Posts Tagged ‘Tualatin’
January 28th, 2010 by Angie Marsh
WCVA CEO Ruthie Reinert holds the prizewinning photo while congratulating winner Christopher Pokorny during the event.
WCVA staff, stakeholders and partners convened in late January at The Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge to network while discovering the natural wonders of the Refuge at sunset.
In addition, the grand prize winner of WCVA’s Vineyard and Valley Scenic Tour Route photo contest was recognized and awarded his prize money.
Taking top honors as the grand prize winner was Christopher Pokorny of Portland, Ore., for the photograph titled, “Tiller Curves,” which showcases a tractor tiller.
Pokorny took a moment to address attendees, expressing his thanks and enjoyment of driving the 50-mile Scenic Tour Route–which he has done seven times.
Pokorny also won the “History” category of the contest with his photograph titled, “Grossen.” This stunning photo is named after the family who owns the land along the Tour Route, where Pokorny had permission to enter their property to compose the perfect shot.
Overall, four photographers were selected as the winners of contest, and all were invited to attend this event. Winners, whose images best represent Washington County’s agricultural- and wine-focused scenic drive, will share a total of $3,000 in prize money.
Attendees were also treated to a raffle of prints of the award-winning photographs from Pokorny.
WCVA Board Members Norm Penner, Jonae Armsrong, Terry Goldman and Teri Koerner and CEO Ruthie Reinert congratulate contest winner Christopher Pokorny at the Refuge.
The Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge provides a variety of recreational and educational activities and an ever-changing panorama of wildlife viewing. Located on the “Pacific Flyway,” the Refuge is an important stopover where migrating waterfowl, songbirds, and shorebirds stop to rest, refuel, and raise their young. The Refuge is open daily, offering new exhibits, a non-profit nature store, and indoor and outdoor viewing areas.
WCVA’s Westside Spotlight is a program where stakeholders partner with the WCVA to host an open house at their businesses/venues to create industry-wide promotional and networking events. Westside Spotlight showcases Washington County’s diversity of unique attractions and venues, and is designed to familiarize partners in the area to increase the number of both leisure and business visitors to Washington County.
Thanks to It’s Party Time Catering for providing light refreshments at this Westside Spotlight event.
The Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge building.
View submitted photos >
View winning images >
Tags: Tualatin, Tualatin River National Wildlife Refuge, Vineyard & Valley scenic tour route, washington county oregon, WCVA photo contest
Posted in WCVA News | No Comments »
September 23rd, 2009 by Angie Marsh
Get out and enjoy unique events this weekend!
SATURDAY, Sept. 26:
Medieval Market Day
The Beaverton Farmers’ Market hosts a one-day celebration of a time when all markets were open-air markets. So put on your medieval garb and join in the fun, including artisans demonstrating medieval crafts, children’s activities, music, cooking demos and sword tournaments.
This event is held in conjunction with the Washington County Chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism – The shire of Dragon’s Mist, and is from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
Oktoberfest at McMenamins Grand Lodge
Join in a free gathering at McMenamins Grand Lodge in Forest Grove, complete with bands, beer, bratwurst and more in celebration of Oktoberfest!
Live music performances begin at 2 p.m.:
o CHERVONA (party troupe) 2 p.m.
o TRANSCENDENTAL BRASS BAND (marching jam band) 4 p.m.
o GYPSY CARAVAN (belly dancers) 5 p.m.
o DEER TICK (rock) 7 p.m.
o JACK McMAHON (folk/blues) 7 p.m.
SUNDAY, Sept. 27:
Tualatin Riverfront Music Festival
Enjoy the unique bluegrass and gospel sounds of the Misty Mamas band at this new annual event in Tualatin’s Browns Ferry Park.
Paddle your boat to the festival or borrow a boat on site from Tualatin Riverkeepers, the beneficiaries of the event.
A special Tualatin River Oktoberfest beer, brewed by Fanno Creek Brew Pub, will be available, along with Oregon pinots, sausages, veggie dogs and dessert.
Cost is $20 for adults; kids are free. The event is from 3 to 7 p.m.
Both SATURDAY & SUNDAY:
Festival Japan
Uwajimaya at 10500 SW Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway in Beaverton, again hosts its annual free two-day festival, which includes Japanese food, music and art for all ages! It ranges from taiko drumming to martial arts. The fest is 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tags: beaverton, Beaverton farmers market, live music, mcmenamins, Tualatin, Tualatin Riverkeepers, uwajimaya, washington county oregon
Posted in Arts & Culture, Events, Family Fun, Nature, Water Fun | No Comments »
September 23rd, 2009 by Angie Marsh
From scaly reptiles to furry alpacas, there are all kinds of creatures to see this weekend–September 26 and 27–in Washington County!
Unique Animal Expo & Pet Fair
See and buy live birds, reptiles and mammals at the oldest and largest combined Animal Expo in the Pacific Northwest. This expo is open to the public and to trade buyers on both Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. All types of animal-related merchandise will be available for purchase. You’ll also be able to meet and talk to the breeders of all types of livestock.
The event is at the Washington County Fair Complex – 873 NE 34th Avenue in Hillsboro, and admission is $8 for adults, $5 for seniors, and $4 for children ages 5 to 12.
National Alpaca Farm Days
Five alpaca farms in the Washington County area are participating in the third annual National Alpaca Farm Days on Saturday and Sunday—a free event from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Alpaca farming is an up-and-coming industry in the United States, and this is a day for the public to come to local farms and learn about alpacas.
See alpacas up close; tour the farms; learn about alpaca farming; and see the beautiful products made from alpaca fleece.
- Black Acre Alpacas – 21930 SW Farmington Road, Beaverton – 503-848-2738
- Bedrock Alpacas – 7775 SW Frobase Road, Tualatin – 503-638-0944
- Double D Alpaca Ranch – 16530 SW 147th Avenue, Tigard – 503-521-1120
- Alpacas of Oregon – 21345 SW Aebischer Road, Sherwood
- Solar T’s Alpaca Ranch – 23100 NE Mountain Top Road, Newberg
Tags: alpaca farms oregon, animal fair oregon, Family Fun, Hillsboro, Tualatin, washington county fair complex, washington county oregon
Posted in Events, Family Fun | No Comments »
September 16th, 2009 by Angie Marsh
This fall, as the leaves are turning, the grapes are gathered and farmers’ fields yield to the harvest, it’s time to discover Oregon Bounty. Come meet vintners, chefs, and farmers; travel down roads you’ve never driven; sample what these artisans make, grow and catch; and spend a night or two so you can discover more. There are myriad ways to get a taste of Oregon Bounty in Washington County:
VISIT A WINERY
Tour Washington County wineries— more than 20 in all—many of which are conveniently located along the Vineyard and Valley Scenic Tour Route. Follow the signs on this driving journey that winds through quaint towns in the county known for their ideal grape growing conditions and outstanding finished products: wines!
SEE WHAT CHEFS DO
Taste the autumn bounty that’s abundant in Pacific Northwest flavor palates. Visit our site for details about the restaurants in the county that specialize in regional cuisine.
STAY A NIGHT OR TWO
Best Western is the Oregon Bounty preferred lodging partner, with two Washington County locations: the Northwind Inn & Suites in Tigard and the University Inn & Suites in Forest Grove.
BE TOUCHED BY SPRITS
SakéOne, the world’s only American-owned saké brewery, produces Momokawa brand premium saké and Moonstone brand fruit-infused saké. These high quality Ginjo sakés are intended to be enjoyed cold on their own and with your favorite foods. Sakétini Saturday happens on the third Saturday of each month; the tasting room is open daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
TAP INTO YOUR FESTIVAL SPIRIT
October 10: Great Onion Festival, Sherwood. This classic community event pays homage to the onion farmers of Sherwood, with a barbecue and assorted activities. Visit sherwoodchamber.org.
October 10: Oregon Heritage Farms hosts its annual Apple Fest. Enjoy the harvest of apple season with this festival–complete with country music, face painting, pony rides and hay rides. Plus, all proceeds benefit local students.
October 18: Heirloom Apple Festival, Hillsboro. Sample more than 20 varieties of heirloom and modern apples and pears fresh from the orchard. Enjoy freshly dipped caramel apples, hot apple cider and homemade apple pie made from an assortment of different apple varieties, all while enjoying live music. Kids’ activities will include a straw maze, face painting, petting goats and pumpkin gathering. Visit www.smithberrybarn.com.
October 31: West Coast Giant Pumpkin Regatta, Tualatin. Come cheer on 1,000 lb. pumpkin boats as people paddle across the lake at Tualatin Commons in races that are often wet and always entertaining. Visit ci.tualatin.or.us.
For a comprehensive culinary planning resource, visit TravelOregon.com/bounty, where you’ll find all that there is to see, do and taste. Oregon Bounty is produced by the Oregon Tourism Commission, dba Travel Oregon, in partnership with Oregon’s many destination marketing organizations and industry guilds. Discover Oregon’s Bounty with special fly/stay/drive packages from Horizon Air.
Tags: agriculture, Events, Forest Grove, Giant Pumpkin Regatta, SakeOne, Sherwood, Tualatin, Vineyard & Valley Tour Route, washington county oregon, Wineries
Posted in Events, Family Fun, Food & Drink, Seasonal Fun | No Comments »
August 28th, 2009 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan
There are plenty of shopping options in Washington County to ensure you get what you need to send your kids to school in style.
First off, I have to admit that I love to shop. So, it is with excitement that it is, once again, time for back-to-school shopping. With only 11 days left until my daughter starts school – her freshman year of high school, at that – I am feeling the rush to finish up the back-to-school shopping.
If you’re anything like me, you’re feeling that rush too. Before you head out for your own last-minute shopping, why not make a quick visit to Washington County, Oregon? It’s a shopaholic’s dream, with its multitude of boutiques, brand-name fashion clothing stores, and top-of-the-line retailers. Need more convincing?
There’s no sales tax in Oregon! None. Zero. Zilch. Oregon has no sales tax, which makes back-to-school shopping a bargain (especially for those who are visiting from out of state).
Special offers and discounts are available to out-of-town shoppers! Bridgeport Village and Washington Square both offer discounts and incentives to out-of-town visitors, and Macy’s has a savings pass, specifically aimed at both domestic and international travelers. (Visit Washington Square’s website and Bridgeport Village’s site for more information and a list of participating partners and packages.)
Parking is FREE (and there’s lots of it)! Parking is a breeze at the major retail centers, such as Washington Square, Streets of Tanasbourne and Bridgeport Village, so you can spend more time shopping, instead of looking for a parking spot. Plus, you will have more dollars in your wallet for fun stuff, not parking tolls.
The art of shopping is always in fashion (and easy on the wallet) in Washington County. And with three major shopping and retail centers (each easily accessible from major highways) there is a large variety of stores to choose from, including many of the nation’s best-known shops, as well as local favorites.
Visit the shopping section of our website for a list of the myriad shopping experiences you can have all year round.
Tags: beaverton, bridgeport village, Hillsboro, mall, Shopping, shopping packages, streets of tanasbourne, tigard, Tualatin, washington county, Washington Square
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August 10th, 2009 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan
Photo courtesy of Daniel J. Payne
Over the weekend, my mother, daughter and I ventured to Tualatin, Ore., for the annual Tualatin Crawfish Festival, which is reportedly the oldest crawfish festival in the country. Not knowing what to expect – none of us has eaten a crawfish, let alone attended a festival in honor of this misunderstood crustacean – we were excited to experience what has become one of Tualatin’s largest events.
Photo courtesy of Daniel Payne.
Unfortunately, we arrived too late to see the “Atsa My Dog Show,” and we missed many of the morning events, but we arrived just in time to see the kids’ crawfish eating contest. When I saw kids posing for pictures with their yard-sized, green garbage bags, I knew I didn’t want to stick around for that contest, as things could get messy.
So, we walked through the exhibit area, which, oddly, did not have a crustacean theme. However, we did learn some interesting historical artifacts about Tualatin and perused the booths of beautiful handcrafted jewelry and wares.
But this festival is about the food. Crawfish skewers, bisque and other inspired dishes were the specials of the day, and we bought two dozen crawfish “to go.” My mother, always the inquiring mind, asked: “Where do these crawfish come from?” (The answer: Lake Chinook, Oregon!) She should have asked how to eat a whole crawfish; watching her try one for the first time would have been great fodder for a bloopers show on the Food Network.
Photo courtesy of Daniel J. Payne
As for my daughter, appeasing a 14-year-old isn’t always easy, especially one who finds food festivals as interesting as, well, crawfish. When she spied a bunch of teenage boys showing off their skateboarding skills in the EXIT Real World Skate Trick Competition, one of the festival’s official events, she declared the Tualatin Crawfish Festival to be “the best festival ever.”
That’s when I knew that this festival, indeed, did have something for everyone.
(For more pictures from the Tualatin Crawfish Festival, check out Daniel J. Payne’s blog: http://danielpaynephotography.blogspot.com)
Tags: event, Family Fun, festival, food festivals, Tualatin, Tualatin Crawfish Festival
Posted in Events, Family Fun, Food & Drink | No Comments »
June 23rd, 2009 by Sylke Neal-Finnegan
Hikers discover the natural beauty of Cooper Mountain. The site is now home to the new Cooper Mountain Nature Park.
Amid the musical trill of the White-Crowned sparrow was the shrill call of a cicada, a sound I haven’t heard since I left the desert of Southern Nevada for the cooler, greener pastures of Northwestern Oregon. These insects, as naturalist James Davis pointed out, are not common west of the Cascade Range. So these desert dwellers, much like myself, found their way to the new Cooper Mountain Nature Park, which opens to the public June 27.
Washington County’s newest nature spot, located in Beaverton, features three miles of trails with varying difficulty through three distinct habitats – forest, prairie and oak woodlands. Our hour-long walk did not take us through all three miles, but what we didn’t cover trail-wise, we sure earned in newly-acquired knowledge.
Along the trail James pointed out many of the native plants and invasive species that lined the gravel trail. We were educated about the Willamette Valley Ponderosa Pine, which is being reintroduced to the area after virtually disappearing from years of logging and urban growth; spotted poison oak and learned how to identify it in the wild; saw a lone St. John’s Wort plant, which is used as an herbal treatment for depression; and discovered a couple of Bitter Cherry trees, which provide nourishment to various birds and wildlife.
Further evidence of wildlife living in the park included the discovery of mole holes and squirrel nests, while bird enthusiasts on the tour identified the songbirds behind the chorus of musical chirps.
For this desert girl, the guided walk through the park with a group of naturalists provided an eye-opening look into the wonders of nature. Although the loud sound of the cicadas made me a little homesick, the sweet singing of the birds made me realize that this is my home, and I wouldn’t trade it for, well , all the wine in the Willamette Valley.
For those who want to learn more about the wilds of Washington County, Cooper Mountain Nature Park will be hosting guided walks, star parties, garden demonstrations, wildlife talks and more throughout the summer. Check out our event calendar or visit the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District for more information
Tags: Cooper Mountain Nature Park, Tualatin, washington county, washington county oregon, Washington County parks, WCVA
Posted in Events, Nature, WCVA News | 2 Comments »
June 16th, 2009 by Sunyi
The results are in! The Washington County Visitors Association proudly announces the results of the inaugural photography contest. It was a difficult decision, as the WCVA staff reviewed submissions based on the following criteria:
- Originality
- Technical Excellence
- Composition
- Overall Impact
- Artistic Merit
- Relevance to Tourism
Thanks to all those who submited photos to our contest. And keep an eye out…you may just see one of YOUR Washington County photos in an advertisement or in our next Visitors Guide.
And the winners are (drum roll, please):
Grand prize: Swallow Squabble
Grand Prize Winner ($1,000) by ‘bescoles’, Barbara Scoles
Second Prize (x2): Henry Hagg Lake, Winter Sunrise
Second Prize ($500) by ‘moontan2008’, Bob Streicher
Second Prize: Springhill Rd, Harvest, Gaston
Second Prize ($500) by ‘mlaphoto’, Mary Lane Anderson
Third Prize (x4): Red Carpet
Third Prize ($250) by ‘Bobshots’, Larry Andreasen
Third Prize: Train Bridge
Third Prize ($250) by ‘kevinpastores’, Kevin Pastores
Third Prize: Jenkins-Estate, Cooper Mtn.
Third Prize ($250) by ‘yankeecam’, Bob Wayt
Third Prize: Scotch Church
Third Prize - ($250) 'scott.mcdonald1962', Scott McDonald
Tags: birding, Jenkins-Estate, Scotch Church, tourism, Tualatin, washington county oregon, WCVA
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March 23rd, 2009 by Rhiannon
Some posts are so easy they virtually write themselves. This one starts with two words that on first glance don’t seem to go together: “Sesame” and “Donuts.” But put them together and you’ve got the finest purveyor of sweet treats this side of the Good Ship Lollipop.
I’m going to confess. A former coworker raved to me for the better part of a year about Sesame Donuts, but I just couldn’t get over the name. It was like “Salt Cookies” or “Ham Cake” or something, it just didn’t grab me. They even had a location in Portland not 10 minutes from house.
I’m here to save you from making the same mistake. Because this is donut perfection we’re talking about. If you like the occasional, or even the semi-regular, bear claw or jelly filled, Sesame Donuts will have you wondering what you were eating before.
Be warned, however, these gooey delectations can be habit forming. But if you’re brave of heart, and sweet of tooth, you can find them at the Sherwood City Hall & Library and the Tigard Public Library. And they’ve just opened another location at the Tualatin Public Library.
By Greg Coyle
Tags: donuts, Sherwood, Tualatin
Posted in Food & Drink | No Comments »
March 11th, 2009 by Rhiannon
In a perfect world I would be surrounded by fabulous shopping … because I live to shop (my husband can attest to that). Oh wait … I am in a perfect world. I live in Washington County where the shopping doesn’t get much better.
Minutes from my home is The Streets of Tanasbourne in Hillsboro with its lovely old-time Main Street atmosphere and where each of the stores, no matter what size, exudes a certain charm. Or I can stroll my way through Bridgeport Village in Tigard/Tualatin which reminds me of shopping in several European towns I’ve visited over the years. Much as I enjoy both locations, my heart really belongs to my first mall shopping experience after moving to the area 20+ years ago … Washington Square in Tigard. It was wonderful then and continues to be wonderful with Oregon’s largest Nordstrom and many other distinctive retailers.
No matter what my shopping fantasy, I can be sure to find it at one of these locations … or at any of a number of specialty shops sprinkled throughout the county (but that’s a whole other article). And, best of all, there is no sales tax in Oregon. Think of all that lovely money I’m saving so that I can do more shopping!
The only thing that would make this more perfect for me would be an unlimited charge card or a winning lottery ticket. My husband would probably vote for more closet and storage space.
Come visit, enjoy and shop Washington County. I think you’ll be glad you did.
By Marie Prins, visitor information specialist and shopping connoisseur
Tags: bridgeport village, department stores, Hillsboro, mall, nordstrom, Shopping, streets of tanasbourne, tigard, Tualatin, washington county oregon, washington square mall
Posted in Shopping | No Comments »
