INCLUDES MUSICAL STREET FAIR VIDEO | Discover how fun activities, terrific vendors, and great music in outer East Portland added up to Montavilla’s biggest and best Street Fair ever …
This telephoto image, compressing five city blocks of the 11th Montavilla Street Fair into one photo, gives an idea of the massive public response to this year’s fair.
Story and photos by David F. Ashton
Parkrose Summer Nights, held on July 10 [CLICK HERE, to see that story and video] was East Portland’s first public celebration this summer put on by a business district.
Then, on July 28, the 11th annual Montavilla Street Fair once again filled “downtown” Montavilla along SE Stark Street; an attraction created by the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association (METBA) back in 2011. CLICK HERE to read about that very first event.
Enthusiastically showing this year’s T-shirt in the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association booth is the association’s Secretary, Eric Larpenteur, of The SVN Imbrie Realty Team.
Favoring this year’s Montavilla Street Fair was the temperate – in fact, downright pleasant – summer weather; it was a welcome change from past years, when the thermometer often showed readings near 100° during the afternoon.
Take our video tour and get a glimpse of what it was like to attend this great outer East Portland event; and, hear some of music playing during the event:
After parking, sometimes blocks away, this year’s visitors streamed into the area. Folks strolled along SE Stark Street, up one side, and down the other – from SE 76th to 80th Avenues – to browse the many vendors set up there.
Tunes played by bands like Reb and the Good News provide a lively soundtrack for the fair.
Greeting folks in the booth of the Presenting Sponsor, Adventist Health Portland, here are Heather Pease and CJ Anderson.
Browsing, meeting with friends and neighbors, and taking in the event, all make this family-friendly street fair a great summertime activity.
Many of the merchants along the street attracted shoppers with sales, and special offers.
Both “street fair” food or “sit-down restaurant” dining along the thoroughfare kept participants fueled throughout the day.
Showing one of his designs is vendor Clifford Charles from Off-the-Cliff.
“All of us at METBA are still really excited about the growth of Montavilla Street Fair,” the organization’s president, Neil Mattson, told East Portland News.
“The importance of the street fair cannot be overstated: It means more than a million dollars in economic impact for our community – all in a single day!” he continued.
Showing one of her fashions for sale, it’s vendor Jamie Jensen with Zahara Boutique.
Musically entertaining, it’s Rainezra in the Montavilla Public Street Plaza.
“We counted more than 25,000 people this year, with more than 200 businesses participating as vendors, or with activated store fronts – plus, 160 street vendors participated,” said Mattson.
The success of this year’s fair was due to the volunteers, Mattson remarked. “Including the all-volunteer Board of Directors and the Communications Committee, we had about 20 volunteers involved this year; we’re so appreciative of them!”
Families enjoy a delightful summer afternoon while visiting this year’s Montavilla Street Fair.
Summing it up, “Our top accomplishments for 2024 were record-breaking attendance, huge participation by the business community, outstanding support from sponsors, and the highest-quality live music on four stages,” Mattson concluded.
While attendees ambled through this year’s fair, smiling faces abounded among both the happy visitors and the pleased vendors – and that’s the sign of a successful event!
Learn more about the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association by visiting their website: CLICK HERE.
© 2024 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News™
click here to subscribe
