This year for Fathers Day we decided to ask a few Dads we know – local musicians, business owners, bloggers, and our own two PDX Kids Calendar Dads – what Fatherhood meant to them.

They told us that Father hood is … an unbelievably rewarding challenge … the reason I’m here … stressful joy … the most rewarding feeling in the world … WAY too much for a single sentence … gratitude … being able to slow down and enjoy the world around you … joy and frustration … what helps me to be a better person … mirroring the type of man I would like my boys to grow into … an incredible experience full of joy and responsibilities … a grand adventure … always a challenge, rarely a breeze, yet I’d never change a minute of it!

We also asked them to share with us a few of their favorite things to do in Portland, how they balance work and family, and to share a favorite memory or two. Click the images below to read a bit more about these amazing, diverse, talented, dedicated Portland fathers.

We want to extend a very special thank you to Kim Campbell of Campbell Salgado Studios for capturing 13 amazing images of Fatherhood for us.

Happy Fathers Day to all the wonderful Dads out there!