Just wanted to give a shout out to Western Display Fireworks. They are a 4th generation…read morefamily-owned business (according to the Astoria Chamber of Commerce). They gave a fantastic fireworks show in Astoria, Oregon this Fourth of July. We had front row seats on the Columbia River and we were very impressed.

Really pretty and lots of parking, walking distance of the main street, but bring bug spray!!read more

When I went to Willamette Park for the first time two days ago, I was blown away (figuratively…read morespeaking). There were plants, trees and flowers as far as the eye could see. For one thing, the trees sure were beautiful to look at. Their leaves reminded me about the beauty of the color green and how it can be cool and friendly (and they still do, as a matter of fact). Also, whenever I looked at the flowers and plants, I smiled when I took notice of how awesome they looked (and still are). As I took pictures of the nature I saw, I was then reminded of Susie Salmon in the 2009 film "The Lovely Bones" and her saying that she liked how a photo could capture a moment before it was gone. Even now, I know what she meant. And when it came to the nature in the green of the plants, the beauty in the flowers and the wonder in the trees, there was something special they all had that nature photographers are able to find. Finally, I highly recommend Willamette Park for all the nature lovers and photographers out there, and I give it five stars as well (although ten stars would be even better).

Great place to, swim, play tennis, skateboard, play soccer, play baseball, jog, walk your dog, go…read morefor a walk, bird watch, picnic, BBQing, watch fireworks, and so many more things.

Exclamations made after visiting: "That was insane!" "That was crazy!" "I can't believe that!"…read more Yes, we went on the 3rd of July and we expected it to be busy, but holy cow! It was shoulder to shoulder people. Our party was separated several times and we were often blocked and unable to move because of the crowd. I have been in mosh pits with less touching. Pros: Parking monitors were on point. Fully staffed in all areas Employees knew everything and offered up answers without having to be asked. As we were talking amongst ourselves about trying to find an item, we were always directed to the correct item by the closest employee who overheard us. 10 cashiers who knew how to use the registers quickly meant that there was NO line for checkout even though the store was packed! Cons: Lots of people Parking lot was filled with anarchists who were excited to ignore traffic laws (customers; not attendants) Could be a pro or a con: No special gimmicky deals like "buy 3 get 1 free" means you get what you get. Clearly the crowds are not enough to keep the crowds away. Unfortunately, our family won't be back. Not because we were wronged or dissatisfied in any way, but because it was too much sensory input for our neurodivergent family members.

We always make the drive to Blackjack Fireworks 2x a year because not only are they super friendly…read moreand literally have the best prices, but they also are knowledgeable about which fireworks work best for the show you would like to put on no matter the size of the audience.

The weather didn't cooperate, but when does it in Oregon? After almost two years of watching the…read morerestoration of the historic Arch Bridge, the Willamette Falls Festival celebrated the reopening of the link between West Linn and Oregon City by the scenic falls. The organizers planned a nice event. A 3-day festival and each day has a different theme: Friday - "An Evening of Arts & Culture" Saturday - "Family fun Day" Sunday - "Get Active Day" The rain put a bit of a damper on some of the activities, but it was still a nice, small town event. In downtown Oregon City, the focus of the festival, you could walk around town to the sounds of a barbershop quartet. There was a small farmer's market on one block and an artisan's market on the next. We saw fireworks Saturday night from the McLoughlin Promenade. On Sunday there is a 5k Fun Run, as well as a run/bike/paddle race starting at Clackamette Park. It is also the official bridge reopening for walkers, bikes and antique cars. We enjoyed this festival all weekend long and one of the highlights for me was taking the trolley tour of Oregon City and West Linn. We were lucky to have the President of the Old Willamette Historical Society as our guide. Very informative and just a lovely way to continue to learn more about our local area. Many of the historic homes in the area, on both sides of the river, were also open expanded hours and volunteers in period costume were there to provide information, assistance and a dose of fun. The Arch Bridge will officially open to traffic at 5:00a on Monday.

it was wonderful that was great food and dancing. Also a fantastic jet boat ride I think so very…read moremuch for the wonderful fun festival.

We come every year and it never disappoints! So many bogo items that you can stock up, profits a…read morelocal church, invest in your community, dinner for neighborhood on July 3rd at 7 with raffle for a kid to sprint 30 seconds and grab fireworks!

City of Detroit? More like Town of Detroit, which is a good spot to stop at if you're on the road…read moretraveling northwestward, which was exactly why we made our way to Detroit. We were running out of gas and desperately needed a bathroom break, so Google Maps indicated that this area was the next closest city/town on our way to the McMinnville area from Bend. The city is small, with signs indicating where a rest/bathroom area was. The rest area was actually quite nice, with a huge green space for dogs to run around in and bathrooms and a water fountain. There were also picnic tables at the far end of the grassy area. It was nice to stretch our legs and take a break from our road trip. I learned that it indeed is named after Detroit, Michigan for many of the early settlers here were from Detroit, Michigan. It's a good stop while on the road, depending where you are in Oregon. It's a small town with a few houses, a gas station, food trucks, and a grassy area for resting and stretching your legs.

This is a quaint little vacation town. Not many people really live here, as you can tell by its…read moredeadness during the winter months. The town really gets going during the summer, and especially around the 4th of July when the town puts on its annual fireworks show. You'll be hard pressed to find something fun to do without a boat. You must have a boat in this town. I spent a Christmas here a few years back, and it snowed and was so beautiful and fabulous. Not many dining options, as they just have a bar and some rinky-dinky pizza/snack shack. Better bring your own food.

Amity is an absolutely horrible place to live, with nothing whatsoever worth visiting. It is poorly…read moremanaged by Michael and his sidekick Natasha, who are completely incompetent and lack both integrity and ethics. It's certainly not a place you would want to raise your children. The one thing you can be sure of is that your water rates will be astronomical and your property values with plummet. Amity is a complete shit hole.

went for "mcminnville's" 4th of july fireworks event taking place in Amity. excellent people…read more HORRIBLE fireworks show. 1 star fireworks (13 minutes of BLAH) and 5 star environment. won't be back. and that's a shame. beautiful location for a festival, at their high school (football field). mountains in background......amazing.

SO MUCH FUN! Took my parents from Maine after we went the year prior and wow what a core memory!!…read moreThe best food, drink, and vendors!

A truly fabulous event. Seated and kept cool by the overhang. Section D in the house…read more The real excitement is in the professionalism and the attention to detail. Everyone is dressed in a matching outfit. Staff is super friendly and helpful all around the stadium and the outside venues. No doubt they love America in St Paul and they love the military service branches. If that offends you. This event is not for you. So many different events and always moving on the inside. Plenty of different events and different competitive categories. Loved the outside venues. A real variety of food programs and vendors really went all out to provide something for everyone. The history of the rodeo tent was educational and exciting just to see the evolution. So many people that are legends in the sport. What an honor to learn all about them and their accomplishments in and outside of Rodeo. A real family pleaser for sure remember sun screen Drink lots of water. It's a long day that keeps you entertained.