A series of posts about winter activities to keep you busy until spring featuring exciting business and organizations located in and around our amazing neighborhood. 

In the Irvington neighborhood, at NE 24th Avenue and Fremont Street sits the The Fremont Theater. It is mostly used as a concert venue with concerts for kids during the day and for ages 21 and over in the evening.  One event not to miss is The Cherry Blossom Orchestra.   According to The Fremont’s website, one hundred years ago, on February 26, 1917, The Original Dixieland Jazz Band recorded “Livery Stable Blues and Dixie Jass Band One-Step” and was available for sale on March 17, 1917 at a cost of 75 cents.

This Victor Recording was the first Jazz record ever issued. So in anticipation of this eventful day, The Cherry Blossom Orchestra will be presenting a concert paying full tribute to the trailblazing Original Dixieland Jazz Band, as well as showcasing many landmark recordings from the first 25 years of recorded jazz by Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Jelly Roll Morton and many others. So plan for some Ragtime, Blues, Stomps, Swing  and Hot Jazz! The show is February 16 at 8:00pm (doors at 7:00) and tickets are $10.

For something completely different, on the first Friday of every month and a few other dates the Fremont Theater is transformed into an intimate storytelling venue.  The Portland Story Theater offers story telling events and also workshops and classes.

As their website states, “Our work gives voice to the true stories of ordinary people. We break down barriers and stereotypes by bringing people together to hear real, true stories. We teach people that telling their personal story is a process that ignites self-discovery and nourishes our capacity for empathy for ourselves and each other.”  All shows  are 21+ unless specifically noted. Many of their stories are available for viewing on YouTube and you can also downloaded their stories as Podcasts from Sound Cloud or iTunes.

So if you’re looking for something different than dinner and a movie check out the age old tradition of storytelling is revived at Portland Story Theater.

Portland Story Theater
503-284-2226

The Fremont Theater
2393 NE Fremont
503-946-1962