Categories
Plaza Events

Summer 2023 Game Nights in the Plaza

Thursdays all Summer: Game Night in the Plaza in St. Johns

Each Thursday night from June 8th – August 31st, the St. Johns Boosters are organizing game nights in the St. Johns Plaza. Game nights begin at 6:30 PM.

Check the button below to see the list of games, watch instructional videos, and read the game directions!

A very special thank you to Kevin Cantrell for setting up the webpage describing the games and including links for directions and instructional videos.

Thank you to our sponsoring businesses!

Categories
Plaza Events

Summer 2023: St. Johns Plaza Events

What a great time was had by all last month, with the opening of the St Johns Farmers Market and the long-awaited comeback of the St Johns Parade and St Johns Bizarre! It was truly inspiring to see the district filled with music, food, and community groups for all to enjoy. A huge thank you to all who made those events happen!  

St. Johns Bites Recap

Our St Johns Bites Instagram event ended May 15 with hundreds of photos submitted and $600 worth of gift certificates given to the winners, which gives extra support to our food and beverages businesses. 

Summer is HERE and with it are a host of events to keep St Johns busy and activated! Below are some fun things that we have planned for the Plaza. 

Thursdays all Summer: Game Night in the Plaza in St. Johns

Game Night in the Plaza

Beginning June 8th, every Thursday evening from 6:30 – 8:30 pm in the months of June, July, and August, the St Johns Boosters invite you to Game Night in the Plaza in partnership with PBOT. Each week a different business or community organization will host. We have a ton of great games for you to use – just bring yourselves!

Knit in Public Day

Saturday, June 10 from 11 am – 2 pm, Weird Sisters is hosting a Knit in Public Day in honor of Worldwide Knit Day. This is a drop-in event and is a great time to knit or crochet outside with your community.

Knit in Public Day in the St. johns Plaza, June 10th
Block Party, Saturday June 17th

Block Party

Saturday, June 17th from 12 – 4 pm, the Boosters are hosting a Block Party in the Plaza, a public event in partnership with SJNA and the Safer Together initiative with PBEM and the St Johns NET Team. Instead of a potluck for this party, we are encouraging folks to grab some takeout from one of our local businesses and bring it to the Plaza! We’ll have coupons and specials to entice you. There will be a short presentation on disaster preparedness and the opportunity to mingle with businesses and neighbors.

Father’s Day

Sunday, June 18th is Father’s Day and our Events Committee is coming up with some fun itineraries to celebrate those special dads in your life.

Dance United Returns

Thursday, June 29th from 6 – 8 pm Dance United returns to the Plaza for some Bollywood dancing led by DJ Prashant! This is a multi-cultural celebration that is free to attend and open to all! For those that attended last year, you will remember what a great time we had, and we can’t wait to dance with you again!

Neighbors dancing in the St. Johns Plaza

As always, thank you for supporting your local businesses! 

–Liz Smith
St. Johns Boosters Chair

Categories
Events

Spring Forward in St. Johns, 2023

St. Johns Boosters is sponsoring some fun, family-friendly events and you’ll want to mark your calendar!

Spring Fling, 2023

Spring Fling

When: April 15th throughout St. Johns, all day / in the Plaza 11 am – 2 pm

The Spring Fling returns to the St. John’s Plaza Saturday, April 15th. Plaza events kick off at 11 a.m., with mini horses for petting, chalk art, a photo bus, and more, until 2 p.m. Local merchants offer day-long activities and specials, so be sure to make the rounds of our many different shops.

St. Johns Spring Bites

When: April 15th – May 15th

St. Johns Bites

St. Johns Spring Bites also kicks off on April 15th. Just for grabbing your usual beverage or meal at our varied restaurants, cafes, bars, or food trucks, you can win a $50 gift certificate to local shops. All you do is Instagram a photo of your food or beverage and tag the business and #stjohnsbites. You’ll be automatically entered to win one of the three weekly drawings. That’s 12 chances to win!

Whether you’re a regular or have been meaning to try a new local spot, St. Johns Bites is a great time to sample the food and drink right here in our neighborhood. Jumpstart your chances of winning a $50 prize when you circulate during the April 15th Spring Fling, and finish with a bang at the May 13th St. John’s Parade and Bizarre.

Thank you to Venture Portland and Prosper Portland for their ongoing support of our district events.

We can all use a little Spring cheer, so let’s show our local businesses how much we appreciate them. 

Categories
Events

Holiday 2022: Ugly Sweater Events

Ugly Sweater events are happening in St. Johns this season. Don’t miss out on the fun!

Ugly Sweater Events, Part of Light Up St. Johns

Light Up St. Johns Holiday Tree Lighting

Friday, November 18th / 5 – 7 PM
St. Johns Plaza / N Lombard and N Philadelphia

  • Lighting the Community Tree in the St. Johns Plaza
  • Enjoy a choir
  • Giveaways of Ugly Sweater ornament kits
  • Hot chocolate & cookies!
  • Ugly Sweater photo ops.

Shopping Event

Saturday, November 19th / 11 am – 4 pm
Participating stores throughout St. Johns

  • Specials at participating storefront businesses
  • Gift certificates & goods from Home Service businesses at the Plaza!
  • District-wide Shopping Extravaganza for raffle basket entry
  • Holiday markets at various stores
  • Ugly Sweater photo ops in the Plaza
  • Free Hot Chocolate in the Plaza.

Shopping Extravaganza

Friday, November 18th – Sunday December 18th
Participating stores throughout St. Johns

  • Win 1 of 4 raffle baskets
  • Take a photo inside a St. Johns retail business
  • Post on Instagram with #lightupstjohns and tag the business
  • The more businesses you go into and enter, the more chances you have of winning!
  • Winners will be drawn and notified on December 19th via Instagram.

Ugly Sweater Bar Crawl

Friday, December 9th – Sunday, December 11th
Any St. Johns drinking establishment

  • Win a nightly $50 Gift Certificate!
  • Go to any St. Johns drinking establishment
  • Wear an ugly sweater
  • Post a picture on Instagram with hashtags #lightupstjohns and #uglysweaterstjohns
  • Tag the business
  • Winners will be notified on Instagram.
Ugly Sweater Events, Part of Light Up St. Johns

Download a 1-page PDF flyer of the Ugly Sweater Events

Categories
Events

Halloween in St. Johns 2022

Halloween Trick or Treating October 29 1 - 3 pm

St. Johns gets spooky and fun on Saturday, October 29th.

Join the St. Johns Boo-sters for trick or treating from 1 -3 pm. Enjoy treats around the St. Johns Business District on downtown Lombard and adjacent streets. Wear your costumes for more fun!

Three "birds" trick-or-treating in St. Johns.
Trick or treaters from a past year.

Learn more on our Events page.

Categories
Events

Fall 2022 Events

St. Johns is a happening place. Just look at what the St. Johns Boosters have lined up for the next few months!

St. Johns Bites

Visit a St. Johns food establishment and post a picture of the meal to Instagram. Include the #stjohnsbites hashtag and tag the restaurant in your Instagram post, and you are entered to win a $50 Gift Certificate to that business.  Three winners are chosen each week!

Happening:

September 20th – October 20th at all St. Johns restaurants, bars, coffee shops, food trucks, etc.

St. Johns Bites poster, September 20 - October 20

Download printable poster, 1-page PDF file


Fall Fling

St. Johns Boosters present the Fall Fling Shopping Event with specials and sales at all participating St. Johns Businesses. Love Revolution will play in the Plaza from 2 – 6 pm.  Come enjoy the fun and support your local St. Johns small businesses.

Happening:

Saturday, September 24th, 2 – 6 pm at St. Johns Business District shops.

St. Johns Fall Fling Poster, September 24th

Download printable poster, 1-page PDF file.


Halloween Trick or Treat

Come join the St. Johns Businesses along Lombard and adjacent streets for Trick or Treating. Wear your costume for more fun!

Happening:

Saturday, October 29th from 1 – 3 pm at St. Johns businesses.

A trick-or-treating family outside of Tulip Pastry Shop

Light Up St. Johns Events

Warm for the Winter Ugly Sweater Community Tree Lighting

While lighting the tree, choirs will be singing, Ugly Sweater ornaments kits will be given out along with hot Chocolate and cookies!  There will be Ugly Sweater photo ops, Shopping passports and Holiday Markets to enjoy!  Come join the fun of St. Johns.

Happening:

Friday, November 18th from 5 – 7 pm in the St. Johns Plaza.

Christmas Tree with lights in the St. Johns Plaza

Warm for the Winter Ugly Sweater Shopping Event

SUPPORT LOCAL SMALL BUSINESSES!

Come to the St. Johns Plaza for Gift Certificates to purchase from St. Johns Home and Service Businesses. Get a Shopping Passport for Raffle Basket entry and enjoy the Holiday Markets and specials at the Store Front businesses. Ugly Sweater photo ops and Hot Chocolate will be handed out to keep you “Warm for the Winter with an Ugly Sweater”!!!

Happening:

Saturday, November 19th, 11 am – 2 pm in the St. Johns Plaza.

Warm for the Winter Ugly Sweater Bar Crawl

Go to any St. Johns Drinking establishment and post a picture on Instagram with a drink while wearing an Ugly Sweater. Include the #lightupstjohns hashtag and tag the restaurant in your Instagram post, and you are entered to win a daily $50 Gift Certificate to that Business.

Happening:

Friday, December 9th – Sunday, December 11th at all St. Johns drinking establishments.

Categories
St. Johns Boosters

St. Johns Pocket Park!

St. Johns Pocket Park project will beautify a nearly barren patch of land adjacent to the St. Johns Plaza and provide a natural area using native plants for all to enjoy. 

For the past year, the Boosters have been working with 1855 Plants, Resilience Design, and Sauvie Island Natives to re-landscape the space at the entrance to the downtown business corridor in St Johns! 

This is made possible through a grant from Venture Portland and Prosper Portland, and community donations. 

Thank you to these businesses and community organizations!

Native Plant Pocket Park poster, St. Johns Oregon

Location and Volunteer Opportunities

The Pocket Park location is on N Ivanhoe & N Philadelphia in St Johns, next to Burgerville. Come out and volunteer at our work party on Saturday, May 14th. Let us know that you can help with an email to info@stjohnsboosters.org.

Nature-Based Solutions

Reinvigorating the pocket park at the foot of the St. Johns Bridge with a Native Plant Park Project is part of what the United Nations, World Bank, and European Union are promoting as “Nature-Based Solutions” to confront climate change, natural disasters, and other climate change-related challenges. In addition to helping native pollinators, Native Plant gardens help protect us at a lower cost and require fewer chemicals, less water, and less maintenance than nonnative plants or grey infrastructure.

According to the Native Plant Conservation Campaign, by filling our parks, gardens, roadsides, and open spaces with natives, our communities will become more ecologically resilient, comfortable, safe, and low maintenance. It is also cost-effective. 

For more information on Nature-Based Solutions, see the Ecosystem Services section of the Native Plant Conservation Campaign website. 

From Barren Patch to Vibrant Oasis

With a grant from Venture Portland, the St. Johns Boosters are beginning the work of transforming the nearly barren patch of land next to the plaza to create a vibrant oasis that resonates with the historical and cultural diversity of our area. The pocket park renovation has broad and enthusiastic support from the community. The Boosters are partnering with several community organizations to design, build and maintain the park and its amenities. We are developing a partnership with the Native American organizations and local community history organizations to ensure that all communities are represented. 

St. Johns Pocket Park Design
Pocket Park design by Resilience Design

Signage will add educational, cultural, and way-finding components. Plants and their connection to the area’s native Multnomah peoples’ culture and history will be identified. At some future date, we would like to create a signpost indicating the name and distance to other close-by natural parks such as Baltimore Woods, Smith and Bybee Natural Wetlands, Kelley Point Park, Cathedral Park, and Sauvie Island to give visitors an idea of additional attractions in the area. Signage will be in English, Spanish, and Wasco-Wishram, the dialect of the Native American Multnomah tribe that first inhabited the area. The multilingual custom plant signs will be made by a local merchant, A Nice Lady in St. Johns, constructed of durable outdoor materials of photosensitive aluminum.

Adopt a Native Plant

Neighbors, local organizations, and businesses are invited to partner with this project. By “adopting” a plant, with a donation of $100 or $150 depending on the size of the plant. An “adoption certificate” will be provided with a weather-resistant plant tag that will identify the plant as being “adopted” and include the donor’s name. 

“Adoptions” may be renewed annually, creating a dependable income stream for maintenance of the park, plant replacement, and clean-ups.

Pictures of the Native Plants to be included in the St. Johns Pocket Park
Native plants that will be included in the St. Johns Pocket Park

St. Johns Pocket Park: Part of the St. Johns Revitalization

This project is critical for the revitalization of the Business District. It will create an aesthetically and climate-resilient “Welcome!” to people driving across the St. Johns Bridge, pedestrians, and the community at large. 

In addition to the businesses mentioned above, we would like to thank all of our wonderful volunteers!

Categories
St. Johns Boosters

I Dig St. Johns!

Show your support for our local St. Johns businesses during construction and beyond with our brand new, and yet vintage, I Dig St. Johns tote.

We will be dealing with construction on the St. Johns downtown section of Lombard for some time. Show your love of local businesses with this 100% cotton twill shopping bag.

The bag features a vintage “I Dig St. Johns” design, extra long shoulder straps, plenty of room, and a nice thick cotton. Perfect for shopping in the district, picking up takeout for a picnic, and carrying your farmer’s market feasts and treasures.

Product specs:

  • 22″ straps
  • 15.5″ high by 14.5″ wide and 7″ deep

Show your support for St. Johns!

Buy now and pick up the tote at 45th Parallel Wines

Pay online and pick up at 45th Parallel Wines, 8527 N Lombard Street, during their business hours (Monday – Friday, 12 –  8 pm, Saturday – Sunday, 12 – 6 pm).

Thank you for the design

The design comes from a graphic from St Johns in the 1970’s. A big thank you to A Nice Lady in St. Johns who helped us execute this modern version of the original design!

Thank you also to Venture Portland and Prosper Portland for their continuing support.

Categories
St. Johns development

Guerrilla Development Plans a New Future for Old Buildings

First Look: The Future of Pattie’s Home Plate Deli and The Man’s Shop

Guerrilla Development, in conjunction with St. Johns’ very own Convergence Architecture, present the prospective adaptive reuse at 8501/8511 North Lombard Street. You may recognize another project in our downtown corridor, the 2/3 Development Project which was completed in 2015 and is home to such businesses as Cathedral Eye Care, Mikasa, The Garrison, Breathe and The Nest: A Hair Loft.

Architectural illustration for 8501/8511 N Lombard Street by Guerrilla Development and Convergence Architecture, corner view
Corner View

The original two iconic tenant spaces facing North Lombard St., Pattie’s Home Plate Deli and The Man’s Shop, will remain as smaller suites for new tenants. Two additional tenants will occupy retail spaces entering from North Leavitt Ave. The building will also feature a hidden restaurant/speakeasy bar with an open air courtyard in the center of the building.  Planned upgrades include:

  • Retaining the original and iconic Lombard Street storefronts
  • Exposing original interior structure
  • Integrating a discoverable open central courtyard leading through to the cozy restaurant/speakeasy bar space
  • Activating the Leavitt Avenue side with inviting glassy storefronts and large roll-up doors facing the interior courtyard
  • Restaurant and bar will enjoy an inside-outside connection through large roll-up doors, including a connection to a small private dining room also opening to the courtyard
  • Long-term bike racks, accessible unisex restrooms, and secure trash room will also be available for building use

Architectural Renderings

Architectural illustration for 8501/8511 N Lombard Street by Guerrilla Development and Convergence Architecture, courtyard view
Courtyard View
Architectural illustration for 8501/8511 N Lombard Street by Guerrilla Development and Convergence Architecture, axon view
Axon View
Architectural illustration for 8501/8511 N Lombard Street by Guerrilla Development and Convergence Architecture, plan view
Plan View

Looking for Retail or Restaurant Space?

For interest and inquiries, please contact Kevin Cavenaugh at Guerrilla Development: (503) 232-3479

Thank you to Joe Purkey and Kristie Van Boxtel of Convergence Architecture for sharing these images and information with us. Joe also oversees Land Use for the St. Johns Boosters.

Categories
St. Johns Boosters

Halloween 2021

There’s a chill in the air, and the St. Johns Boo-sters are ready to help you (safely) celebrate Halloween in the business district!

Three posters featuring St. Johns Halloween events: Halloween Scavenger Hunt, St. Johns Boo-sters Pumpkin Giveaway, and Pick Up locations for pumpkins.
St. Johns Boo-sters Halloween Events

Scavenger Hunt

Some of you may remember our Halloween Scavenger Hunt that we introduced in 2020, and we’re bringing it back this year!

St. Johns Boo-sters Halloween Scavenger Hunt, October 29 - 31st
St Johns Boo-sters Halloween Scavenger Hunt Poster

The scavenger hunt begins at the start of business on Thursday 10/29 and goes through 10/31, or until we run out of candy!

  1. Pick up a scavenger hunt sheet at one of the participating businesses.
  2. Look for decorations/clues in the business’s windows.  They will be designated with a Boosters logo so you will know it is an official clue!  (Note: since the clues will be in store windows, you can go anytime, not just during store hours!)
  3. Answer the questions on the scavenger hunt sheet.  Don’t forget to check the back for a fun puzzle!
  4. Once you have completed the entire sheet, you can turn in your sheet to one of the businesses and receive a pre-packaged bag of candy.
Clue list for Scavenger Hunt. Look in store windows.
Scavenger Hunt Sheet Page 1
Scavenger Hunt Sheet, Page 2
Scavenger Hunt Sheet Page 2

Participating businesses are:

Thank you to St. Johns Church for supplying and assembling the candy bags!

Pumpkin Giveaway & Decorating Contest

St Johns Boo-sters Pumpkin Giveaway and Decorating Contest Poster

The Pumpkin Giveaway and Decorating Contest are still going strong! We wanted to give the kids in the community the chance to get a pumpkin and show off their decorating skills.

  1. Pick up a pumpkin at participating businesses between October 1 -October 31st (while supplies last!)
  2. Decorate them at home – carve, paint, decorate however you like!
  3. Post a public photo to Instagram using the hashtag #stjohnsboo and tag the business where you got the pumpkin.
  4. On October 31st, winners will be selected and receive prizes!

Pickup Locations are:

Thank you to A Nice Lady in St. Johns for suppling the prizes, and to Plumper Pumpkin Patch for Donating the sugar pie pumpkins!

Child picking up a pumpkin from Oregonians Credit Union.
Picking up a pumpkin from Oregonians Credit Union
Reggie and Lissa Guyton giving out pumpkins at Reggie Guyton State Farm
Reggie and Lissa Guyton giving out pumpkins at Reggie Guyton State Farm

A special thanks to Venture Portland for their ongoing support. These events are made possible thanks to our participation in Venture’s Catalytic Investment Initiative program.

We hope you all have a frightfully good Halloween!