2023 will be the 14th year of the Portland Roadhouse, which was established as a showcase for contradance music and calling along the I-5 corridor in the Pacific Northwest.
In pre-pandemic times, we hosted an awesome 10-hour contra dance with volunteer bands and callers playing eight 65-minute slots. Our 2020 event was cancelled with the rise of COVID-19 and in 2021 we hosted an online event with concerts, workshops, and discussions.
In 2022, we launched the Portland Roadhouse Independent Film Festival, which explored traditional music and dance in America. We had five fine films lined up, with Q&A sessions with their directors immediately after each film.
In 2023, the Portland Roadhouse will again be part of the Cascade Promenade festival, a series of back-to-back dances starting mid-week and ranging from Seattle ,Washington to Eugene, Oregon. The Cascade Promenade includes the Seattle Contra Marathon, the Portland Megaband Dance, the Portland Roadhouse, and other excellent events.
The Portland Roadhouse is a 501(c)3 charitable organization. In 2021, we supported regional foodbanks in in OR and WA. In 2022, proceeds from the film festival supported Northwest Folklife and the Country Dance and Song Society. In 2023, proceeds from the Roadhouse will benefit Northwest Folklife.