Should I check out the St. Johns Parade while I'm in Portland?

January 30, 2016 4:20 PM

I'm going to be in Portland, OR in May. I was looking around for things to do and saw that I'll be there the weekend of the St. Johns Parade. Is it worth checking out? Relevant info: I'll be relying on public transportation. This isn't my first visit, so I've already done many of the usual must-do things. I am a big fan of parades in general!
posted by atropos to Travel & Transportation around Portland, OR (6 answers total)

It's a pretty mellow parade. It definitely is a blast from the Portland past... I vote circa 1987.

It's not all that wacky, or wild, but If you've got a soft heart and it's a pleasant day you might get a few smiles.

This is NOT an extravagant parade, I can't stress that enough. Did I already say mellow?
posted by Nosmot at 5:19 PM on January 30, 2016

Yeah, it's tiny and homegrown and if you happen to be driving you and your car can just sort of join in. For a Parade (with a capital P) you want the Rose Parade.

If you want some suggestions for non-usual things to do, memail me.
posted by Specklet at 6:06 PM on January 30, 2016

I love the St Johns parade! It feels like a small town parade.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 7:03 PM on January 30, 2016

hello. i've been in this parade (a friend fashioned a large leviathan for four people to wear and it was part of the parade for several years-- i was in it one year). i remember it being pretty fun and as though it was trying to seem like an old tradition from a small town, but not overly kooky.
posted by hollisimo at 11:26 PM on January 30, 2016

Best answer: I like it, but I could be biased, it's my neighborhood. It's not as big as the rose parade or starlight parade, but it's not tiny either. The parade usually has things like: Portland politicians or political candidates, pirates, car/bike/vespa clubs, local organizations, artists, and school marching bands. Here's some pictures we took a few years ago. St. Johns has a lot of community pride, as well as bridge pride, so you can expect to see at least one person or dog dressed as the bridge, and plenty of other bridge art. There's also a "bizzare" (no, not a bazaar) with craft vendors, food, and music.

If you decide to go, check IRL for the Portland area a couple of weeks before (if you want)- I might post a metafilter meetup and see if people want to get together for parade watching.
posted by Secretariat at 10:14 AM on January 31, 2016

Response by poster: Thank you! Mellow and small town makes it sound like just my thing. Specklet, I will for sure memail you for suggestions and Secretariat, a parade-watching meetup sounds fun.
posted by atropos at 5:42 PM on March 1, 2016