Walk, bike, bus or drive on over to the 104th Multnomah Days celebration in SW Portland!

The festival takes place Saturday, August 18 from 9am to 4pm on Capitol Highway between SW 33rd and SW 39th – Multnomah Village’s main street. Organized by the Multnomah Village Business Association and supported by many community sponsors, the event brings more than 10,000 people together to celebrate “the village at the heart of Portland.”

PDX Kids Calendar will be in there at the entrance to the Kids Zone at the Multnomah Art Center hosting a fun and interactive booth for kids and families. Tears of Joy Theatre will be with us making a snake shadow puppet and a spider finger puppet based on their upcoming play, Anansi the Spider, coming in February. Kids can also make a mask with our friends at NW Nannies. With a paper plate and a few additional craft items you can become whatever creature you choose. We have the supplies. You bring your imagination.  Just let it run wild. We will of course have our goofy props and photobooth in action! And the first 250 visitors will also receive a PDX Kids Calendar reusable shopping bag filled with information from wonderful local businesses!

Here are a few highlights of some of the other family friendly activities going on at Multnomah Days this year!

• The ‘biggest little’ parade kicks off at 10:00 a.m. with musicians, street performers, cars, pets and more. Timber Joey, the Portland Timbers’ mascot, will serve as Grand Marshal.
• Portland Parks and Recreation Rock Wall all day from 10am-4pm.
• Expanded Kid Zone located at the Multnomah Art Center, will be open from 9am to 4pm. This year, the Zone includes a mini barnyard petting zoo!
• Kiwanis Pancake Breakfast held at Key Bank from 8:00am to 11am. The cost is $6 for adults and $4 for kids twelve and under. All proceeds go to the Mt. Hood Kiwanis Camp for children and adults with disabilities.
• Meet Radz! The world’s first interactive toy, candy, and online experience. Celebrate their Portland launch at Multnomah Days. Stop by their booth in front of Sweets Etc. to check out cool candy dispensers, sample tasty gluten-free Radz candy, and have your picture taken in the “I’m So Radz” photo booth. Kids can also enter our coloring contest for the chance to win a free Radz candy dispenser!
• Two music stages- music begins immediately after the parade with The Beat Goes On Marching Band. Music will continue throughout the day with great covers from The Magnets playing from noon to 1:30, and featuring The Renegade String Band, playing blue grass from 2:00pm-4:15pm.

Parade info:
While there is no parade entry fee, organizers are asking participants to make a donation to Neighborhood House. To enter the parade, email multnomahparade at gmail.com. Attendees will also enjoy live music, a wine and beer garden for adults, and over 100 vendors showcasing art, food, crafts and other unique merchandise.

Neighborhood House, local social service non-profit headquartered in Multnomah Village, is hosting interactive activities to raise awareness about hunger and food insecurity. The organization has partnered with community volunteers to design and build a unique house sculpture constructed of toiletry items that cannot be purchased with SNAP (food stamps), such as toilet paper, hygiene supplies, diapers and paper towels. Help build the “SNAP GAP” house by donating items at Neighborhood House throughout the summer. The sculpture will be completed throughout the week and unveiled after Saturday’s parade.

Additional event highlights include:

• The fun and sudsy Dog Wash, benefiting DoveLewis Emergency Animal Hospital Blood Bank Program, at the Lucky Lab Public House following the parade until 2pm. A $10 donation is suggested.
• Sip D’ Vine Wine (& beer) Garden on Moss Street will be open from noon-10pm, with live music playing from 6pm -10pm.
• Moss Street Food Court – enjoy local faire from all over Portland and enjoy live music
• Energy Fair with all that you need to know to go green at your home or business. Presented by Umpqua Bank, Clean Energy Works of Oregon, Wise Energy Co and Live Light Energy.
• Multnomah Historical Association is hosting a free picnic for the community on Sunday August 19, from 11am-2 pm-Gabriel Park picnic sites D & E. For more information go to www.multnomahhistorical.com or call 503-893-5549

To learn more, please visit www.multnomahvillage.org. Information is updated often.