Circus Train

It´s circus time! Take a journey through luscious scenery to the foothills of Mount Hood, including a stopover in the charming town of Parkdale, as the Mount Hood Railroad offers a special excursion circus train ride. As kids (and adults!) hop on board, they can imagine that they´re running away to join the big top. Clowns will entertain passengers throughout the train´s journey across the beautiful Hood River Valley. For more details, visit the Official Site. Rated: Kid-Friendly!

The Mount Hood Railroad Circus Train

Northwest Quilters Quilt Show

Every year since 1974, Northwest Quilters has produced a Community Quilt Show. In addition to hundreds of quilts on display, the show has a featured quilter, lectures, demonstrations, and a merchant mall with many vendors. The theme for the 2002 show is "Galaxy of Stars" and for 2003, "Crazy for Quilts." The annual quilt show is usually held during Memorial Day Weekend at the Washington County Fairgrounds and is open to the public. There is a nominal admission fee.

For more information, please send an SASE to Northwest Quilters, P.O. Box 82158, Portland, OR 97282-0158

Saturday Market

Portland´s Saturday Market, is the nation´s largest continuously operating open-air arts and crafts market, displaying hand-crafted wares on Saturday and Sunday, from the first weekend in March through Christmas Eve (December). Vendors who sell at the Market come from Oregon, Washington, and surrounding states.

Saturday Market

Silverton Hills Strawberry Festival

Mounds of deliciously sweet strawberries from the Willamette Valley fields heaped over homemade shortcake and smothered with fresh whipped cream and vanilla ice cream. Life doesn´t get much better than this! For those of you who are looking for directions to this strawberry paradise, here they are: Silverton is about 15 miles east of downtown Salem; 12 miles east of Interstate 5. Distance from Portland is about 42 miles. Traveling south from Portland, take Exit 360B - marked Chemawa - from I-5 and drive east to Silverton. (Event is held each June on Father´s Day)

Salem Art Fair and Festival

Oregon´s largest, longest running art festival: over 200 artists, continuous free performances, hands on art activities, special kids´ court, food booths with an international variety of fare. All under the oaks in Bush´s Pasture Park.

Salem Art Fair and Festival

Murder Mystery Dinner Train

Take a journey through luscious scenery to the foothills of Mount Hood, as the Mount Hood Railroad offers a special Murder Mystery Dinner Train. Passengers will be entertained with a sumptuous dinner and a murderously funny evening with a whodunit performed by professional actors, as the train travels across the beautiful Hood River Valley. For times, dates, and prices, be sure to check out the official site of the Mount Hood Railroad.

Murder Mystery Dinner Train

Tulip Festival - Woodburn

Beginning at the end of March, more than 100 acres of tulips and novelty daffodils burst into bloom every spring at the Wooden Shoe Bulb Co., located in Woodburn, just off Interstate 5 between Portland and Salem. At the bulb farm, you´ll find nearly 190 varieties of tulips and 45 kinds of daffodils. During bloom time, hundreds of thousands of visitors come from all over the Northwest to view the spectacle, order bulbs for fall planting, and purchase cut flowers. (Be sure to request their free catalog!)

Woodburn, Oregon

Annual Verboort Sausage and Kraut Dinner

This year marks the 67th year for the Annual Verboort Sausage and Kraut Dinner. Festivities begin a week before the event, when 40 volunteers will make the 13 tons of sausage that will be eaten. Once made, the sausage hangs in the parish smokehouse until the dinner. The rest of the meal includes homemade sauerkraut and applesauce, mashed potatoes, gravy, green beans, rolls, pie, coffee and milk. Last year, more than 8,000 dinners were served.

4285 NW Visitation Road
Hillsboro, OR

Woodburn Berry Festival

Woodburn has added a new festival to their summer line-up for 2002 - The Woodburn Berry Festival, July 26-28! This event will feature fresh berries from the area and hot air balloon rides. City organizers are hoping this fruity happening will become an annual community festival. If you need more information, or if you´d like to volunteer, please call (503) 980-2478.

Iris Festival - Keizer

Traditionally, the Keizer Iris Festival kicks off with the Open Art Show on May 1 and runs through May 31. Then, something magical happens toward the middle of the month. Residents and visitors are treated to three fun-filled days with a parade through the city, carnival, food booths, trade show, live music, and dancing, billed as "Keizer Washington Mutual Iris Days." Don´t miss out - call for more information 503-393-9111!

Woodburn Tulip Festival

At the Wooden Shoe Bulb Company, a family-owned, 100-acre bulb farm in Woodburn just off Interstate 5 between Portland and Salem, you´ll find nearly 190 varieties of tulips and 45 kinds of daffodils. During bloom time, from March 20 through April 20, visitors are invited to come and see the fields, order bulbs for fall planting, and purchase cut flowers. (Be sure to request their free catalog!)
Wooden Shoe Bulb Company

Oregon Theatre Events

Complete listings of all theatre events in Oregon through December 2002, including musicals, revues, and opera and their opening and closing dates. Be sure to bookmark this site as new programs are added. A separate page shows only Portland theatre events.

Oregon Theatre Events

Oregon Ag Fest

Celebrate agriculture in Oregon - one of the few industries that affects everyone´s life. Each April, Ag Fest presents a two-day, hands-on event at the Oregon State Fairgrounds in Salem. Activities include Ag Country and Farmland Play Area, a petting zoo, a how-to-garden Fair, a trade and craft show, and a llama show. The event traditionally begins its kick off with an Old-Fashioned Ranch Breakfast.

Oregon Ag Fest

Holiday Cheer & Authors Party

For over 30 years the Oregon Historical Society´s annual "party" has honored Northwest authors. Meet over 60 of them as they display, autograph and sell their latest books during this popular event. You can also learn about other upcoming events at the Oregon History Center by calling their 24-hour Information Line at 503-306-5198.

Holiday Cheer & Authors Party

Oktoberfest

Portland Brewing Company presents the Annual Uncle Otto´s Oktoberfest, "Where Lederhosen meets Led Zeppelin." Now in its ninth year, Portland's only brewery-based celebration plays host to thousands of partygoers from Oregon and Southwest Washington by offering Bavarian food and beer with "high-octane polka" musical guests.

Portland Brewing Company

(Due to the events on September 11, 2001, they held a fundraiser for The American Red Cross in place of the Oktoberfest celebration.)

Salmon Festival

The Annual Salmon Festival celebrates the return of the fall chinook salmon to the Sandy River and inspires protection of native salmon and their habitat. The two-day event takes place at Metro´s Oxbow Regional Park located in the scenic Sandy River Gorge eight miles east of Gresham. Native salmon have migrated for thousands of years from the Pacific Ocean to the Sandy River and may be viewed spawning at Oxbow Regional Park during the festival and throughout October.

Salmon Festival

Mt. Angel Oktoberfest

"For the Best of Times"
Each September, the hills of Mt. Angel, Oregon, come alive with the sound of Bavarian music (and the aromatic delights of German bratwurst and sauerkraut!).

Mt. Angel Oktoberfest

Grotto´s Festival of Lights

Opening Nov. 30, the month-long holiday music festival features spectacular lights, hourly choral concerts, puppet shows, petting zoo, and more, all in a 62-acre forested sanctuary setting. One of Oregon´s best-known annual events!

Grotto´s Festival of Lights

Open Air Antique Fair - Oregon City

The Annual Open Air Antique Fair in downtown Oregon City is a one-day event sponsored by the Oregon City Chamber of Commerce and features 150 antique and collectible dealers. The event draws dealers from Oregon, Washington, California and Arizona bringing vintage clothing, depression glass, toys, yard and garden collectibles, tools, records, books, furniture and much more. You are welcome to bring your own keepsakes or treasures to be appraised at the appraisal stage.