The Great Oregon Steam-up, Seaport Celebration and Columbia Slough Regatta are all slated for this weekend! Plus, you’ll find info on the Oregon Jamboree and the Washington County Fair in our Fairs & Festivals listings, and even more family fun in our online calendar.

ALL WEEKEND

Great Oregon Steam-Up. Watch old-time machines get put through their paces, More…

Category: WOW! (What's On this Weekend) // Posted on July 29, 2011 // Leave a Comment

Tyler Whitmire

Who cares about the results of the May 2011 school board elections? Who cares about the new PPS teacher contract? Who cares about legislative bills to fund all-day kindergarten statewide, grant high school student more access to classes at community colleges and create a more unified kindergarten-to-higher-education system in Oregon? We parents should, that’s who!

In this month’s online article, More…

Category: Education, Online Articles // Posted on July 27, 2011 // Leave a Comment

Summer’s prime time for water play, and we’re fortunate to have plenty of options –- both indoors and out -– throughout the metro area. From water parks to fountains to swimming holes and outdoor pools, there’s always somewhere you and your kids can splash and play!

INDOOR WATER FUN:

Evergreen Wings & Waves Waterpark: The new water park next to McMinnville’s Evergreen Aviation Museum More…

Category: Family Fun // Posted on July 25, 2011 // Leave a Comment

Festivals, flicks and free fourth Friday! (Plus, check out our Fairs & Festivals listings for info about the Estacada Summer Celebration and the Canterbury Renaissance Faire this weekend!) As always, you’ll find even more family fun listings on our online calendar.

ALL WEEKEND

East Portland Expo. Multicultural entertainment and activities, info booths, kids’ zone, inflatables and a movie at dusk. More…

Category: WOW! (What's On this Weekend) // Posted on July 22, 2011 // Leave a Comment

Photo by Beth Blenz-Clucas

If you love music -– and sharing that love of music with your kids! –- you’re probably always on the lookout for great kid-friendly artists you can all enjoy together. Enter Grammy Award nominee Justin Roberts, who’s been compared to Buddy Holly, Nick Lowe and even Paul McCartney. Justin is heading to Portland next month for a fabulous family-friendly concert, and we’re giving away More…

Category: Contests, Events/Performances // Posted on July 20, 2011 // 24 Comments

It’s that time again! Time to vote for your favorite family-friendly businesses in the Portland metro area! It’s a great way to support the wonderful local businesses in our area and share recommendations with other parents. Plus, every reader who votes will be entered to win a Family Fun Package including a $50 gift card to the top-rated restaurant, a $50 gift card to the top-rated children’s book shop, a $20 gift card to John’s Incredible Pizza and other family fun items. More…

Category: Contests // Posted on July 18, 2011 // Leave a Comment

Once again you’ll want to check our Fairs & Festivals listings for this weekend (Robin Hood Festival, Canterbury Renaissance Faire, Battle Ground Harvest Days, West Linn Old Time Fair, Portland Highland Games and more!) as well as our picks below. Oh, and don’t forget to take a peek at our online calendar for even more weekend family fun!

ALL WEEKEND

Da Vinci Days. Super fun arts and science extravaganza with music, crazy kinetic sculpture races and more. More…

Category: WOW! (What's On this Weekend) // Posted on July 15, 2011 // Leave a Comment

It’s time once again to share all the coupons and deals in our current issue.

John’s Incredible Pizza: Get a free $10 FunCard with the purchase of a buffet and beverage. (Page 34)
Sunriver Resort: Book your vacation by July 31 and receive $20 off, Sunday through Thursday. (Page 43) More…

Category: Coupons and Deals // Posted on July 13, 2011 // 1 Comment

Like many others who attended public school in Multnomah County, McKenzie Fletcher has fond memories of Outdoor School. But it’s more than just memories of good times spent in the woods with friends. McKenzie, a recent Wilson High graduate, says Outdoor School had a significant, positive impact on her life, and on the lives of many of her peers.

“When kids get to use their senses to learn about things it sparks their curiosity and it makes them want to learn,” she says. “That’s not something you can get in a classroom. More…

Category: Charitable Giving, Education, Events/Performances // Posted on July 11, 2011 // 1 Comment

Summer fun continues this weekend with the Sandy Mountain Festival and TurkeyRama (see our Fairs & Festivals listings for details) as well as all the exciting events detailed below. Still need more ideas? Check our online calendar for extended listings every day of the month.

ALL WEEKEND

Portland Historic Races. Watch cool old cars race and see them in the paddock, plus a kids’ zone and more. More…

Category: WOW! (What's On this Weekend) // Posted on July 8, 2011 // Leave a Comment

The latest addition to the local family fun center scene is John’s Incredible Pizza, which opened in Beaverton at the end of March. Offering a fabulous buffet along with arcade games and a few amusement rides, the place is small enough to be unintimidating but large enough to keep the kids entertained for hours.

We highly recommend John’s for great food and serious family fun, and this month we’re offering one lucky reader a $20 Gift Card to help get the fun started! More…

Category: Contests, Family Fun // Posted on July 6, 2011 // 80 Comments

July and August are prime time for fairs and festivals! Today, you can catch the tail end of the Waterfront Blues Festival or Estacada’s Big Bang, or check out any number of rodeos around the region.

As the summer continues, you’ll find plenty to see and do at the Great Oregon Steam-Up, the 50th anniversary of TurkeyRama, the Robin Hood Festival, da Vinci Days, the West Linn Old Time Fair and more. And then of course there are all the county fairs coming up More…

Category: Events/Performances, Family Fun // Posted on July 4, 2011 // Leave a Comment