Portland Blues Experience 'PBEx'

07/29/2025

🎉 THANK YOU! Portland Blues Experience 2025 was pure magic. 🎶💃

Three weeks ago, on Sunday, July 6, our dance and music communities came together to bring the Portland Blues Experience (PBEx) to life in Director Park. In the absence of dance programming at the Waterfront Blues Festival, we gathered to create our own unforgettable day — dancer-centered, music-filled, and community-powered.

✨ 9 incredible bands
🕺 6 dance lessons
🛍 15+ amazing vendors
💙 Thousands of dancers & music lovers
🔥 Endless heart, joy, and soul

This event was free to the public and made possible by your donations and the generous support of our sponsors. Thank you to everyone who contributed to help make this happen — and we are still gratefully accepting donations to fund this and future community-driven dance and music projects.

💖 Support us at: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/KDHLHRXJCDTBY

🎶 THANK YOU to our Bands:
Webfoot Brass Band • LaRhonda Steele Band • Swamp Thang • Ms Vee & a Badass Band • Reggie Houston • Bobby Torres • Norman Sylvester • Bloco Alegria • Jujuba

💃 Dance Performers, Teachers & MCs:
Adrienne • David Straub • Rose Bonomo
Laurie Lynn Newman • Trina Siebert • Selena Glenn • Kenyon Acton • Benji Smith • Rue Eaton • Josh Davis • Jerome Martin III • Brenda Jean Russell • David Seitz and Patti Lind

🙌 Our Board & Event Staff (DanceMode Education):
Brenda Jean Russell • Michael Shepherd • Shelly (Hallsted) Shepherd • Kevin Purell • Soo Baek • Heather Russell • Drew Tronvig • Rose Bonomo • James H Thornton III • Adam Timmerman • Matthew Blair • Darrell Hunter

💪 Our Incredible Volunteers:
— we love you!

🍽 Our Vendors:
Sara Mexican Tamales • Kweki African Fashions • Cool Skewers • Salt & Shaker • Anansi Beat • Thirsty Mikaz • Turning Threads • Darlington Retail LLC • Family Soul Food Stand • Cocina Mexico Lindo • Frosty Peak Ice Cream • OFF-THE-CLIFF • OG Birrieria • Art by Saleam

🎗️ Sponsors who made this day possible:
Friends of Noise • Cascade Zydeco • Dance with Joy Studios • Portland Dance Eclectic • Kiriko • Southpark Seafood
Michael & Shelly Shepherd • Claire & Clauis Nickleberry • Richard Potts • Gloria Geiser • Craig McKeown • Frank Cuccurullo • Victor Gonzalez • Kerry Martinson • Alli & Adam Grimshaw

Special thanks to Emily Halvorson and Downtown Portland Clean & Safe for their support at Director Park.

💫 This is just the beginning. Stay tuned for future events from DanceMode Education — we’re just getting started.

Follow us here:
Instagram as
page https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063954218753
facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/181463105197426
facebook event https://www.facebook.com/events/684264527816480/
website https://www.portlandbluesexperience.com/

Saturday, August 30 7:00 Dante Zapata 8:30 Ben Rice Sunday, August 31 7:00 Kevin Selfe & The Tornadoes 8:30 Mel Brown B-3 Organ Group Monday, September 1 7:00 Subaqueous 8:30 (Tentative) Special Guest w/ Alan Hager

06/11/2025

🎷 We need your help!
We’re aiming to raise $3,000 by June 15 to support this summer’s Portland Blues Experience — a free, all-day celebration of music, dance, and connection in Director Park on July 6.
This event is powered by community, and we’re almost there! Can you chip in today?
This event is powered by community, and we’re almost there! Can you chip in today?
💙 Donate any amount: https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/KDHLHRXJCDTBY
📅 Goal: $3,000 by June 15, $12,000by July 6
📍 Event: PBEx – July 6, 10am–10pm, Director Park, Downtown PDX
🎶 Live bands, lessons, dancing, vendors, and more!
[email protected]

Please share + support if you can!