First Fridays in Vernonia

Children are encouraged to join in the second annual revival of the Maypole Dance which highlights the beginning of Vernonia's First Friday season. From May 1st through October 2nd, the first Friday every month will celebrate community in Vernonia with merchant specials and various community and education events.

The opening events are held in Hawkins Park and in the Scout Cabin in the park. Included are the Floating Art & Hand-made Gifts Gallery which has everything from nature photography to baskets and ceramics. Entertainment is provided by live music with Strings on Fire--our local youth orchestra. Other events include an old-fashioned cake walk, the OSU Master Gardeners' Info Table, and a May Baskets crafts table. Also featured will be the new Bring a Book/Take a Book box, strictly for trading books. Scout Cabin opens at 5:00PM, and the Maypole Dance starts at 6:00PM right outside. All events are rain or shine.

The re-opened popular Blue House Cafe will be catering, serving modestly priced mediterranean style food and antipastos and wine along with popular local brewer Brett Costley's beer to help chase the winter blues away.

In June, local artist Dave Anderson whose work was featured at Pacific University's Cawei Gallery in a month long exhibit in 2008 will be presenting his art show: To Break a Butterfly:Reflections of the Art and Writings of the Terezin Children at the Vernonia Community Learning Center, the site of most of the other First Fridays. It will also be the start of the Open Air Market season , "Cars 'R' Art for rat rods, customs and antique cars, as well as a new Swap & Barter Market along with our regular events.

Further along in the season will be the dog parade, downtown scavenger hunt, a dog show, the Jr. Salmon Auction--art work by Vernonia High School Art students, and the ever popular Scapegoat Burning