Category Archives: Events

Friday Nights in July (10th, 17th, 24th , & 31st ) and Tuesday August 4th for Neighbors Night Out 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM

Please come and join your neighbors in Fernhill Park for free, family-friendly, high-quality entertainment for the 2009 Summer Concerts in Portland Parks. Fernhill Park is one of the many parks throughout the City to hold free summer concerts this year and, despite hard economic times, local sponsors and neighbors contributed generously allowing us to put together another fabulous 5-concert series featuring local performers, up close and personal. We are also lucky enough to have 5 food vendors at Fernhill Park this year-Aladdin’s Café, Hot Dog Ernie’s, Moutain Ice, NEPO 42, and Woodlawn Café and Pastry. The concert series will kick-off on Friday July 10th and end on Tuesday August 7th with the annual Neighbors Night Out (NNO) Celebration, a unique community event that focuses on community building to prevent crime and fear of crime. The NNO Celebration will begin at 6 pm with a pedestrian and bicycle parade at Faubion Elementary School and wind its way to Fernhill Park, where the festivities will continue with a concert and other fun and educational activities. Additionally, we will be selling Fernhill Park T-shirts at the concerts to raise money for future music, so make sure to bring your favorite T-shirt to be printed upon or purchase a brand new T-shirt at the concert.

Don’t miss the summer fun in Concordia! Mark your calendars and bring your family and friends and a picnic dinner to beautiful Fernhill Park for free, high-quality entertainment!

July 10:
Tony Furtado (contemporary Americana)
www.tonyfurtado.com

Tony Furtado is an extremely talented musician with a riveting voice who blends rock music with elements of Americana, folk and pop. By the age of 19 years, Furtado had earned himself a reputation as a young banjo prodigy, winning two National Bluegrass Banjo Championships. Despite the praise as a banjoist extraordinaire, he was developing himself into an equally talented slide guitarist and singer/songwriter. Never static and always evolving musically, Furtado loves to play live and has tirelessly toured for two decades. He has opened for and toured with acts such as Taj Mahal, Susan Tedeschi, and Greg Allman, and shared the stage with Sonny Landreth, Keith Richards, and Norah Jones, among many others. Furtado’s extremely impressive slide guitar skills, his 25-plus years of banjo experience, and his strong song-writing prowess has something to offer everyone, so get ready to be captivated, charmed and entertained!

July 17:
Norman Sylvester Band (original R & B)
www.normansylvester.com

Norman Sylvester is known throughout the Pacific Northwest as the Boogie Cat – a master of original blues and R & B funk. With roots in Louisiana, 25 years as a teamster, seven children and seven grandchildren, Norman has plenty to write and sing about. A mentor himself to many young musicians, Norman looks to his father, Mack Sylvester, as well as BB King, Isaac Scott, Albert Collins, Freddie King and Albert King as his deepest musical influences. His mission is to bring the healing force of music to his fans as he experiences the healing of his own soul through performance.

July 24:
The Valiant Arms (pop-leaning rock)
www.myspace.com/thevaliantarms
Presented by: Security Traders Association of Portland

Get ready to rock with the vibrant musical energy of the Valiant Arms, a power trio with a collection of original tunes inspired by the world of Northwest rock and New Wave super-hits. Guitarist Rob Jones, who has long been involved in the Northwest music scene, sings the band’s stories with bassist Diane Rios, and this two-vocal front is rounded out by drummer Eric Jensen. International Radio Broadcasting calls The Valiant Arms “a refreshing delight in modern music production and originality”.

July 31:
Voodoo Bar-B-Q (zydefunk)
www.voodoobbqband.com

Voodoo BBQ describes itself as a saucy blend of New Orleans’ funk and zydeco. Known for their creative vocal harmony and swampy zydefunkin grooves, Voodoo BBQ comes with an assortment of instruments on hand, including the banjo, washboard, and accordian. The trio is made up of Leah Hinchcliff on bass and vocals who is widely recognized as one of the Northwest’s premier bassists. Leah’s funky sound is rounded out by the rhythmic stylings of drummer Edwin Coleman III, who bangs out grooves with power and control. Voodoo BBQ’s creative sound would not be complete without Mark Bosnian on keys, accordian and vocals. Mark’s impressive songwriting skills landed him in the Oregon Music Hall of Fame in 2001 and as the Winner of the Portland Music Association’s Songwriters Contest. Get ready to be blown away by the undulating groove and funky beat of Voodoo BBQ, a zydefunkin good time for the whole family!

Tuesday, August 4 for Neighbors Night Out:
Locust Street Taxi (eclectic horn rock)
www.locuststreettaxi.com
Presented by: Concordia Neighborhood Association

Locust Street Taxi formed in 2001, five college musicians who shared a love of music, a desire to play in an original band – and very little else. The band members are intriguingly different from each other as a trombone is from a guitar. The result is an infectiously rambunctious and energetic live show the likes of which no musicologist or behavioral scientist would dare to analyze. Now with five albums to their credit and over 200 performances throughout the Pacific Northwest and west coast, the band has proven to possess an irresistible appeal for crowds of all ages. Audiences consistently find that the group’s combination of inspired musicianship, inimitable dance moves, zealous vocals and unpretentious sense of humor deliver a refreshing kick that is pure fun for the whole family.

Schedules for the Fernhill Concert Series and the over 50 free concerts to be held in Portland Parks this summer will be available at our sponsors’ places of business as well as other prominent locations throughout Concordia. Additionally, the schedules are available on-line at www.PortlandParks.org. Please look for flyers about the NNO Celebration in local businesses in the upcoming month! Contact Katie Ugolini at 503-449-9690 if you are interested in helping with the NNO Park Activities and Anne Rothert at 503-493-1938 or arothert [at] gmail.com for NNO parade information.

Fernhill Concert Series Sponsors

This year’s Fernhill Concert Series was only made possible by the generous donations of Concordia businesses and organizations. Thanks to our generous Fernhill Concert Sponsors – We couldn’t do it without them!

Presenting Sponsors: Security Traders Association of Portland, Inc. & Concordia Neighborhood Association

Major Sponsors:
Concordia University

Contributing Sponsors:
Ciao Vito, GreenHome by EcoTech, Nicholson Development

Good Neighbor Sponsors:
Andeo International Homestays, Bernie’s Southern Bistro, Community Appliances, Dog Be Well Animal Massage, Englewood Christian Church, Gazelle Natural Fibre Clothing, Geoff Dorn-Country Financial, Healthy Pets NW- Alberta, Johanna Keith – Windermere CCRG, Milagros Boutique, Neighborhood Music Lovers, Norma McAfee, New Seasons Market, Trinity Lutheran School, and Yakuza Lounge

Vendor Sponsors Invite You to Enjoy Food & Drink at the Concerts:
Aladdin’s Café, Hot Dog Ernie’s, Mountain Ice, NEPO 42, Woodlawn Coffee and Pastry

REMEMBER TO SUPPORT THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!

What a great way to get outside, be physical, and meet your neighbors! Do you have ideas for Fernhill Park during the event? Volunteering is a fun way to experience the event. This website has it all: links to sign up to volunteer, vendor and activity forms, course maps, videos from last year’s event, contact info, etc.

http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=46103&a=234995

Dine Out at Bernie’s Southern Bistro and support the Concordia Neighborhood Association Concerts in Fernhill Park, Wednesday, May 6, 2009.

Bring your friends, neighbors, family out to enjoy Sweet Potato Pie, Fried Green Tomatoes, Cinnamon Brandied Pork Chops, Red Beans & Rice… and more.

Bernie’s owner Kellie Courtney is donating 15% of the entire evening’s sales to the concert series. For this occasion no reservations will be taken.

Bernie’s Southern Bistro
2904 NE Alberta
Wednesday, May 6th
4:00 – 10:00 pm
503-282-9864

For More ways to donate or be involved contact: Anne arothert [at] gmail.com
or Judith jyeckel [at] saw.net

Meet us at the north end of the NE Jarrett Street alley between NE 31st and NE 32nd Avenues. Help celebrate Earth Day by helping clean-up an alleyway in our neighborhood. If possible, bring garden tools to help (weedwackers, pics, hoes, shovels, rakes, and gloves)

Time is running out to register for this year’s Ready. Safe. Go., the annual FREE crime prevention, safety and emergency preparedness event happening on April 25, 2009. You can choose from 21 classes designed to meet your needs and interests during three, hour-long morning sessions. And then stay for the afternoon to see what others are doing in different areas around the City during the volunteer recognition event honoring community members who help make Portland a safe and livable place to live, work and play.

Preregistration is required by April 9.

For more information, a list of classes, or to register, click on the following link or call 503-823-4064.

http://www.portlandonline.com/oni/index.cfm?c=41151

http://www.portlandonline.com/oni/?c=29385&a=237812