In the pre-pandemic years, BWNA’s biggest event was the National Night Out (NNO) picnic in Wilshire Park, held in August every year. NNO was originally an opportunity to honor police and firefighters for the indispensable work they do in keeping us safe. It was also a celebration of the neighborhood, featuring musical entertainment, activities for kids, raffle prizes, speeches by local officials, beverages, burgers and hot dogs courtesy of BWNA, and assorted picnic foods brought by neighbors to share.
But the pandemic put NNO on hold, and it wasn’t until a few years later when the contagion began winding down (though never reaching the end) that neighborhood associations either revived the event or opted for something new. BWNA chose the latter path in 2024, experimenting with an all-neighborhood block party that included free soft drinks and beer courtesy of pFriem, food vendors, games for kids, and dancing to live vintage rock music on Skidmore Street.
Bring a song to mind? No surprise, it does for me — that oldie-but-goodie hit from the ’60s, “Dancing in the Street” by Martha & the Vandellas. (Martha Reeves has a Portland connection via Jimmy Mack’s, a former Old Town jazz club.)
The song’s uplifting lyrics and catchy dance beat brought welcome music to the ears of a nation still reeling from the loss of President John Kennedy the year before, anxiety over escalating U.S. troop levels in Vietnam, and distress over racial violence in the South:
It’s just an invitation across the nation, A chance for folks to meet. There’ll be laughing, singing, and music swinging, Dancing in street.
I’m also reminded of 2008 when my wife and I were returning from celebrating Barack Obama’s election, and suddenly seeing in our headlights the quiet elderly couple next door dancing the foxtrot in the middle of Skidmore Street.
Another lyric from the song encourages folks: “Oh, it doesn’t matter what you wear, just as long as you are there!”
We hope you take those words to heart and enjoy a reprise of last year’s neighborhood BWNA Block Party on Skidmore Street — this year on September 12 — where you can enjoy live music, a kid’s zone, some free beverages, more food vendors, dancing in the street, and a chance for folks to meet.