On Saturday, March 6, the Grand Lodge in Forest Grove, Ore., will celebrate its 88th Birthday Bash with live music, food and drink specials, kids' fun and, in its second year at this location, the Cracked Pots unGarden Art Show!
First things first: Happy birthday, baby! Built in 1922 as a Masonic & Eastern Star home, the Grand Lodge is bursting with stories. Renovated and opened by McMenamins in 2000, this formerly tranquil and serene place is now vibrant and rockin' with music and laughter! It's a blast to spend the night here - and guestrooms start at just $50 a night.
Next: Just what is Cracked Pots? It's a local non-profit that encourages artists to create using recycled, reclaimed and reused materials. The original Cracked Pots festival, featuring outdoor and garden art, is held at Edgefield every July. But as of last year, a newer festival featuring indoor artwork (think jewelry, sculpture, mosaics and more) is held at the Grand Lodge. Picture yourself strolling about the estate, pint of beer or glass of wine in hand, admiring all the cool stuff and chatting with the artists.
Finally: It wouldn't be a McMenamins party without live music. We've got you covered with performances by Blackberry String Band, Will West & Friends, the legendary Freak Mountain Ramblers and others.
Here's the celebration schedule - hope to see you this coming Saturday!
Around the property:
Cracked Pots unGarden Art Show: 11 a.m. ‘til 6 p.m.
Joe Mishkin "The Balloon Guy": 3 p.m. ‘til 6 p.m.
Facepainters: 3 p.m. ‘til 6 p.m.
Garage Door Area:
Blackberry String Band: 4 p.m.
Will West & Friends: 7 p.m.
Compass Room:
Freak Mountain Ramblers: 7 p.m.
Yardhouse Pub:
Jon Koonce: 7 p.m.
Give it up for St. Arnold, the patron saint of brewers! His miracle was a tankard of ale that never ran dry… Put him on the invite list. The Centzon-Totochtin (“Infinite Rabbits”) was an Aztec group that represented the ways humans are affected by intoxication. At the Grand Lodge, the mosaics in the basement hallways were inspired by the work of Spanish artist Antonio Gaudi. McMenamins has a full-time historian on staff. He collects stories, photos, anecdotes and more about McMenamins spots, past and present. What was the very first McMenamins pub, opened by Mike and Brian McMenamin? The Barley Mill on SE Hawthorne in Portland. “Wine is bottled poetry.” -- Robert Louis Stevenson What’s the name of the Kennedy brewery? The Concordia Brewery, named for the surrounding neighborhood. “Wine is bottled poetry.” -- Robert Louis Stevenson How many McMenamins are there in the Seattle area? Three – Mill Creek, Six Arms and Queen Anne. Queen Elizabeth I, daughter of Henry VIII, was said to be able to drink any man under the table. You show ‘em, Betsy! Does each McMenamins pub brew beer? Nope – only our brewpubs and breweries do. They supply our other spots. “Give me a woman who truly loves beer and I will conquer the world.” – Kaiser Wilhelm II Which beer is our best-selling ale? Hammerhead, of course. Have a pint or two today! “We borrowed golf from Scotland as we borrowed whiskey. Not because it is Scottish, but because it is good.” -- Horace Hutchinson
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