Voodoo Doughnut’s having a baby! They’re opening up a new shop tomorrow night, Friday, May 30th, just in time for their fifth anniversary, and they’re having a real, live parade to celebrate. The parade starts at 7pm sharp, but it is suggested you arrive at Voodoo I (22 NW Third) by at least 6:45pm. Not one, not two, but three cherry tops, plus the honorable Mayor Tom Potter, and Voodoo’s founding barons, Tres Shannon and Kenneth “Cat Daddy” Pogson, will lead the parade, which is a veritable cavalcade of all-stars. Members of March Fourth Marching Band will be keeping the beat. Former X-Ray Cafe alum and now Voleur’s chef, Young Tom, will ceremoniously schlep the Golden Suitcase of Magic Grease from the hallowed fryers of Voodoo 1, all the way up Burnside to Sandy, to bless the virgin fryers at Voodoo II at NE 15th and Sandy (actually, 1501 NE Davis, immediately north of Sandy, near the Handy Slut). Portland’s own Elvis will be borne as if on the wings of angels by one of those cute li’l pedi-cabs. Heck, even the BarFly Bus will be in on the excitement (we have one of our super-duper private party charter BarFly Bus Tours tomorrow night, and they’re all dressing up for prom! If you’d like to be on the bus, please check out www.north45pub.com, for details. It’s a leukemia charity fundraiser, and North 45 Pub is its fine sponsor. Click here for more info on the Prom Bus.) Cherries on top that they are, it’s only right that The Rose City Rollers will be there with bells on, too!

You, yes, you, may join the parade as well! The route begins at 7pm sharp at Voodoo I (22 NW Third), goes down Burnside and over the bridge, then up to the zillion corners by God’s Scoreboard where Sandy, Burnside, 11th and 12th all meet, and continues onto Sandy, to the brand-spankin’ new joint. If you go, you’ll get an eyeful of the scene of BarFly’s next killer bash - BarFly’s Battle of the Band Vans! Want more info about BarFly’s Battle of the Band Vans, or would you like to enter your very own band van in the competition? There’s cash, prizes, and instant fame on the line here, boys and girls! Read the enclosed press release, below, for general info, or to enter your band van in the contest, please email me (jen@barflypdx.com) for more details on that.

See you in the parade!

Your pal,

Miss Jen Lane
BarFly Fame
PO Box 9114
Portland, OR 97207
503.813.9999
http://www.barflypdx.com

PRESS RELEASE: BARFLY CELEBRATES 9TH ANNIVERSARY WITH “BATTLE OF THE BAND VANS”

BarFly parties have been the stuff of legend for the better part of a decade, but this year, BarFly is throwing its biggest anniversary bash yet. We’re celebrating our ninth birthday by pulling out all the stops and kicking off the summer with a giant outdoor celebration with live music, yummy barbeque, complimentary libations, and a Band Van Beauty Pageant! Band vans? You heard right – BAND VANS! We’re inviting Portland’s rockstars to proudly display their road rigs, car show style, in a bid for fame and fortune, BarFly-style. Twenty-five Portland bands will be strutting their vans’ stuff, vying for cash and prizes in six award categories: Most Innovative, Most Party Hearty, Flair-iest, Most Legendary, Best Presentation, and the grand prize, Number One Band Van in Portland!

BarFly’s Battle of the Band Vans will be the first event held at Voodoo Doughnut’s chic new outpost, near NE 15th and Sandy. BarFly’s Battle of the Band Vans and complimentary barbeque service will take place in the 20,000 sq. ft. secured parking lot, with six live bands playing onstage inside the Chapel of Voodoo, throughout the afternoon and evening. Four bars (three outside, one inside) will provide complimentary service throughout the festivities. Entry to the party, including the entire outdoor van show, and indoor entertainment, will be free of charge, but by invitation only, for those 21 and over, only. Our experienced bar and security staff will ensure responsible service, while maintaining a fun, party environment. Ride On, the local, non-profit, anti-drinking and driving, car and driver service, will be on hand to deliver the bands, their vans, our guests and their vehicles safely home.

The Battle of the Band Vans marks BarFly’s ninth anniversary, and continues our tradition of hosting uniquely entertaining, service industry-centric, private annual events. Our lengthy guest list of bar owners, managers, and workers from hundreds of pubs, lounges and clubs throughout the Portland metro area, will make it a veritable ‘who’s who’ of the bar business.

With the first ever Battle of the Band Vans, BarFly not only introduces a new annual event to the Portland scene, it commemorates a pivotal time in BarFly’s lifespan as we launch barflypdx.com and begin to spread our tentacles to markets beyond Portland. BarFly’s interweb hub has already been named one of Oregon’s top ten websites, and its blend of online community, nightlife news, and hundreds of up-to-date, accurate and entertaining bar reviews has become so popular, barflypdx.com has wholly supplanted the former magazine version of BarFly.

Founded in 1999, BarFly is still independently owned and operated in Portland, Oregon, by its founder, Jen Lane, and web guru, Kyle Ritter. For more information about BarFly, and the Battle of the Band Vans, please contact BarFly’s new marketing director, Andy Wood at 503/484.7980 or andy@barflypdx.com.