Leisure

Sullivans Gultch, 1932. Click to enlarge

Explore the Rich History When: Thur, Sept 1, 2011 6PM-8PM Where: NE 11th & Holladay (Lloyd Center MAX station) Portland, OR Get Map! Cost: Free!

Join the fun
Walk across a gulch created by the catastrophic Missoula Floods. Hear the gulch’s stories—geologic and human--and explore the neighborhoods along its rim: Sullivan’s Gulch, where large old homes and trees offer beautiful walking, and Kerns, where light industry has thrived for over a hundred years.

About the Photos Sullivan’s Gulch was created by the catastrophic Missoula Floods. The gultch has been a route for trains, and now the I-84 freeway and MAX light rail follow its path. In 1932 part of Lloyd Golf Course lay in the gultch. Most of the course was atop the south bank of Sullivan’s Gulch (up the slope on the right) but a couple of the holes, including this green under construction, were down in the gulch itself. (Top) View east, about NE 15th, (Right) View east, NE 21st. NE 28th Ave overpass in the back of both.

Sullivan's Gultch, 2010. Click to enlarge

Oregon State Fair, through Monday

Art, Legos, Pirates and more Labor Day events in and around Portland this year has something for everyone. So, celebrate summers end. Gather the family and head out this weekend for some old fashion fun!

Art in The Pearl Festival
A well-named event takes care of the what and the where. There is also plenty of live music and food. Sat-Mon. Get Map FREE

LEGO Games Summer Tour
Located at Pioneer Square & Director Park (Get Map) - Play with life sized LEGO board games. "Features one-of-a-kind localized gameplay for Portland-area residents." -- Find out what that means! Fri-Sun at Pioneer Square; Monday at Director Park. 9AM-5PM. FREE

Ahoy and Avast!
The sixth annual Portland Pirate Festival invades Historic St. Helens, Oregon this Saturday and Sunday, September 3 and 4, 2011. Get Map. The fest features pirate-themed and non-pirate-themed music, dance and performance, historical reenactments (with cannons!), stuff for kids, and of course there grub and grog! The aaarrrs begin at 10AM both Saturday and Sunday, and continue until midnight pm Saturday and 10PM Sunday. Tickets $12 adults, $6 kids under 12, available at the gate.

Livestock, corn dogs and wild rides
The Oregon State Fair, under way this weekend, has it all. Through next Monday. Hours are 10AM-11PM Friday-Saturday, and 10AM-10PM Sunday-Monday. Where: Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th St. NE, Salem OR. Get Map. Tickets: $11 for ages 13-64, $6 for seniors and kids ages 6-12.

Chapman Vaux’s Swift Watch 2011
Every September thousands of Vaux’s Swifts come to Portland. They spend their days eating, then in the late afternoon the Swifts begin flying in a giant undulating swirl in the sky about the Chapman School at 1445 NW 26th in northwest Portland. Get Map. Around sunset they swirl more tightly, like a ground pepper tornado, and begin disappearing, down the chimney. On the lawn below, hundreds of Portlanders gather on lawn chairs and blankets to stare at this spectacular event. FREE

Have a great weekend!

Rain Garden, Functional beauty

Lots of Creative Ideas When: Sat Sep 10, 2011 9AM-1PM Where: (Multiple locations) Meet at Main City Park, Springwater Trail parking Gresham, OR Get Map!

Rain garden: Landscaping that absorbs water from your roof or driveway

Free Tour
Join the Johnson Creek Watershed Council and the City of Gresham's Watershed Division on a tour of Hollybrook Neighborhood rain gardens. Learn about native plants, natural gardening and building your own rain garden at home to help improve water quality and wildlife habitat.

Registration required. Meet at the Main City Park Springwater Trail parking lot in Gresham at 9AM. Tour will go until noon. Bring supplies for a picnic in Main City Park from noon until 1PM. Please wear a helmet and bring a water bottle and sunscreen.

Saturday Family Walks, Greater Gresham

When: Sat, Sep 10, 2011 9AM-10:30AM Where: Greater Gresham area Meet at Gresham City Hall (Next to MAX station) 1333 Eastman Pkwy Gresham, OR Get Map!

Lace Your Shoes, Let's Go Walking!
The Gresham Regional Center Transportation Management Association hosts free monthly Saturday Family Walks in Gresham.

Bring the Family
Family Walks start at 9AM sharp on the Gresham City Hall Plaza next to the MAX station, 1333 N.W. Eastman Parkway. Wear comfortable shoes and bring a bottle of water. These family walks will cover a couple of miles at a pace suitable for families.

The walks will take about 1.5 hours and return to the same starting location.

Family Bike Rides, Gresham metro area

When: Sat Sep 10, 2011 10AM-1PM Where: Greater Gresham area Meet at Main City Park 219 S. Main Ave Gresham, OR Get map!

Join the Fun
If you are new to cycling, are a family with kids, or are just trying to get back on a bike this ride series may be just what you're looking for. These are slower paced group rides of about 8 to 10 miles around Gresham that pass by parks, schools, and other public facilities. The route is mostly on bike paths, bike lanes, and low traffic residential streets.

Adult Bike Ride, Gresham / Troutdale

When: Sun Sep 11, 2011 10AM-1PM Where: Greater Gresham area Meet at Main City Park 219 S. Main Ave Gresham, OR Get map!

Adult Fun!
This series of free, moderately-paced adult group bicycle rides will explore the area between Gresham, Troutdale and the Sandy River as well as East Portland. Bike rides range from 15 to 25 miles. The group will travel along at around 13/15 mph and stop for coffee, bakery sweets, or ice cream somewhere along the route.

Riders are encouraged to arrive 10 minutes early, the group leaves at 10AM sharp from Gresham’s Main City Park at the corner of Powell Boulevard and Main Avenue in historic downtown.

Oregon State Fair, through Monday

Art, Legos, Pirates and more Labor Day events in and around Portland this year has something for everyone. So, celebrate summers end. Gather the family and head out this weekend for some old fashion fun!

Art in The Pearl Festival
A well-named event takes care of the what and the where. There is also plenty of live music and food. Sat-Mon. Get Map FREE

LEGO Games Summer Tour
Located at Pioneer Square & Director Park (Get Map) - Play with life sized LEGO board games. "Features one-of-a-kind localized gameplay for Portland-area residents." -- Find out what that means! Fri-Sun at Pioneer Square; Monday at Director Park. 9AM-5PM. FREE

Ahoy and Avast!
The sixth annual Portland Pirate Festival invades Historic St. Helens, Oregon this Saturday and Sunday, September 3 and 4, 2011. Get Map. The fest features pirate-themed and non-pirate-themed music, dance and performance, historical reenactments (with cannons!), stuff for kids, and of course there grub and grog! The aaarrrs begin at 10AM both Saturday and Sunday, and continue until midnight pm Saturday and 10PM Sunday. Tickets $12 adults, $6 kids under 12, available at the gate.

Livestock, corn dogs and wild rides
The Oregon State Fair, under way this weekend, has it all. Through next Monday. Hours are 10AM-11PM Friday-Saturday, and 10AM-10PM Sunday-Monday. Where: Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th St. NE, Salem OR. Get Map. Tickets: $11 for ages 13-64, $6 for seniors and kids ages 6-12.

Chapman Vaux’s Swift Watch 2011
Every September thousands of Vaux’s Swifts come to Portland. They spend their days eating, then in the late afternoon the Swifts begin flying in a giant undulating swirl in the sky about the Chapman School at 1445 NW 26th in northwest Portland. Get Map. Around sunset they swirl more tightly, like a ground pepper tornado, and begin disappearing, down the chimney. On the lawn below, hundreds of Portlanders gather on lawn chairs and blankets to stare at this spectacular event. FREE

Have a great weekend!

How to Train Your Dragon

"Alack, the village of Berk has a dragon problem. Every now and then, a flock of them descends from the sky to snatch a nervous sheep or two or 20. It’s a ba-a-a-a-d situation, particularly for the sheep..." When: Fri, Aug 5, 2011 7PM-10PM Where: Gresham Center for the Arts Plaza NE 3rd Street (between Kelly & Hood) Gresham, OR Get Map!

Pack your picnic!
Head to the Center for the Arts Plaza for Pictures In The Park presenting How to Train Your Dragon, sponsored by Gresham Churches. Live music begins at 7:00PM; movies begin at dusk. Free freshments will be available.

View movie trailer below this break

Freshwater mussel

Volunteer Opportunity! When: Sat, Aug 6, 2011 10AM-1:30PM Where: Ambleside Creek (contact for exact location) Gresham OR Get Map!

Find Freshwater Mussels
The City and Johnson Creek Watershed Council seek volunteers to come learn about these creatures and spend two hours searching for them from 10AM to 1:30PM on Saturday Aug. 6 in Gresham. All ages welcome.

Last year's survey results were astounding. Extensive beds of Western pearlshell mussels were identified. This, and finding four adult Coho salmon last fall, tells us the Gresham reaches of Johnson Creek are able to once again support these native fish. Probably in part due to the cleaning power of the mussels!

Zimmerman House, Gresham OR

Every Saturday through August When: Sat Aug 6, 2011 10AM-3PM Where: Zimmerman Park 17111 NE Sandy Blvd Gresham, OR Get Map!

A lasting vestige of East Multnomah County's agricultural roots

A delightful 1874 Victorian farmhouse
Take a step back into history at the Zimmerman House, a Victorian era farmhouse, built in 1874 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This beautiful farmhouse is a perfect reflection of typical Columbia River dairy farm life in the late 1800s. The Zimmerman Heritage Farm is a unique cultural education and recreational resource that is being created for the benefit of the public on a 5.98-acre historic site in Gresham, Oregon.

Open house and tours every Saturday through August 10AM-3PM