North Portland’s most unique and eclectic summer event has to be No.Fest InterArts. This June 25 the free experimental art and music festival will fill the streets, stores, allies and sidewalks of downtown St. Johns for a two-day carnival of homegrown avant-garde acts. . Now in its third year, organizers have expanded the range of performances and added a second day in order to include 51 acts in 29 hours: 36 musical, 5 visual, 4 youth, 3 movement, and 3 spoken performances. 

The festival organizers, Sean Ongley, Jeffrey Helwig and Chad Ferguson, began with a simple idea: hold a free daylong music event in St. Johns. With only months to organize, the event grew to include 25 performances on four stages. The trio knew they had stumbled on something great and founded InterArts, a not-for-profit corporation, to represent the No.Fest project for the coming years. Three years later the event had almost doubled in size, attracting major sponsors such as KBOO community radio.

The program for No.Fest 2010 starts off with an art walk on the last Friday of the month. At about 6 p.m. businesses throughout downtown St. Johns will function as makeshift galleries for viewing public art. Local merchants exhibiting art include The Parlour, Lady Bug Café, James John Café, Town Square, Proper Eats, Legong Gelato, and Salty Teacup.

“None of these are traditional galleries,” said Ongley who is pleased to have the galleries hosted by the local business community. Ongley stresses that one of the ideas behind NoFest is the breakdown traditional boundaries between high art and the average person. “It is another example of our desire to blend the arts with daily life.”

Well it's summer for sure. This weekend is jammed with events as locals cram a year's worth of outdoor partying into 2.5 months of dry weather. 

The most compelling event this saturday is a fundraiser for 9-year-old Stella Cakebread Monteverde. Stella has been diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia. (I know, it's awful and shocking how many children are getting cancer these days.)  Stella, whose mother owns a shop on North Mississippi Ave., has seen an outpouring of support from the local community and the music and entertainment scene as well.  The event, held this Saturday at @Large Studios, will feature a star-studded day of local professional entertainers (check out the links below) who are sure to brighten your (and Stella's) day even if we get partially cloudy skies.

FROM EMAIL
Please join the friends and family of Stella Cakebread Monteverde, 9-year-old daughter of local business owner Dayna Cakebread and Fernando Monteverde, for a day of family fun and entertainment, and an evening of local music and dance troupes. Held at @Large Studios, 807 NE Couch Street, the daytime event will run from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. and will feature music by Kode Bluuz, arts and crafts tables, interactive theatre with Katie O’Grady, Double Dutch with the Jumping Jackie O’s, a raffle with great prizes, and more! The evening, adults-only event will feature musical performances by Lindsey Stormo, Stephanie Schneiderman, Oracle, Stolen Sweets, and Dr. Theopolis, plus local dance acts, a silent auction, and wine, beer and cocktails. Tickets will be available at the door, or in advance through www.brownpapertickets.org.

NoBody covers NoFest like the Sentinel. It's possible that the Sentinel created this event as a result of some art-provoked night of troubled sleep. It's also possible that the Sentinel had nothing to do with this event. But either way, we do talk about it a lot. The day long, all free, all experimental, all trance inducing acid flashback of art X-plotion that is NoFest is coming this June 25th. We'll have more to say as the event approaches. But here is the initial rundown.
[Event Schedule attached PDF below]

The details: NoFest InterArts
51 performances in 29 hours: 36 musical, five visual, four youth, three movement, and three spoken performances within 18 hours of hard programming. Not to mention 10 full month exhibitions in seven galleries and two surprise installations.  Also, NoFest is introducing a visual art program, art walk, 21+ after hours, opening night, and world music sub-program.  What I'm trying to say is that this is the most complex and cross-disciplinary NoFest to date.

Kenton's First Annual Street Fair is coming this Saturday, May 22nd all day to N. Denver Ave.

Come and celebrate the newly completed Kenton Library, the almost completed streetscape and the nearly, almost completely sober denizens of N. Denver Ave. Visit the many new businesses and the new and old residents that are making Kenton the best kept secret in Portland.

"I love Kenton," says Paul Bunyan, the historic plaster statue that stands watch over the Dancing Bare strip club most weeknights from the corner of N. Denver and N. Interstate. "But then, I'm cemented to the sidewalk, so, you know, I pretty much make the best of it."

Paul Bunyan, Portland's largest action figure, is a toy like icon for what has become the kid friendly capital of North Portland. Anchored around the new Kenton Library and Poises' kid friendly coffee shop, throngs of new families and sticky fingered kids are flocking to this neighborhood, once known, only for meat packing and Sam Adams...uh...that's an unfortunate juxstoposition...

So it was only a matter of time before Kenton got its own street fair full of frolicking family fun...HUrrRAYYYYY!!!!!

Art Hop is Art on Alberta’s (AoA) day-long celebration held each May. Photo of artist Esteban Camacho. 

The Alberta Art Hop is bouncing into Portland’s bohemian mecca this Saturday May 15th. When the weather is good it seems like there is always something going on on Alberta St. Events like Last Thursday, the Alberta Street Fair, and the Art Hop all close off the city’s arty-est ave to traffic while the neighborhood bubbles over with throngs of people, wild spectacles and family activities.

This Saturday the weather looks like it will be perfect (don't want to jinx it though). Some highlights from this the 11th annual Art Hop will be the BioRocker Coral Conservatory Zone, run by Colleen Flanigan. See Flanigan's video spotlight below.  Art on Alberta’s mural program will showcase artists Esteban Camacho and Rodolfo Serna. The event will feature a Community Speaks stage that will include appearances by Sam Adams, Renee Mitchell and King Elementary Dancers.  Art in Hand Portland will be showing a customized deck of playing cards that was produced by  54 local artists. Each artist designed their own (obviously) and the set will be on dislapy and decks of cards available for sale, at Art on Alberta's Grow Gallery at 1614 NE Alberta. All sales at Art Hop benefit Art on Alberta.  Preview here.  

This Saturday the St Johns Bizarre will kick off for its fourth year. The all day celebration of what makes Portland Strange and St Johns Bizarre happens in downtown St Johns with a beer garden, vendor's market and musical acts occurring before and after the annual St Johns Parade.  This year's event promises to raise the bar on 'bizarreness,' hope to see you there. 

2ND FRIDAYS ON FREMONT PROMISES FUN IN BEAUMONT VILLAGE

Local vendors show off their wares and attractions at 2nd Fridays on Fremont, a new monthly celebration in the Beaumont Business District. Festivities kick off at Northeast Fremont Street between 40th and 52nd Avenues from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, May 14. Visitors will enjoy shopping with special extended hours, food and drink specials, live music, local artists and additional vendors. 2nd Fridays on Fremont celebrations will continue from May until September, with a Holiday Season scheduled for November and December. As warmer weather nears, additional farmers' market booths are expected to join in.

Have you heard a coyote’s call in your neighborhood? [today's O article]

Folks in St Johns say they have.

Lecture on Urban ‘cay-yotes’ coming next Tuesday, April 27th

Where’s the Roadrunner when you need him?
Many of know about or have seen “urban” coyotes in or around Portland International Airport. At about 6am, I once saw one scampering through the high grass in the vacant lots off Airport Way. The little fellar pictured here, hoped on the Airport MAX back in 2009. It was almost like he did it in obedience to the song Light-Rail Coyote by Portland’s own Sleater-Kinney, released the year before. (see video below).?“They’ve been seen on occasion along Baltimore Woods and heard! There is also coyote scat in Pier Park on the trail on the east side of the Park all the time. Apparently they come over from Chimney Park to hunt at night,” wrote Barbara Quin, of the Friends of Cathedral Park Neighborhood Association in an email today. “One of our FOBW members saw one trotting down Decatur in daylight and the neighbors at the deadend of Edison have lots of stories.”

never a dull moment round these parts....

FROM EMAIL

     Lesbian and Trans comedians Belinda Carroll and Whitney Streed headline a star-studded comedian cast for a Basic Rights Oregon comedy benefit at  7 pm, Sunday, April 18 at Krakow Cafe & Pub, 3990 N. Interstate.  Admission is free.

      Belinda Carroll is a Portland and Austin, Texas-based entertainer whose observational humor tackles everything from her Missionary Southern Baptist mother, her life as a teenage Lesbian Avenger.

      BRO members are encouraged to email Krakow Café, if they plan to attend, to ensure enough seats and libations   Krakowcafe.cafe1@gmail.com  Krakow Café is on the Interstate Light Rail Line, Prescott Station stop.  

THIS EMAIL STRING FROM ROBIN PLANCE

"Good evening North Central Street neighbors!
 
The Portland Bureau of Transportation is looking at turning our street into a bicycle boulevard.
For those of us that live on North Central we need to be sure to have our desires heard. 
What do we wish to see happen?
There will be several "traffic calming improvements", green improvements and hopefully pedestrian safety issues addressed.
But it is up to us to weigh in and have a say on how our street will function when all is said & done!
 
Here is our chance to improve the quality of our neighborhood!
 
So be sure to attend these two crucial meetings!

Time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m." 

SEE BELOW FOR MORE FROM THE EMAIL STRING

FROM PRESS RELEASE

In celebration of our 3rd year in planning No.Fest, newly founded InterArts inc. brings the multi-venue fun out of St. Johns and in to downtown Portland for an eclectic night of rock, pop, noise, and experimental music at Backspace and Someday Lounge, featuring new bands for the 2010 roster, Trawler Bycatch and Sustentacula, as well as alumni, Mustaphamond, Exit Collapse, and Brown. The first wave of our 2010 line up will be announced at the show. The festival dates are June 25th and 26th.

April 14th, 2010, 8:30 pm -1:30 am
@ Someday Lounge/Backspace
115 & 125 NW 5th Avenue
Portland, OR 97209
$6 for both shows / $3 for minors

From email from Barbara Quinn of the Friends of Cathedral Park Neighborhood Association and Friends of Baltimore Woods

Hi neighbor,

The Friends of Baltimore Woods, (FOBW) a local grass roots group has recently won a Nature in Neighborhoods grant to help acquire, preserve and restore four lots in our neighborhood greenway within the Baltimore Woods corridor between New York and Catlin! All the lots were slated for high density development. There is more information on FOBW’s just launched website! You can check it out at: www.friendsofbaltimorewoods.org  further details at: www.portlandsentinel.com/node/6031

There are many great local events in April:

April 1, Thursday at 2pm - last hearing for the North Reach River Plan before City Council. So far it looks like the council is holding firm in requiring local industry to participate in helping restore the North Reach. It’s likely neighbors’ last chance to be heard!

April 10th, Saturday 9-4 - Swap’n Play is having an Open House at the Red Sea Church at N. Leonard and N. Chicago. Swap-n-Play is a cooperative community sharing space in North Portland for families to build intentional community through play and the sharing of resources such as toys, clothing, household goods, skills and knowledge while rethinking and reducing our relationship to consumerism and waste. See http://swapnplay.org/ for more info.