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!!!!!

The Street fair will feature
- 70 vendors
- 3 stages fully booked from 11am - 6pm [with lots of cool twee bands]
- coaster car race down denver
- car and bike show sponsored by Mackins Auto
- skateboard demonstration in Wells Fargo parking lot
- Winter Hawks slapshot game
- Electric bumper cars
- kids activities
- beer garden at Kenton Club
- street yoga demo
- The Dancing Bare "Queens of Mudwrestling!"

Woopeeeee!!!!!!

Ok, no I just added that last one. But we can only hope for next year.

The Sentinel is one of the way too cool for school residents of Kenton..forget it Arbor Lodge you are just not Twee enough...and I'm a big support of the new  street fair. In fact, they will be putting a big nose and glasses and fedora on Paul Bunyan in my honor for the entire day... no, that's a lie too.

But I did have a moment to sit down and IM chat with Posies Cafe owner, Jessie Burke, the Queen of Kenton and one of the organizers behind the street fair and the recently reconstituted business association.

Let's check it out.
FROM GOOGLE CHAT:

Jessie:  ok, here we go

me:  Hey there

Jessie:  hey

me:  are you at the shop?

Jessie:  no, i'm actually at the antique store up the street. it's my second office no one knows i'm there so i get a lot done

me:  no little kids running around under foot

Jessie:  it's more of a problem that lots of people like to come in the back and chat, so it's hard to get a block of time

me:  You are owner of Poises cafe. There are lots of kids there all the time.  Do they have sticky fingers?

Jessie:  Thank you for reminding me that I own Posies... Just kidding.  Yes, we've got lots of kids, and if you mean actually sticky fingers, maybe... they're parents are good about cleaning up after them. If you mean do they steal, never...

me:  that's cool that they don't steal. But I think you could try them as adults in Oregon. Which...is good for shop keepers.

Jessie:  Good to know

me:  So you are also one of the organizers of the first ever Kenton Street Fair. How did that come about?

Jessie:  Yes, myself and Mo Bachmann from Kenton Antiques, Jocelyn Fabbri from Homebrew Exchange, Ted Sofianos from Mackins Autobody, Angela Moos from the KNA... it's been a great collaboration with a bunch of wonderful folks. It came about because there has been talk for years about trying to get a street fair started in our neighborhood (mostly Angela Moos and myself at board meetings)
Once the KBA was reorganized and membership increased drastically, and the KNA has a ton of new energy in the last few years, we thought the time was right

me:  why is it the right time now?

Jessie:  There is a feeling in Kenton that we're collecting a critical mass of people excited... and excited in a good, collaborative way.  If there is disagreement, we hash it out and keep moving forward.  I can't express how wonderful it has been to have all of these individuals come together with motives only to do good out of the kindness of their hearts
 
Jessie:  And for the fun of doing it - we enjoy each other's company, it's fun to try and see if it works, and why not? Right?!

me:  There are a lot of new businesses that have opened in the mainstreet in the last few years. Esan Thai, Pizza Fino, Cup and Saucer, your place, Homebrew Exchange, Disjecta, the new Library and the Streetscape is done. The street fair kind of feel like a victory lap in a long race to transform the neighborhood.

Jessie:  Well... the streetscape isn't done yet.  We are keeping it positive and saying "phase I is complete!" But "phase II" will be complete in the fall (after closing the main street for month)

Jessie:  I think Kenton isn't something we ever felt needed transformation.  There are people that have lived here and loved this neighborhood for generations, and we all appreciate and respect that about the history of the neighborhood.

me:  Sure but mainstreet was a wreck
Old residents will tell you that as well as new

Jessie:  I think that really it's just that the neighborhood is filling with a generation of people that want to celebrate what has felt like Portland's best kept secret.  We feel like Kenton is this hidden gem, and we want to share it, just now is the first time we've had enough people to help coordinate something

Jessie:  I personally never felt it was a wreck, just a little desolate.

me:  Do you get that people's view of the neighborhood is changing? Or do you want to sort of keep it a secret?

Jessie:  But I may be alone in that feeling

me:  Oh, I mean I was wrecked on mainstreet
I use to get really drunk here all the time

Jessie:  Oh, well then I think there was consensus on that

me:  Do you think sober people are starting to view Kenton differently?

Jessie: Definitely.
I was surprised to read about Kenton in the last Portland Monthly as one of the next up and coming neighborhoods, and somehow that put us on the map to a degree

me:  hey you are not suppose to mention competing news brands. Now I have to take your sippy cup away. no more juice for you!!!
Speaking of kids. the streetfair will be kid and family friendly of course. Is there a particular feature or event you are most excited about.

Jessie:  Oops, sorry. You can delete that part

me:  are you still there.  was it something I said. Don't go away. You can mention Portland Monthly again if you want...

Jessie:  No - for some reason I think the internet connection is going in and out.  I said you could delete that part if you want.

Jessie:  I'm not sure where we were...

me:  is there a particular part of the street fair that you are most excited about?
Jessie:  The number of interesting vendors we have signed up! The incredible bands that have been booked... that we're going to have bumper cars! Who has bumper cars?

me:  wow that is cool
will the street be closed off?

Jessie:  Yes, Denver Avenue will be closed from N. Watts (lower stage and car show will be there) to N. Willis (upper stage and bumper cars will be there)

me:  It's never easy being the "first ever" anything. What was the biggest challenge getting the streetfair off the ground?

Jessie:  That's hard to say - maybe agreeing to focus on the core concept and not try and do everything we could think of this first time around (like the parade that was on the table for the first few weeks).
 
me:  will it differ from other streetfairs, like the Interstate Coor Streetfair or the St Johns Bizarre?

Jessie:  Not really too much - only maybe that the Kenton community can add their own slant on things.  It's much like any fair - craft vendors, nonprofits, food, music, kids activities... just a relaxing day for everyone.

me:  It sounds like it will be great

Jessie:  I'm really excited

me: Will the kids be required to wash their sticky hands before they show up?

Jessie:  Hopefully - I don't want to have to call the cops
 
me:  Thanks Jessie- anything else you want to mention

Jessie:  We're looking for about 15 additional volunteers... and we're looking for hay bales to be donated for the day (for the coaster car exhibition)... or we'll rent them.

me:  Ok I'll put that in there
thanks

Cornelius is now offline

So have fun at the Street Fair and don't forget to bring your handy wipes for your friendly neighborhood knee-biters. See you in there.