Annual Parkrose street fair delights neighbors

INCLUDES FAIR-LY FUN VIDEO | If you missed it this year, discover what ‘Parkrose Summer Nights’ offered outer East Portland visitors at this community event …

Family fun is underway as the annual Parkrose Summer Nights returns this summer.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

It was a combination of an evening street market and a community fair, on Wednesday evening, July 10: Parkrose Summer Nights was underway along NE Sandy Boulevard at 104th Avenue.

Parkrose Summer Nights, the signature public event of the Historic Parkrose Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative (HP), featured live entertainment, kids’ activities, food for purchase, and lots of community vendors.

Gathering for a photo are HP Board Members Ed Charles, Ben Batti, Jen Hudyma, JR Lilly, Leah Maurer, Samantha Montanaro, and Executive Director Annette Stanhope.

“This our second year of doing Summer Nights under this name, and in this format,” pointed out the event coordinator – HP Vice President Samantha Montanaro.

“We’ve been holding some sort of street fair or family-friendly event during the summer for a decade now,” Montanaro told East Portland News. “It’s important to hold an event like this, because our Parkrose because this community is typically under-served. So, providing a free family-friendly fair with lots of positive vibes, good music, good food, and lots of community resources – all of this helps improve the activation along NE Sandy Boulevard.”

Take a video tour of this year’s Summer Nights fair:

This year’s Parkrose Summer Nights had about 70 “collaborators” participating, Montanaro said. “We’re hosting about 50 vendors – including two food trucks, and three food vendors – along with the nonprofit organizations and governmental agencies represented.”

Visitors browse exhibits set up along the street, and parking lots in the event area.

Showing off the one of his unique T-shirt designs is Parkrose local Joel Kelley of Northwest Acid Test.

Many of the exhibitors were crafters and makers. “In our application process, we prioritize crafters and makers from the greater Parkrose area who bring cultural items,” explained Montanaro.

It takes a lot of work by many people to put the fair on, Montanaro acknowledged “But, to provide a space where kids and families can walk in for free, enjoy a fair, the live bands, free face painting, things like that – it just really means a lot to our community.”

This ‘active play area’ keeps kids entertained.

Find out more about Historic Parkrose Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative by visiting their official website: CLICK HERE.

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