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.
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.
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.
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 pmDance 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!
As always, thank you for supporting your local businesses!
St. Johns Boosters is sponsoring some fun, family-friendly events and you’ll want to mark your calendar!
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 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.
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!
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
Thank you to these businesses and community organizations!
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.
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.
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.
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!
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!
I Dig St Johns Tote
100% cotton twill canvas shopping bag with vintage “I Dig St Johns” graphic design. Extra-long shoulder straps and plenty of room in this nice thick Canvas Tote. Everything you need for carrying your farmer’s market feasts and treasures!
Product specs: 22-inch straps and 15.5” High x 14.5” Wide x 7” Deep
Pay now and pick up at 45th Parallel Wines, 8527 N Lombard Street, during their business hours.
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!
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.
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
Courtyard ViewAxon ViewPlan 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.
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!
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 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!
Pick up a scavenger hunt sheet at one of the participating businesses.
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!)
Answer the questions on the scavenger hunt sheet. Don’t forget to check the back for a fun puzzle!
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.
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.
Pick up a pumpkin at participating businesses between October 1 -October 31st (while supplies last!)
Decorate them at home – carve, paint, decorate however you like!
Post a public photo to Instagram using the hashtag #stjohnsboo and tag the business where you got the pumpkin.
On October 31st, winners will be selected and receive prizes!
Thank you to A Nice Lady in St. Johns for suppling the prizes, and to Plumper Pumpkin Patch for Donating the sugar pie pumpkins!
Picking up a pumpkin from Oregonians Credit UnionReggie 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!
