unique perspective of Portland on this guided tour circumnavigating Ross Island on the Willamette River. We'll paddle past an impressive blue heron rookery and possibly see bald eagles and osprey as we glide by Oaks Bottom Wildlife Refuge. There is an unparalleled view of Portland's skyline on our way back to the dock.
Departures at 10:00 and 2:00 on August 21, 22 and 23, reservations are required. Cost: $45
Portland Kayak Company
www.portlandkayak.com
6320 SW Macadam Ave.
Portland, OR. 97239
phone (503) 459-4050
fax (503) 459-4051
Portland Bridge Tour
10 am to 12 pm
Bridge Walk and Tour of the Burnside Bridge Operator's Tower, Aug. 23, 10-Noon, $10 per person, ADA-accessible, meets at Salmon Street Springs
Guide: Christian Ervin
Portland, Oregon is home to one of the most varied sets of the longest, oldest, and unique movable bridges in the world. In this two-hour walk we learn about about their history and present condition. See eight bridges in all, crossing over the Willamette on the Burnside and Steel bridges, with a stop at the Burnside Bridge to see inside the west end tower to meet the operator. This tour is lead by guide Christian Ervin.
Christian Ervin has been co-leading bridge walks with Sharon Wood Wortman, author of The Portland Bridge Book, for the past year. He recently amped up his own bridge knowledge by walking through the arch ribs of the Fremont Bridge to flagpole level in July 2009.
This tour is ADA-accessible and meets at Salmon Street Springs; cost $10 per person.
To register for this tour, please email: fromthesticks@gmail.com.
Legacy Fountain & Portland Saturday Market Grand Opening Weekend
11 am to 4 pm
Construction is complete. Saturday Market has a new home and Legacy Fountain is shooting jets of water skyward. It's time to celebrate. The Market's new space in Waterfront Park includes an open-air pavilion, interactive Legacy Fountain, and new views of the Willamette. Operating since 1974, the Portland Saturday Market is the largest continually operating outdoor arts and crafts market in the nation.
- Kid's Activities
- Artist Demos
- Give-aways
- Main Stage: multi-cultural performances celebrating Legacy Fountain, which honors Portland's earliest immigrants
The celebration continues on Sunday. For more information and the complete performance schedule, go to http://www.portlandonline.com/parks/index.cfm?c=50729
SOLV Kelley Point Park Clean-Up
12 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Join SOLV in the Second Annual Willamette RiverFest Cleanups in celebration of Portland’s front yard, the Willamette River! Volunteers will be picking up trash at Sellwood Riverfront Park and the Eastbank Esplanade on Saturday, August 22nd from 9AM to 1PM and at Kelley Point Park in N Portland on Sunday, August 23rd from 12PM to 3PM. This year we are expecting over 70 volunteers who will show their appreciation for the river by scouring the banks for litter.
For more information or to register contact:
Brett Lyon
503-844-9571 x 332
www.solv.org
Portland Bohemian Walking Tours / Deep Water
6 p.m. at Tom McCall Waterfront Park near the Steel Bridge
Bohemian Storytelling Tours offers a radically unique walking tour of downtown Portland that is best described as site-specific street theater. Tour groups will be treated to theatrical and musical performance, poetry, and local history, and will be invited to actively participate. Deep Water is a tour in two acts. In act one we consider whether a river is held captive by her bridge, and in act two we examine the life of a raindrop as it falls from the sky and travels through Portland on its way to the Pacific Ocean.
RESERVATIONS: Reservations are recommended, but not required. Additional tours may be scheduled upon request. Call 503-296-5749 and please leave a message.
COST: Tours are "pay what you want”. At the conclusion of the tour we invite tips or payment (cash only).