It holds the distinction of being the first of Portland’s street fairs in the calendar year, and organizers of the 15th annual St. Johns Bizarre continue to make it bigger and better.
The music lineup includes Team Dresch and The Minus X, as well as Los Angeles band No Age and New York City rapper Cannibal Ox. There will be about 180 juried craft vendors showing their works — about 40 more than last year. And, the St. Johns Bizarre shares the stage with the 59th annual St. Johns Parade, as two independent events designed to promote the neighborhood.
St. Johns Bizarre takes place 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday, May 11 at North Lombard Street and Philadelphia Avenue; mere blocks away the St. Johns Parade will be from noon-2 p.m. So, it’s an all-day party in North Portland
“After a long winter in Portland, people are ready to get out and be social and commune with other folks,” said Ian Youngstrom, St. Johns Bizarre event coordinator. “We’re happy to allow for that.”
Businesses love the gatherings in St. Johns, he added. A lot of people frequent the local businesses.
“We’re really trying to come at it from different angles,” Youngstrom added. “Some people might be more casual attendees, who like to be outside on a beautiful day, and it’s a chance to come to St. Johns and explore the neighborhood that has a lot going for it 364 other days of the year.
“We take pride in showcasing our neighborhood. A lot of our businesses report that it’s one of their best days, if not the best day, for sales.”
There’ll also be food and beverages (including beer), family friendly offerings and more.
Youngstrom makes it a point to say that the St. Johns Bizarre does still need volunteers for the Saturday, May 11 activities.
It’s a volunteer organization that runs the bizarre; a lot of Portland street fairs are run by neighborhood associations.
It needs about 90 volunteers the day of the bizarre. There is a signup sheet on the website (stjohnsbizarre.com), and there will be some volunteer shifts that last the entire day.
“It takes a village to put this on,” Youngstrom said. “We’re just neighbors, fans of St. Johns, and we come together once a year to put on a party.”
The party starts with the crafts vendors.
Bringing in vendors is a big part of St. Johns Bizarre.
“We grew because there was interest, a record number of applicants, and high quality applicants. It would have been painful for us to limit it to the previous 140. We’re happy to provide a forum for a lot more artists,” Youngstrom said. “We put a lot of attention toward focusing on quality and the handmade nature of vendors we’re bringing in.”
Youngstrom and organizers have concentrated on making the music lineup better every year.
Punk icons Team Dresch reunited in 2019, and it’ll play at 6 p.m. on the Plaza Stage. The pop-rock The Minus 5, which includes Oregon Music Hall of Fame member Scott McCaughey, precedes them at 5 p.m. — McCaughey’s band lineup won’t be known till the bizarre; it has included REM’s Peter Buck in the past. Buck joined McCaughey and band at a sold-out Polaris Hall show last month.
No Age, a noise-rock band from L.A. (4 p.m., Plaza Stage), brings experimental sounds that manage to be both angry and ethereal. And luring Cannibal Ox from New York City was another coup for the bizarre (2 p.m., Plaza Stage).
Also playing on the Plaza Stage will be Growing Pains and DJ Dirtynick.
The John Street Stage lineup features Caicedo, Queen Rodeo, The Gard3n, Rad Max, a DJ and Megalith showcase (Carly Barton, Airabout).
“We continue to push ourselves in terms of our music offerings,” Youngstrom said.
Indeed, the St. Johns Bizarre, which returned from a COVID-19 hiatus last year, wants to remain an early-spring attraction. And having the parade taking place on the same day helps.
“The bizarre would not be here without our love for the parade,” Youngstrom said.
Check out some comments from local businesses:
“The Fixin’ To has been around for 14 years, and parade day has always been a high holy (and crazy busy!) experience for our neighborhood. But since the bizarre started flexing its muscle, it’s become a sort of ‘Bat Signal’ to the rest of Portland that, ‘Hey, there’s a lot of cool things happening in St. Johns,’” said Bart Blasengame, owner of The Fixin’ Too.
“I always look forward to vending at the St. Johns Bizarre — it’s so nice to be outside and feels like the whole neighborhood comes out. The music keeps us happy all day and we get to talk to all sorts of people which is half the fun,” said Christa Katz of The Wild Optimist.
“Over the years, the annual St. Johns Bizarre has become a cherished tradition for Jo Lupton Jewelry. From volunteering my time with the council in the early years to currently participating as a handmade vendor I’ve always been met with a sense of camaraderie and belonging,” said Jo Lupton of Jo Lupton Jewelry & Lapidary. “It’s very community-centric; it grows as the neighborhood evolves and remains resilient. I look forward to catching up with lifelong friends, listening to diverse music and celebrating the neighborhood.”
More: stjohnsbizarre.com , stjohnsparade.com .
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