Join us for PP&R Arbor Day 2018: a FREE, family-friendly festival on Saturday, April 21

News Article
Free family fun with supervised tree climbing, arts and crafts, and more.
Published
Updated
In this article

Image removed.

POSTED MARCH 29, 2018

(Portland, OR) -

Free family fun with supervised tree climbing, arts and crafts, and more.

Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R)’s Urban Forestry division is proud to present the City’s annual Arbor Day Festival on Saturday, April 21, 2018, from 10:00am to 3:00pm at southeast Portland’s Mt. Scott Park.

WHAT: Arbor Day 2018, free, family fun presented by PP&R Urban Forestry

WHEN: Saturday April 21, 2018, 10:00am-3:00pm

WHERE: Portland Parks & Recreation’s Mt. Scott Park, SE 72nd Avenue between Harold and Knight Streets (accessible via TriMet bus lines 10, 14 and 72)

This FREE family friendly festival will feature tamales from Tierra del Sol, and the Latin sounds of Trio Matices. There will be a free yard tree giveaway, an eco-themed scavenger hunt, tree arts and crafts, face painting, and the chance to climb trees thanks to Expedition Old Growth. Enjoy the Bill Naito Community Trees Awards, presented to one individual and one group who have demonstrated tree-mendous achievements! And the City of Portland will receive the Arbor Day Foundation’s designation as a Tree City USA - for the 41st consecutive year.  

“Arbor Day 2018 is a chance to come together to celebrate the special contributions that trees make to our quality of life,” says Portland Parks Commissioner Amanda Fritz. “Portland’s urban forest helps enhance the environment, provide shade and wildlife habitat, filter stormwater runoff, and improve air quality. And Portlanders love trees! Trees are an essential component of Portland’s livability.”

Arbor Day is a free, multicultural festival for all ages. Commissioner Amanda Fritz and PP&R Director Mike Abbaté will welcome guests with brief remarks. Enjoy the live music, try some food from local vendors, and participate in activities for the whole family underneath towering Douglas fir trees!

Fun, food, and festivities run from 10:00am-3:00pm, featuring:

  • Tamales from Tierra del Sol
  • A live performance of Trio Matices (an eclectic mix of traditional and contemporary music from Latin America)
  • Learn about the history of Portland's urban forest
  • An ecologically-themed scavenger hunt
  • Tree-themed arts and crafts
  • Face painting
  • Supervised tree climbing (for all ages!)
  • Yard tree giveaways, and
  • The Bill Naito Community Trees Awards, presented to Carol Lee and the St. Johns Tree Team who have demonstrated tree-mendous achievements!

More information is available on the PP&R Arbor Day 2018 website at portlandoregon.gov/parks/arbor.

“It is gratifying that thanks to the efforts of our Urban Forestry team - and the passion of Portlanders - that our city will receive the designation as a ‘Tree City USA’ for the 41st consecutive year,” says Portland Parks & Recreation Director Mike Abbaté. “Arbor Day is a chance to celebrate our history of caring for Portland’s trees and the environment. I’m excited for another day of family fun for all!”

If you’d like to volunteer at the event, please contact Daniel Gleason at daniel.gleason@portlandoregon.gov.

Portland Parks & Recreation Urban Forestry

The mission of PP&R’s Urban Forestry division is to manage and care for Portland's forest infrastructure - for current and future generations. Portland’s urban forest consists of approximately 220,000 street trees, 1.2 million park trees, and innumerable trees on private property. Urban Forestry staff are involved in the careful management and regulation of trees, in many ways. The division creates and implements the City's Urban Forest Management Plan, fosters tree awareness and cultivates community stewardship, develops tree policies and programs, monitors and assesses Portland’s urban forest, issues permits for planting, pruning, and takes care of needed tree removals. Urban Forestry staff respond to tree emergencies 24/7, 365 days a year, via 503-823-TREE or trees@portlandoregon.gov.

# # #