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- #4: Free Live Music, Washington Country Fair, Good Taste Noodle House, and a Trolly Ride
#4: Free Live Music, Washington Country Fair, Good Taste Noodle House, and a Trolly Ride
A cheeky, charming local newsletter serving up Hillsboro, Oregon’s best events, eats, and everyday magic — one joyful issue at a time.
Amanda Marcott
July 23, 2025
Hey there Reader!
This week’s issue is made possible by a local business we think you’ll love. Keep reading, we’ll spill the details below. 🫶
This edition is sponsored by The Viable Source
☕ The First Sip
“Before you scroll… let the vibe steep.”
Hellooooooooooo Hillsboro!
You know when you’ve lived somewhere for a reeeeeeeaaaaalllly long time and then you find out about something that apparently only YOU didn’t know about that was super awesome all along???
Yeah. Me either. 👀
Ok. That’s a total lie. My family went to Tuesday Night Market for the first time EVER this week while I stayed home to work, and apparently it’s substantially larger than the “cute little fair thingy” we had always thought it was.
 | I guess there were THREE bands there, it spanned like two blocks and into the courthouse lawn with lots of vendors and food carts, and that’s normal! Wuuuuuut?! And I guess there’s a CAR SHOW all the time too! But my envy hit top peak when my husband said there was a BABY PINK CADILLAC LIKE ELVIS DROVE!!!!!! A convertible with fins and all. (Fun random fact! Even though I was born in the 80s, my parents loved music - it was always playing on the vinyls - so I can sing most songs from movies and radio from the 50s and 60s. 😂 I was convinced I would marry 1959-Elvis when I was 6.) |
The Tuesday Night Market even has these great features called “Cultural Crossroads” at the plaza (near the splash pad across from Outdoors In) with performances. So you can BET I’ll be there for African Culture Cultural Crossroads next Tuesday, July 29th. OOOOO! Maybe there will be an Ethiopian food cart!!!! Ok. I’m hungry now. But we got some great little pit stops for this week too!
Let’s get into it, shall we?!
📻 What’s Brewing (also known as: Events)
Your go-to list of local happenings, side quests, and a few excuses to put on pants.
Find the full forecast at Weather.com
🍻 Happy Hour Recap
Did you know there were a bunch of FREE live music performances throughout the week?? Yeah. Me either!!! These are definitely worth checking out!
Wednesday, July 23 @ 5:30 - 7:30 pm. Vibes, Wine, & Sunshine - Live Music with Dawid Vorster at Helvetia Winery
Wednesday, July 23 @ 6 - 8:30 pm. Vibes, Wine, & Sunshine - Live Music with Craig Shannon at Danu Wines
Thursday, July 24 @ 5:30 - 7:30 pm. Live music at 808 Grinds
Friday, July 25 @ 6:00 - 9:00 pm. Live Music with Malderine at Hillsboro Downtown Station
Saturday, July 26 @ 6:00 - 9:00 pm. Live Music with Simmer Down at Hillsboro Downtown Station
Real quick! A big shoutout to our main sponsor this month!
I am so thankful to the team at The Viable Source. They have been amazing at helping me get the newsletter website up and running. We have so much in store for the readers! They have helped with everything from design to structure and content. They have been working hard on building in the back ground for all the things to come, and I’m so grateful for their expertise. |  |
In addition to building us the best website EV-EH! The Viable Source also helps with all the Google and keywords stuff. So as this lovely little newsletter grows, more people will actually know about it. They can assist with Google search engine optimization, the ads, the Google My Business links, and more. They also help with Meta ads if you’re into it. I can say for certain, if you’re starting a little side project and you’re afraid your site will look like a toddler did it, or your perfectionist tendencies will consume you so much you’ll never actually get it launched if left to your own devices (…not me averting my eyes) then email these guys. The team at The Viable Source will make sure your website looks super awesome and professional, flows well, can be found, and actually works.
Sponsored by The Viable Source
🎡 Out & About — “Local fun for all ages.”
Park Pop-Up Hosted by Hillsboro Parks & Recreation, this adorable family event is free for everyone! Park Pop-Ups Dogs are welcome at the parks, but please make sure they are leashed! (And remember to pick up after them!)
This week’s Park Pop-Ups will be:
Wednesday, July 23 at Evergreen Park from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Features include: Rollin’ Rec, Mobile Makers, and Library on the Loose
Thursday, July 24 at Francis St Park from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Features Include: Mobile Makers, and Library on the Loose
Get a aheads up for next week!
Wednesday, July 30 at Walnut Street Park from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Features include: Rollin’ Rec, Wetland on Wheels, Mobile Makers, and Library on the Loose
Thursday, July 31 at Magnolia Park from 10:30 am - 12:00 pm
Features Include: Mobile Makers, and Library on the Loose
🎉 Even more events!
Park & Play: Disability Pride Party - Saturday, July 26 from 1 - 3 pm from at Hidden Creek Park West.
Portland Opera presents Puccini to Porter: An Evening of Passion (with No Regrets in the Morning) - Sunday, July 27 from 7 - 8 pm at Walters Cultural Center
🎪 This Week’s Main Event — “Big crowds. Big vibes. Big fun.”
Bring the kids, bring a camp chair, and definitely bring the sunscreen!
🎠 Washington Country Fair
When: Wednesday, July 23 - Friday, July 25 @ 5 pm to Midnight
When: Saturday, July 26 - Sunday, July 27 @ 10 am - midnight.
Where: Washington Country Fair Grounds
Always FREE Admission!
Enjoy carnival rides, 30+ food vendors, live music (Ned LeDoux, Queen Nation, tribute bands), livestock exhibits, science zones, and family movie nights. Open 5 pm–midnight (weekends from 10 am). Parking is free Mon–Thu, $10 Fri–Sun. MAX ride to the fair grounds is recommended.
🎨 Creative Block — “What’s being made, played, and staged.”
The Showtime Concert Series features live music on Thursday evenings during the month July at Shute Park!
Bring a camp chair or blanket to sit back and enjoy the great tunes from top local talent. There’s even food trucks for dinner!! Or you can bring your own food and drink. Remember it’s sober fun…No alcohol allowed.
This culturally and musically diverse series has been bringing neighbors together for dancing and fun for more than 30 years!! Totally free, totally worth it!
 Johnny Limbo and The Lugnuts - Oldies Tribute Band | Oldies Tribute: Playing the music of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s Johnny Limbo and The Lugnuts show is a toe-tappin' tour of the Golden Era of Rock and Roll as they play tributes to such legendary artists as Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry, Bill Haley, Buddy Holly, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, and the Supremes. Thursday, July 24 from 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm @ Shute Park |
🍴 Bite Club (Food & Drink)
Craveable bites, fork-worthy finds, and snack-sized updates from around town.
🌮 Taco Index Report — Our cheeky rating system using 5 tacos instead of stars.
This Taco Index Report is about the amazing Good Taste Noodle House! This is actually a regular hot spot for my family and the food is ALWAYS amazing!
Good Taste Noodle House🎉 = GF or Gluten-friendly 🍭 = Kid-approved This family run Cantonese restaurant is delightful with it’s authentic flavors, huge portions, and great staff. We always feel like family when we go and we ALWAYS order too much on purpose to make sure we have leftovers! And yes! If you let them know you need some tweaks for your allergies, they will absolutely accommodate. My hubs always gets the Singapore Noodles - Gluten free, and they make sure to switch to rice noodles for him. My favorite are their crab rangoons. I don’t know what they do to them…but they are delightful! 🌮🌮🌮🌮🌮 5 tacos ALL. THE. WAY! |  |
🛋️ Meanwhile, in Real Life (Lifestyle)
The good stuff we’d tell you over coffee — grounded, practical, and actually helpful.
🛠️ Ask A Local Pro — “Tips and tricks to make life easier.”
Now that we are in the midst of our sunniest time of year, it is a great time to take care of some of the outdoor maintenance on our homes. You can always hire a local small business to handle these projects for you, but if you have the DIY spirit and are willing to spend some time in the heat, you can tackle these on a day off!
  | Power Washing Power washing is a quick way to make a big impact on your driveway, sidewalks and concrete patios! Most power washing equipment can be hooked up to your hose- and the machines are easy to use- just point and shoot. If you want to get really fancy, you can even put a stencil down on the cement and power wash over it and repeat for a fun design! If you don’t have a power washer, you can rent equipment from a big box store, or a local rental company like Bottens Equipment in Cornelius. You can also ask your local Buy Nothing Group- a neighbor may have a power washer they are willing to lend you for the day! Important safety tip- be sure to wear closed toe shoes! The spray may seem refreshing, but it’s definitely strong enough to injure toes in flip flops. If you find a project that is too big to tackle on your own, please feel free to reach out to us at Callahan Custom Construction and Design. You can email us at [email protected]. Rachel Callahan Sponsored by Callahan Construction and Design |
🚙 Worth the Trip — “Not too far. Totally worth it.”
I found out about the adorable Willamette Shore Trolley that departs in Lake Oswego, or Bancroft Street in Portland! Look at what they say on their website!
Ride in a Vintage Trolley from Lake Oswego into a dark tunnel and meander through posh neighborhoods.
You will ride on a historic rail line dating from the late 1800s, the tunnel dates from 1921. At one time, electrified interurbans ran on this line from Portland to Oswego and Hillsboro, McMinnville, and Corvallis. The Vintage Trolley is a replica trolley in the style of Portland’s Council Crest cars. Two of the original cars can be found at our museum in Brooks. Before coming to the Willamette Shore Trolley, the Vintage Trolleys formerly ran on the MAX Line and Portland Streetcar.
We love the Polar Express during the winter so I am so excited to head over the Lake Oswego for a day and see the amazing Willamette Shore Trolly with that beautiful scenery! Maybe I’ll see you there!
Borrowed from the Willamette Shore Trolly website
There’s plenty more planned, and lots more to do so I can provide the bestest neighborhood newsletter this side of the tunnel! But for now I just want to say thanks. Thanks for joining my very long group chat in my brain, for all your future suggestions to share with others, and for hanging out all the way to the end.
I’ll see you next Wednesday, and I hope you have a GREAT week!
~ Amanda, Founder | Editor
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