For the fourth consecutive year, Portland Parks & Recreation's free concert in the park series is made possible through the support of Daimler Trucks North America
A summer tradition for nearly 60 years, Portland Parks & Recreation's popular Washington Park Summer Festival opens today, August 2 with a concert by the Norman Sylvester Band with Gretchen Mitchell & Renato Caranto at 6 p.m. at the Washington Park Amphitheater. Running nightly through August 16, the free concerts feature a diverse array of music, from world beat and jazz to classical and rhythm & blues.
For the fourth consecutive year, the concert series is being made possible by the generosity of Daimler Trucks North America.
Presented with free admission, all concerts begin at 6 p.m. at the Washington Park Amphitheater. Picnics are welcome and there will be food vendors on site at the Amphitheater. Alcoholic beverages for personal consumption are permitted in the park only during the concerts.
To avoid parking hassles, concertgoers are encouraged to take TriMet Bus #63 or ride the MAX Blue Line to the Oregon Zoo and take the Rose Garden Shuttle to the performances.
For more information on the concerts, visit portlandparks.org or call 503.823.5446. Concerts will not be cancelled except in case of serious rain.
2008 Washington Park Summer Festival Schedule:
Washington Park Amphitheater Stage, 6 p.m.
August 2 Norman Sylvester Band with Gretchen Mitchell & Renato Caranto (original R&B)
August 3 Portland Festival Symphony
August 4 Lions of Batucada: A festival of Brazilian music and dance
August 5 Jim Beatty Jazz Band (mainstream/swing)
August 6 Pride of Portland (a cappella harmonies)
August 7 Yes Indeed! Charmaine Neville & Reggie Houston
(N'Awlins music y'all!)
August 8 The Balkan Fusion Project (lively dance orkestar)
August 9 Sanyu! An Evening of Gospel and Much More
August 10 Portland Festival Symphony with 3 Leg Torso
August 11 Los Cowtones (cowboy swing)
August 12 PDXV (straight ahead jazz)
August 13 Locust Street Taxi (eclectic horn rock)
August 14 Ellen Whyte Band (heart rockin' blues)
August 15 Portland SummerFest: Opera in the Park
Lucia di Lammermoor by Donizetti
August 16 Conjunto Alegre (Caribbean dance party)
August 17 & 18 Rain Dates
Dear Commission:
Every year with my family, I go to your Festival that I enjoy a lot. The environment and the artists are always marvelous. I dream to performance in that beautiful scenario; I am the artistic director of well recognized Professional's Children Mexican Folkloric dance troupe: Ballet Papalotl. We have performed in places like City Hall, Pioneer Square, 5 de Mayo Waterfont, PSU, Multhnomah Co. Libraries & Schools, etc.; we have earned first prices at the Rose Festival and Junior Parade. I hope you can give us the opportunity to send you pictures or a video. We do interactive dance performances and costume fashion shows. I think we would be a very good option in your summer schedule. I hope that yo can contact me by phone (971)235-5340 or e-mail: kenya.marquez@gmail.com.
Thank you in advance! Kenya Hyde-Marquez