PDX Pop Now! Is an Epic Celebration of Portland's Eclectic Music Communities

"By the time tropical dream pop group Caicedo hit the stage at 6:30 pm, nearly every complimentary squiggly straw had found its way into the hands of eager festivalgoers swaying to the band's irresistible Latin grooves and hazy, late summer hooks. In beautifully all-ages PDX Pop Now! fashion, the crowd consisted of scene kids with purple hair nodding their heads, as well as children with giant earmuffs jumping up and down alongside their bigs."

"Since 2004, PDX Pop Now!-the non-profit as well as the festival it produces-has been an institution embedded within Portland's many music scenes. This year, between the annual song compilation and the festival itself, PDX Pop Now! offers platform to nearly 75 Portland-based artists. The three-day affair, free and open to the public, might be the city's most accessible and comprehensive celebration of Portland's music communities. Even the audio engineers came from Friends Of Noise, a local nonprofit fostering and expanding young people's involvement in Portland's music scene, set to open an all-ages venue in North Portland as early as November."

"The ice cream at the festival was free too, thanks to The Ice Cream Man -AKA Matt Allen-who has given away half a million free ice creams at concerts and festivals, including Pickathon, this summer. As it turns out, Matt also happens to be the Project Manager of Midtown Beer Garden, the venue of this year's PPN! "I can't think of another event more than PDX Pop Now! that I would like to see people in the city support," he said. "It's all Portland. This is what Portland really is.""

PDX Pop Now! began in 2004 as a nonprofit and community music festival embedded within Portland's music scenes. The three-day, free, all-ages event features an annual song compilation and a festival showcasing nearly 75 Portland-based artists across diverse genres. Event production involved local organizations, including audio engineers from Friends Of Noise, which plans to open an all-ages venue in North Portland. Local vendors and community contributors populated a closed section of Harvey Milk Street. Festival amenities included complimentary squiggly straws, themed cocktails, and free ice cream donated by Matt Allen of The Ice Cream Man, who also manages Midtown Beer Garden.

Read at Portland Mercury