The River Road Community Organization (RRCO) invites you to the third annual River Celebration, September 7th from 11 am to 3 pm, on the west bank path of the Willamette River. Our neighborhood enjoys a long stretch of the river and greenway as our east boundary. During the pandemic, the only time we saw our neighbors was on walks and bike rides along the Ruth Bascom West Bank river trail, where nature and smiling faces lifted our spirits. The first Celebration in 2023 was held as a welcome back to community, a neighborhood-wide block party to recognize and celebrate our local treasures.
Now, three years later, we celebrate the growth of community connections with each other, the river, and civic involvement. The River Road Recreation Center and Emerald Broadband have also partnered with RCCO to produce the event. The Celebration is a relaxed, information-rich, and playful stroll with friends and family. Nothing is for sale (except at the food trucks), but you might walk away with garden produce, fresh pressed apple juice, or a prize donated from local businesses.
From the historic filbert grove at the foot of McClure Lane, through Rasor Park to the foot of Rasor Avenue (where Reality Kitchen is) you will find tables of organizations serving River Road neighbors and neighbors sharing their contributions to community. There will be musicians and song circles, games and art activities, dancing, places to sit under the trees and visit with new friends.
This year, courtesy of Emerald Broadband, we will have two bands playing at the south end of the event near the food truck court south of Rasor Park. Katie Sontag started her career right here and her music with band KT & The Love Notes ranges from lighthearted and silly to deep and vulnerable. John Shipe, another River Road neighbor, will be performing Americana “northern rock” with Patrick Kavaneas as the The Shipe Duo.
Rasor Park is a special part of the Celebration. It represented a win for the neighborhood in 2001 when hundreds of neighbors participated in the master plan for native habitat restoration. Today the park is managed by volunteers that work together on Saturdays planting milkweeds and hand-pulling invasive non-native plants. For the Celebration, the park will feature a living beehive observation and honey tasting, child-oriented hands-on science explorations of water and insect life, butterfly experts, master gardeners among others. You are invited to bring produce from your trees or garden and seeds to share at the community share table.
The main hub of the Celebration will host opportunities to get involved with Ready Northwest (neighborhood disaster preparedness), learn about permaculture, join the Santa Clara River Road Volunteer Library, talk with city representatives, play corn hole for prizes from local businesses and much more. Got apples? Bring them down and take advantage of community apple pressing to enjoy the juice of our local abundance.
Bring your family and friends, a hat, a water bottle and a tote bag for goodies. Ride your bike or walk (limited parking). Can’t wait to see you there!
