The Portland Roadhouse needs an infusion of fresh volunteer energy!

The Portland Roadhouse, an annual fundraiser for Northwest Folklife, is at a crossroads. The current Roadhouse Board has been involved since its conception in 2009 and the first Portland Roadhouse dance in 2010. We ran ten great all-day dances, kept the Roadhouse alive through the pandemic, and rebooted with a shorter dance in 2023. 

Now it is time for us to move on. Portland Roadhouse needs new organizers if it is to continue. We are looking for enthusiastic people in two areas:

• The Roadhouse is a 501(c)(3) non-profit and we need at least five new Board members to take on running the non-profit corporation. This is not difficult, but does require attention to reporting and some formal procedures.
• We need volunteers to help with all aspects of production, including coordinating the Cascade Promenade, potluck, setup, cleanup, stage management, and house management. It is helpful if volunteers in major roles (Promenade, stage management, house management) are also Roadhouse Board members.

(NOTE: You do not have to live in the Portland area to get involved!)

To support an orderly transition, the current Board wants to work with the new Board and volunteers starting in late November through the March 2024 Portland Roadhouse.

If you want to help, or just have questions, please contact Dave Hamlin at davehamlin01@gmail.com. 

Thank you,

Mike Richardson, Dave Hamlin, Gordy Euler, Will Brown

What is the Portland Roadhouse?

The Portland Roadhouse is the culminating event of the Cascade Promenade, a week where dancers up and down the I-5 corridor experience the diverse dancing that the PNW has to offer. Joyride kicks off the event with their Wednesday dance, followed by Seattle’s Lake City and Phinney dances, English Country dances, and other regional dances. Saturday shifts focus back to Portland, where the Portland Megaband performs for hundreds of contra dancers from the I-5 corridor and far beyond. Out-of-town dancers bunk with locals and spend all day Sunday dancing to multiple callers and bands at the Portland Roadhouse. It’s a great way to meet other contra dancers and build a more cohesive regional community.