L I V E • PLAY • DO
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2017-2018 Birthday Party Guide nwkidsmagazine.com
SEPTEMBER 2017
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Editor’s Note Do you remember your favorite childhood birthday party? The one that stands out for me is my sixth birthday; we hosted a Barbie fashion show party at home, complete with fancy decorations, a miniature runway and of course, a beautifully decorated cake. Even now, I still unabashedly love my birthday, and I always – always – throw myself a party. These days, kiddo birthday parties can be elaborate and action-packed – and with all of the options out there for celebration, whittling down your choices can be quite the endeavor! Our Birthday Party Guide is here to help, from our feature on arts and creative parties on p. 10 to our extensive Resource Guide for cake (or your sweet treat of choice), party venues, gifts and entertainers. If you’ve never hired a party entertainer, we’ve got some handy tips for you on p. 26 to make sure everything runs smoothly from start to finish and you get the most for your buck. Whether you want a kindie rock musician, balloon animals, clowns or puppets, we’ve got you covered. So plan and party away! May your kid’s next birthday bash be the best yet!
Karel Cover and Contents photography by TRAVIS MARSDEN for the CRAFT FACTORY craftfactorypdx.com
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Contents
SEPTEMBER 2017 10 Imagination and Creativity Run Wild at Artsy Birthday Parties
28 Resource Guide: Performers
14 Resource Guide: Cakes, Treats & Everything Sweet
31 Resource Guide: Perfect Presents
16 Resource Guide: Places to Party
33 Get Out and Play! This month’s local adventures
26 Making Magic, Music & Memories: 12 To Do’s for Hiring Birthday Performers
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magazine Publisher Michelle Snell michelle@nwkidsmagazine.com Editor Karel Chan karel@nwkidsmagazine.com Connect With Us: • Phone: 503.282.2711 • email: contact@nwkidsmagazine.com • Facebook: facebook.com/nwkids • Instagram : @nwkidsmagazine • Twitter: @nwkids • Pinterest: pinterest.com/nwkids Correction: In the August 2017 issue, we misspelled the last name of our Color Me Cover Contest winner’s last name in the cover credits. His correctly spelled name is Jaytee Franko. Congrats again, Jaytee! NW Kids is published monthly by Miche Media, LLC. Every effort is made to ensure accuracy; sometimes we make errors. Please let us know when we do and accept our apologies. Printed locally; Please recycle.
Advertising Director Laurel Carrasco laurel@nwkidsmagazine.com Graphic Designer Robyn Barbon robyn@folkloremedia.com Client Services Coordinator Mary Brady mary@nwkidsmagazine.com Advertising Inquiries: 503-282-2711, ext. 1 sales@nwkidsmagazine.com Accounting & Business Services Heather Rex heather@nwkidsmagazine.com
Listings Academy Theater...........................................19 Aim High Martial Arts..................................... 7 Aiston Law, LLC................................................ 3 All Families Surrogacy...................................32 Art of STEM....................................................31 Barre3............................................................... 9 Bennett Suzuki...............................................15 Brain Balance.................................................32 Bricks & Minifigs............................................12 Chinook Book................................................... 9 Circuit Bouldering Gym..................................19 Club Pilates.....................................................29 ClubSport.......................................................32 Craft Factory...................................................25 Engineering for Kids......................................19 Farber Swim School.......................................25 Fazio Farms.....................................................19 Hearing Resources Audiology Center............32
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iFLY Portland..................................................36 Krugers Farm..................................................27 Little Fruit Farm..............................................15 Lloyd Center Ice Rink......................................25 Mad Science...................................................23 Made You Look...............................................29 Maker Faire.....................................................35 My Masterpiece Art Studio............................23 Naydenov Gymnastics...................................25 North Clackamas Parks and Rec....................12 Northwest Chinese Academy.......................... 9 NW Children’s Theater....................................29 NW Fencing...................................................20 OMEGA Gymnastics.......................................23 Oregon Children’s Theatre................................ 2 Oregon Episcopal School...............................35 Oregon Rail Heritage Center..........................25 Penny’s Puppets.............................................27
Pietro’s Pizza...................................................20 Play Fit Fun.....................................................15 Portland Children’s Museum.........................13 Portland Parks and Rec..................................30 Portland Trampoline........................................ 8 Pottery Fun.....................................................13 Saturday Academy.........................................25 Sensational Play.............................................23 Sit Still ...........................................................30 Spielwerk Toys................................................29 Sunshine Montessori.....................................15 The Kids’ Backyard Store.................................. 8 Tickle Clips......................................................29 Tree to Tree Adventure Park............................13 Uniquely Wise................................................25 WeVillage.......................................................27 Yoga Playgrounds..........................................13
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Imagination and Creativity Run Wild at Artsy Birthday Parties Photography by SMARTYPANTS
by AFTON NELSON
Does your promising Picasso or fledgling Frida Kahlo have a birthday coming up? A party at an art studio will appeal to kids of every personality type. Whether your child is a bold expressionist or one who is more comfortable with thoughtful observation, creating art together works for everyone because it can be both a social and an individual pursuit. If you’re considering hosting an art birthday party for your kiddo, you’ve got plenty of options to choose from, including one art studio that will come to you!
Pottery Fun
Smartypants
7821 SE Stark
5512 N Montana Ave, Portland
Bring your party-goers to the Pottery Fun studio, where 6-18 guests can pick out a piece of pottery to paint. You get 90 minutes of studio time and a keepsake plate with guests’ names on it to take home. Bring your own pizza, cake or snacks for your guests to enjoy in a dedicated party space. $14/person small item or $20/person large item.
Celebrate your young artist’s birthday by crafting at Smartypants: a two-hour party for up to 12 guests and use of a private party room, with access to the studio and outdoor courtyard. Choose a special art project from the birthday binder and a Smartypants team member provides instruction. The birthday child gets to take home a Smartypants t-shirt signed by all the party guests! $250 for up to 12 guests.
potteryfunpdx.com
My Masterpiece Art Studio 7905 SW Cirrus Dr. #27, Beaverton A dedicated host will help bring out the artist in each of your guests as you create unique pieces of artwork and share memorable moments and friendship in creative style! Whether you choose a Sampler Studio party or a little more elaborate Masters Studio party, you’ll get several types of paper or a canvas and clay to model. Starting at $155-170 for a party of five.
mymasterpieceartstudio.com
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smartypantspdx.com
Prism
Mimosa Studios
Lake Oswego
1718 NE Alberta
Stay home and let Prism bring the party to you. They bring all the materials needed for a simple, creative painting, including the aprons (although most paints are washable). Choose a project from the online gallery and an instructor will lead kids, step-by-step, through the creation of their own masterpiece. Bonus: everyone gets to go home with a gift! Parties last about two hours, depending on age. $25/guest with a minimum of 10, 20% deposit required.
Party guests can choose to paint a bisque pottery snake, bear, cat, dog, ballerina, car, butterfly, monkey, penguin, dinosaur and more, with lots of handson help to make sure everyone has a good experience. Parties last about 90 minutes, including time for cake and presents. The birthday child will receive a custom painted birthday plate with all the party guests’ names! Choose from $18/person or $14/person packages.
prismpdx.com
Bricks & Minifigs
Portland Child Art Studio
3040 NE Sandy
1819 NW Everett, Ste. 204 Art can be messy, and at PCAS mess is not only okay, it’s encouraged! Parties are available for kids 3 and up, and activities are tailored for the special kiddo’s preferences and needs, including play-based drawing, collage, painting, fingerpainting and sculpture. The kid of honor also gets a t-shirt that all of their friends sign with fabric pens – cool! Up to 15 guests, $195-295 depending on party length, $50 deposit required.
mimosastudios.com
Why yes, little plastic bricks and parts are also art! You bring the kids and food and let Bricks & Minifigs take care of the rest. Start with a free LEGO® play session, including use of a LEGO® derby car ramp, break for treats and presents, then finish by building a minifigure for each guest to take home (birthday kiddo gets two!). $125-175 for up to 12 kids, add’l $75 for two rooms and up to 20 kids.
bricksandminifigs.com/lego-birthdayparty-portland
portlandchildart.org
The Craft Factory 7832 SW Capitol Hwy, Ste. B At The Craft Factory, you and your guests can let your imaginations run wild in a private studio space. Parties last 90 minutes to 2 hours, with space and supplies for up to 20 crafters. 1-2 staff members will host your party; serving platters, plates, silverware and napkins, as well as birthday decorations, are all provided. Just bring food, drinks and guests and let The Craft Factory do the rest! Starting at $175 for 90 minutes with five guests, 50% deposit required.
craftfactorypdx.com
Afton Nelson is a Portland mom and writer who never turns down help when it comes to throwing a birthday party. Learn more about her at aftonnelson.com. NW Kids Magazine | 11
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Cakes, Treats & Everything Sweet Ice Cream, Froyo & Gelato Parlors Bassotto Gelateria* bassottopdx.com Cloud City Ice Cream cloudcityicecream.com Eb & Bean ebandbean.com Fifty Licks* fifty-licks.com Nectar Frozen Yogurt Lounge nectarfroyo.com
Miss Zumstein misszumstein.com New Cascadia Traditional (Gluten-free) newcascadiatraditional.com Nothing Bundt Cakes nothingbundtcakes.com Petunia’s Pies & Pastries (Gluten-free & vegan) petuniaspiesandpastries.com Piece of Cake Bakery pieceofcakebakery.net Sweetpea Baking Company (Vegan) sweetpeabaking.com
Ruby Jewel* rubyjewel.com
Donuts, Pie & Cupcakes
Salt & Straw/Wiz Bang Bar saltandstraw.com saltandstraw.com/wizbangbar
Blue Star Donuts bluestardonuts.com
Scoop* scooppdx.com *indicates mobile catering option! Fun!
Custom Cakes Baker & Spice bakerandspicepdx.com Bliss Bake Shop blissbakeshoppe.net
Cupcake Jones cupcakejones.net Delicious Donuts deliciousdonutspdx.com Donut Byte Labs donutbytelabs.com Lauretta Jean’s laurettajeans.com Pip’s Original Doughnuts pipsmobile.com, facebook.com/pipsoriginal
Le Cookie Monkey lecookiemonkey.com
Tonalli’s Donuts and Cream facebook.com/Tonallis-Donuts-andCream-193412440730652
Mehri’s Bakery & Cafe mehris.com
Saint Cupcake/Poplandia saintcupcake.com
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Places Animals Oregon Coast Aquarium aquarium.org
CeramiCafe Art Lounge ceramicafenw.com
Oregon Reptile Man oregonreptileman.com
Confection Crafts confectioncrafts.com
Oregon Zoo oregonzoo.org
Kids Central Kitchen cookincolor.com
Party Animals NW partyanimalsnw.com
Let It Bead letitbeadportland.com
Arcades, Fun Centers & Theme Parks
Merry Kitchen themerrykitchen.com
Electric Castle’s Wunderland wunderlandgames.com Enchanted Forest enchantedforest.com Family Fun Center fun-center.com Oaks Park oakspark.com Safari Sams jungleoffun.com
Art, Craft & Cooking Bricks & Minifigs Bricks & Minifigs is your headquarters for the best LEGO® birthday parties at the top LEGO® buy, sell, trade superstore! Call or visit to book. bricksandminifigs.com/store/portland-oregon
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Mimosa Studios mimosa-studios.com My Masterpiece Art Studio Choose a Sampler Studio, Masters Studio or Museum party for groups of 5-20 guests and work with canvas, paper or clay to create - you guessed it - your masterpiece! mymasterpieceartstudio.com Portland Child Art Studio Each PCAS Artsy Birthday Party provides two wonderful teachers and gives your kids an unforgettable and playful art experience, including sculpture building and painting. portlandchildartstudio.org Pottery Fun 90 minutes of studio time with either small or larger pottery pieces depending on package, for 6-18 painters, plus time and space for cake and snacks! Suitable for all ages. potteryfunpdx.com SCRAP scrappdx.com
to Party Smartypants Celebrate your 1-10 year old artist’s birthday with a guided art project and plenty of free time to explore the studio. Get ready for a glittery, colorful, unforgettable birthday! smartypantspdx.com Spark Arts Center sparkartscenter.com The Craft Factory The Craft Factory is a locally owned craft studio and birthday party specialist in the heart of Multnomah Village. Come explore your imagination and creativity! craftfactorypdx.com
Climbing Circuit Bouldering Gym Two hours of action-packed fun, with 90 minutes of instructor-led climbing and games and 30 minutes for cake and presents! Ages 4 and up. thecircuitgym.com Portland Rock Gym portlandrockgym.com Stoneworks Climbing Gym belay.com
Dance, Gymnastics & yoga
Vibe of Portland vibepdx.org
Echo Theater Company echotheaterpdx.org
Bowling
The Gym-Nest thegym-nest.com
Allen’s Crosley Lanes crosleylanes.com
Metro Gymnastics Center metrogymnastics.com
Grand Central Bowl thegrandcentralbowl.com
Naydenov Gymnastics Have a blast playing on the zip line, foam pits, bungees, trampolines and more. Set up and clean up is included, so you can enjoy the party! ngymnastics.com
Milwaukie Bowl milwaukiebowl.com Punch Bowl Social punchbowlsocial.com/portland Sunset Lanes sunsetlanes.com Tigard Bowl tigardbowl.com
Oregon Metropolitan Elite Gymnastics Academy - OMEGA 60 minutes of supervised gym time, including the 40 foot Tumble Trak and Pit, 30 minutes in the Party Room and an OMEGA T-shirt for the party child! omega-gymnastics.com
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Places to Party Oregon Gymnastics Academy ogagym.org
Ambassador Karaoke ambassadorkaraoke.com
Precision Elite Gymnastics precisionelitegymnastics.com
Family Cinemas familycinemas.com
Sensational Play Giggle, soar and breathe deeply while celebrating a special day with games, aerial yoga and mindfulness instruction, free play, photos and cleanup. Snack and theme options available. sensationalplay.com
Punch Bowl Social punchbowlsocial.com/portland Voicebox Karaoke Lounge voiceboxpdx.com
The Children’s Gym childrensgym.com
Laser Tag, Paintball & Go-Karts
Tumble Bus tumblebuspdx.com
Impact Action Sports impactactionsports.com
Westside Dance and Gymnastics Academy westsideacademy.com
Malibu Raceway maliburaceway.com
Yoga Playgrounds Loaded with playfulness, positivity, movement and fun, a yoga birthday party with Yoga Playgrounds is truly a unique and memorable experience. yogaplaygrounds.net
Karaoke, Music & Movies Academy Theater Party package includes private party room, pizza, soda, popcorn and admission to one regularly scheduled family movie. academytheaterpdx.com
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Sykart Indoor Racing sykart.com Ultrazone Lazer Tag ultrazoneportland.com Y Not Have Fun ynothavefun.com
Miniature Golf Glowing Greens glowinggreens.com Safari Mini Golf safariminigolf.com
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Places to Party Museums, Science & nature A.C. Gilbert’s Discovery Village acgilbert.org Art of STEM Celebrate with hands-on parties for tinkers & makers! Minecraft, Gooey Science, Reverse Engineering with Toys, Maker Station and customized events for ages 3 to 103. artofstem.com Engineering for Kids Hands-on engineering projects for ages 4-12, including LEGO® Robotics, rocket-building, helicopters and more; the birthday kiddo gets a free t-shirt. Awesome! engineeringforkids.net Kruger’s Farm Celebrate April through October birthdays farm-style at Krugers, complete with a private tractor hayride to the U-Pick fields. Each kiddo gets a pint of their picked goodies to take home! krugersfarm.com Mad Science Have a science party at the Mad Science lab or in your own home, where the birthday kid dons a white lab coat and all guests do a science experiment to take home. Get ready for slippery slimey fun! portland.madscience.org
Oregon Rail Heritage Center Train lovers will dig a birthday celebration with giant steam train! The birthday kid gets an engineer’s hat and a photo in the cab of a locomotive, to boot. orhf.org Portland Children’s Museum Portland Children’s Museum is the perfect place to host your child’s birthday party. Your party can be held in an indoor birthday party room or outside in the Outdoor Adventure pavilion. portlandcm.org
Pizza Parties John’s Incredible Pizza johnspizza.com/beaverton Mississippi Pizza mississippipizza.com Out of this World Pizza outofthisworld.net Papa’s Pizza Parlor papaspizza.net Pietro’s Pizza A Northwest family favorite since 1957! With a variety of party themes to choose from, personal pizzas, games and prizes for the kiddo, Pietro’s is THE place to book birthday parties! pietrosrestaurants.com
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Places to Party Play
Skating
Munchkin Playland munchkinplayland.com
Gresham Skate World greshamskateworld.com
Play Boutique playboutique.com
Lloyd Center Ice Rink Celebrate your child’s birthday at Lloyd Center Ice! You bring the kids... they’ll do the rest! Package includes skating for 10, private room, decorated party area, cake, party host and more. Customized options available too! lloydcenterice.com
Playdate PDX playdatepdx.com WeVillage From design and party supplies to clean up, WeVillage has got you covered. You get exclusive use of the space on a Sunday and they’ll take care of the nitty gritty! wevillage.com
Mountain View Ice Arena mtviewice.com Mt. Scott Community Center portlandoregon.gov/parks/60409
Salons
Oaks Park Roller Rink oakspark.com/roller-skating.html
Tickle Clips Get ready for the big day in style! Happy Hour special: $10 kid’s cut and a treat from the treasure chest Mon-Fri from 2-4pm. tickleclipssalon.com
Sherwood Ice Arena sherwoodicearena.com
Sit Still Salon & Shoppe From a birthday bash to getting fancy for your fête, Sit Still parties are a fun-filled way for kids to celebrate any occasion! sitstillkids.com
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Sports & Action Aim High Martial Arts Choose from three package options; all include a belt for the birthday kid signed by all the guests and a sword cakecutting! Default theme is ninja; upgrade for options like Star Wars or Pokemon, plus party favors and a bounce house. aimhighma.org
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Places to Party Archers Afield archersafield.com
Sky High Sports skyhighsports.com
ClubSport ClubSport has lots of different themes and activities for you to choose from, or create your own and they’ll do the rest. clubsports.com/oregon
Tree to Tree Adventure Park $10 per person plus admission to the aerial adventure course or zipline tour. Party packages at 10% discount for groups of 8 or more - plus, film the entire adventure yourself! tree3treeadventurepark.com
G6 Airpark g6portland.com, g6vancouver.com iFLY Host the most talked about party of the year at iFLY. Custom events for groups of any size, with flight enhancements, catering options and unique event spaces! iflyworld.com Lumberyard Bike Park lumberyardmtb.com NW Fencing Center Parties include warm up games, a mini fencing class and fencing fun for everyone. They provide tables and all fencing equipment. nwfencing.org Playground Gym theplaygroundgym.com Portland Parks and Recreation Call your local Portland Parks and Rec pool to find out about birthday party rental options! portlandoregon.gov/parks/38284
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Swimming & Water Play Evergreen Waterpark wingsandwaveswaterpark.com Farber Swim School Make a splash for your next birthday party: basic package includes 1 hour of open swim in one of two 90-degree salt water pools, 2 staff and 30 minutes of set-up/take down. Additional swim time or party time can be purchased. farberswimschool.com North Clackamas Aquatic Park Birthday parties are a splash at North Clackamas Aquatic Park! Dive into fun with a wave pool, toddler splash zone, water slides and a 29-foot rock wall. *Closed during Sept ncprd.com/aquatic-park Safe Splash Swim School safesplash.com
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Faced with entertaining a room full of children, it’s natural to want to call in reinforcements. Why not hire a professional to make your kid’s birthday a screaming success, without wanting to scream yourself? Here’s what you need to know about hiring performers to make your little’s one next party unforgettable.
Making Magic, Music & Memories: 12 To Do’s for Hiring Birthday Performers Tips for Booking Performers • Timing is everything! Make sure to plan in advance so your desired professional is available. Some in-demand performers book out weeks to months ahead. • Budget in a tip if you go through a company. Most performers are tipped $15-20 for an event.
Photograph by TAIS KULISH for RED YARN PRODUCTIONS
by ERIN CROUCH
• Have an accurate count of party attendees and a description of the location where the party will be held. Two characters in a lightsaber battle need a different kind of space than a storytelling princess. • Use a trackable payment system for deposits and get receipts.
Who Should You Hire?
• Ask about any additional costs for the performance, such as cancellation, travel fees or materials.
hich performer to choose is a personal W decision, but keeping a few things in mind can make the difference between a great party and a negative experience.
• Make sure you see actual photos of the entertainers, so expectations match reality. Ask for examples or YouTube links of the kinds of songs or tricks they’ll be performing if you haven’t seen them in person.
• Hire local! Choose a performer with a good reputation locally. If something goes wrong, it will be easier to rectify it with someone nearby. Hiring a performer directly also means they’ll keep the fee you pay, instead of splitting it with a middle man.
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• Check with several performers for quotes and availability. Make the decision based not only on price, but on professionalism and experience. Costs for performances vary widely, but most start at $150 and fees of $200-300 are not uncommon. • Ask about liability insurance and a written contract for your performance.
Make the Most of Your Performance Plan the party around your performer! You’ve hired them, so make sure you know how to optimize the experience. • Most performers have a standard set for children’s parties, ranging from 30 to 90 minutes. If they don’t tell you, ask them how long they will be performing and figure out whether you’ll have cake and presents before or after. • Include information about the performance on the party invitations so the kids can get excited beforehand, and so you can make any accommodations if necessary. • Make sure the venue is suitable and the performer has access to tables, sinks, extension cords or other needed items. When you’ve got that all sorted out, it’s sure to be the best day of the year for your little one! Check out our Birthday Performers Resource Guide on p. 28. Erin Crouch is from Alaska and lives with her family in Portland, Oregon and Tallinn, Estonia. She likes piña coladas and getting caught in the rain, which is convenient for the Pacific Northwest. You can read more of her writing on thebillfold.com, theestablishment.com and in other publications, or find her doing stand-up comedy around town. NW Kids Magazine | 27
Performers Balloon Artists
Face Painters
Joe Mishkin joemishkin.com
Fancy Faces by Amy fancyfacesbyamy.com
Slightly Twisted Balloons slightlytwistedballoons.com
Mystique’s Fancy Faces mystiquesfancyfaces.com
Tuxedo Jimmy Balloon artist with ten years’ experience! Jimmy and his wife Annie, an airbrush artist, would love to entertain at your next party! tuxedojimmy.com
Nicole’s Face Painting nicolesfacepainting.com
Clowns, Princesses & Puppeteers
Circus Arts & Magicians
Shining Faces shiningfaces.com
BJ the Clown bjtheclown.com
Alexander, Master of Marvels parlorofwonders.com
Brown Clown facebook.com/Brown-Clown-186967534690476
Erika Ryn erikaryn.com
Dragon Theater Puppets & Princesses oregonparties.com
Magic with Hart magicianportland.com
Olive and Dingo oliveanddingo.com
Presto The Magician prestothemagician.com
Penny’s Puppets Let Penny’s Puppet Productions make your special one’s birthday an extraordinary event! Their shows utilize audience participation, instill a love of music and stimulate the imagination. pennypuppets.com
Scramble James scramblejames.com
Princess Power Parties Princess Power Parties princesses are true role models! Through games and activities, kids learn the importance of being smart, confident and caring - all while having fun! princesspowerparties.com
mophillips.com
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Musicians Mo Phillips Red Yarn redyarnproductions.com The Alphabeticians thealphabeticians.com
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Perfect Presents Black Wagon From toys to gear to clothing and games, Black Wagon has a unique selection of gifts for all ages and stages. blackwagon.com Cargo cargoinc.com
Presents of Mind presentsofmind.tv Spielwerk Toys Inspired by well-made playthings that inspire free and open-ended play. Pop by and see their current collection of toys and games. spielwerktoys.com
Made You Look Well-designed birthday gifts for kids of all ages – at every price point! madeyoulookpdx.com
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NEIGHBORWALKS: PENINSULA PARK
Get Out and Play! This month’s local adventures
Sept 1
Friday Lunchtime Music Stop by Holladay Park for a free concert by the Dawid Vorster Trio. This will be the last in a series of summer lunchtime concerts, so you won’t want to miss it. Bring your favorite picnic snacks and enjoy the music! Free, holladaypark.com
Sept 9
NeighborWalks: Peninsula Park & Historic Piedmont NeighborWalks is a partnership between AARP Oregon, The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation and Oregon Walks, providing free opportunities for intergenerational neighborhood exploration! On Sept 9, learn about the history of the African American community in Piedmont. Don’t miss this chance to be active as a family while learning local history! Free, states.aarp.org/neighborwalks-2017active-stay-active
Sept 9
Tigard’s Second Annual Latino Festival Learn about Latino culture firsthand through music, dance, food and more! Face painting, craft activities and local vendors make this celebration irresistible! Free, tigard-or.gov
Sept 9
Build a City that Sparks Kids in grades K-5 are invited to bring their creativity to design their own cities. Be amazed at the beautiful results you can achieve using cardboard, copper tape, LED lights and batteries. Participants will learn about electric circuitry in the process! Free, multcolib.org/events/ build-city-sparks
Please confirm calendar events and performances as scheduling changes may occur. NW Kids Magazine | 33
PORTLAND PICNIC
Sept 10
Sept 24
Billed as a last summer hurrah, the Portland picnic is a great way to grab some last warm weather fun. All you need is a blanket and a willingness to explore the vast array of local food and wine vendors! There’ll be music and kid’s activities as well – bring the whole family and stay all day. Free, portland-picnic.com
Haven’t Sunday Parkway-ed yet this year? This is your last chance! Ride your bike through Sellwood and downtown Milwaukie, enjoying car-free streets and a wide array of community vendors. Free, portlandoregon.gov/ transportation/67625
Portland Picnic
Sunday Parkways Sellwood and Milwaukie
Sept 16
El Grito y Fiestas Patrias Celebrate Mexican independence day with food, music and cultural activities. The fun starts at 11am and goes until 11pm, so be sure to pace yourself! Free, elgritonw.com
Sept 16-17 Polish Festival
There is plenty to enjoy at this annual cultural event: dancing, music and even a polka contest! You’ll want to come hungry, because those delicious dumplings (pierogi) aren’t going to eat themselves! Free, portlandpolonia.org/festival
SUNDAY PARKWAYS
Sept 30
Harvest Moon Festival at Woodstock Library Also known as mid-autumn festival, this celebration is traditional in many Asian cultures. Gather with family and friends to watch cultural performances, listen to stories and participate in fun craft activities. Free, multcolib.org/events/ harvest-moon-festival
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