Portland, OR August 2008

View across the Willamette River from
Tom McCall Waterfront Park

When I heard my trip to Eugene would coincide with The Bite of Oregon Festival, I had to extend my stay an extra day for an evening in Portland. I'm a huge fan of Oregon wines, and this festival basically featured every single one of my favorite producers assembled in one spot along the riverfront, along with great food, entertainment and people watching.

Jeremiah Guske of March Fourth Marching Band

At The Bite, I enjoyed a spectacular performance by the March Fourth Marching Band, which included the considerable talents of this guy, Jeremiah Guske, who managed to dance, juggle and toss flaming batons and otherwise maneuver on some serious stilts. Besides the obviously intriguing visuals, the musical performance was solid. Can't say I've seen anything quite like it; glad I did. A tiny part of me might have felt the need to take this photo to simply have proof that the Pinots hadn't gone to my head.