Established in 1970
Volume XXXX. Number 26
Com m itted to Cultural D iversity
www.portlandobserver.com
Wednesday • lune 30. 20,0
Happy 4th of July !
Blues festival,
fireworks
pack calendar
Im agine grooving to the best blues in the
w orld w hile relaxing on the grassy banks o f
the beautiful W illam ette R iver, view ing the
glacial peaks o f Mt. H ood to the east and the
stunning P ortland skyline to the w est - all the
w hile sm iling at the thought that you are also
helping to fight hunger.
N o w o n d er m ore than 100,000 blues fans
from throughout the w orld w ill head for the
S afew ay W aterfront B lues Festival, Friday,
July 2 to M onday, July 5 at W aterfront Park,
dow ntow n.
N ow in its 23rd year, the blues ex trav a­
ganza, p resented by First T ech C redit U nion,
is the largest blues festival w est o f the M is­
sissippi and the second-largest blues festival
in the nation.
B lues fans w ill enjoy m ore than 120 stellar
perform ances on five stages, plus artist inter­
view s and w orkshops, five D elta M usic E xpe­
rience B lues C ruises on the W illam ette R iver,
activities for kids, dances, A fter-H ours B lues
Jam s at the M arriott B allroom , firew orks and Starting Friday, music fans will once again pack Waterfront Park for four days o f July 4th activities during the annual Safeway
more.
Waterfront Blues Festival. A daily admission o f $1 0 and two cans o f food supports the Oregon Food Bank.
T outed as one o f the best-run festivals
anyw here, the W aterfront B lues Festival re­
m ains a grassroots festival, produced and
operated by O regon Food B ank, a nonprofit,
charitable organization, w ith the help o f a
thousand volunteers. T he festival raises food
and funds to help people w ho are hungry
th roughout O regon and southw est W ash­
ington.
“ T he need for em ergency food rem ains at
alarm ingly high levels. T he m agic o f this
festival is that it brings people to g eth er from
throughout the w orld and from all w alks o f life
to not only en jo y great m usic but also to
create hope for p eople in n eed ,” says Food
continued
on page 19
Fireworks Back at Fort Vancouver
July 4 event has
renewed focus
A fter a y e a r’s hiatus, July 4th firew orks
are returning to Fort V ancouver. For 46 years,
the V ancouver com m unity celebrated July
4th w ith a day-long event culm inating in a
s p e c ta c u la r fir e w o rk s s h o w o v e r F o rt
V ancouver.
In 2009, the nonprofit Fort V ancouver
N ational T rust w hich produces and finances
R eturning to the e v e n t’s roots, the c e l­
the event, cancelled it due to lim ited funding. ebration will culm inate w ith a sp ectacu lar
T his y ear the trust, w ith support from B ank o f firew orks show launched not from a barge in
A m erica and o th er partners, co rp o ratio n s the C olum bia River, but from Pearson Field,
and individuals, is bringing a renew ed holi­ as it w as years ago. N ot only wi 11 the firew orks
day event to the V an co u v er com m unity.
be a half-m ile closer than in recent years, but
A ttendees w ill enjoy a renew ed focus on the display w ill be directly overhead and w ill
fam ily, co m m u n ity and fun. T he gates open include a w ider range o f p y ro tech n ics c o m ­
Sunday, July 4 at 8 a.m . The venues, including pared to past firew orks show s. T he best place
en tertainm ent on four stages spread th ro u g h ­ to view the firew orks is at the Fort V ancouver
ou t the historic site, begin at noon. T he N ational Site. It is unlikely that the firew orks
firew orks show begins at 10:05 p.m.
w ill be visible for p eople w ho are not at Fort
V ancouver.
N ew this y e a r is a firew orks prim e view ing
area w here p rim e view ing area ticket holders
w ill enjoy a catered picnic by B eaches, live
m usic on the a c o u stit stage and a spectacular
view o f the launch site and the firew orks.
Fam ilies w ill find a full sla te o f fun activities
to enjoy th ro u g h o u t the day. The atm osphere
w ill be like an old-fashioned country fair w ith
a fun, fam ily-friendly focus.
continued
on page 17