Friends of Mount Tabor Park celebrate its Centennial

Find out more about the two-day gala planned by a group
of hard-working volunteers …

Volunteers Gordon Magill, Dave Hillman, Doug Brenner, Bunny Marechal, David Raphael, Callie Goodman, Shawn Demarest, and Oliver Smith are planning a wide variety of activities to celebrate Mt. Tabor Park’s 100 years.

Story and photo by David F. Ashton
A dedicated group of volunteers, known as the Centennial Celebration Planning Committee, have been working diligently for months planning a birthday party for Mt. Tabor Park, scheduled for August 1st and 2nd.

“We’re all volunteers,” noted chair, Dave Hillman, at a recent meeting of the group. “We have been working on this event because we’re all excited about sharing our enthusiasm for our 200-acre park that’s been part of our neighborhood area for the past 100 years. We all enjoy and recognize the value of this park. And, we’re taking action to make sure that it’s around for another hundred years.”

Hillman said they want to share their passion for Mt. Tabor Park with others.

“We want everyone to be aware of all of the activities that can take place in the park. Many people come up for walking or hiking. But, it’s also a good site for art or photography,” he said. “It’s a good place to get away from the hustle and bustle of the world – and to seem to be in the middle of the wilderness while still being near the middle of the city.”

As part of the Mt. Tabor Park Centennial Celebration, Hillman told us that the committee hopes to induce people who’ve never explored the park to come for a visit. “And, we hope people consider it like a ‘homecoming’ for folks who came here in the past – but haven’t been back in a while.”

Limited parking available
The party planners noted that limited parking is available on Mt. Tabor, and recommends carpooling and taking public transit when coming for concerts or other major events during the two-day celebration.

Selected events
Here are some of the events planned for the two-day festival:

• Pacific Crest Wind Symphony Concert – Saturday Evening, August 1, 7-8 p.m.
• Get-A-Life Marching Band Concert – Sunday, August 2, 3-4 p.m. They’ll parade into the park from the Salmon Street entrance at approximately 3 p.m., pause briefly, and then play some of their rousing tunes near Reservoir # 5.
• Centennial Celebration Art Show – both days.
• Plein Air Paint Out and Exhibit – both days.
• Mount Tabor Historic Photographs Display – both days.
• Men With Sticks – both days, 10 a.m.
• Mount Tabor Centennial Celebration Volkswalk – Saturday, August 1, 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
• Portland Parks & Recreation Department Climbing Wall – both days.
• Portland Police Bureau K-9 Tracking Dog Team Demonstration – Saturday, August 1 at 2 p.m.
• Kids’ Parade – Saturday, August 1, 3-3:30 p.m.
• Ice Cream Social – Saturday, August 1, 4-5 p.m.

… and much more!

“We hope that anyone who has been enchanted by Mt. Tabor Park will come on August 1st and 2nd, and join your fellow Portlanders and out-of-town visitors alike in celebrating the park’s first 100 years of beauty and service to us all,” Hillman concluded.

Find out more:
Discover all of the activities, concerts and programs that are part of this celebration. Their website has a complete listing, including time and location: http://www.mttabor100.org.

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News