How you can enjoy Lake Oswego, Oregon, without buying a waterfront home

Posted on September 1, 2011 by lovelakeoswego

Blue Heron easement on Oswego Lake in  Lake Oswego, Oregon

While Oswego Lake in Lake Oswego, Oregon, is a private lake, you don’t have to live on it to enjoy it. Twenty easements located around the lake give 3,000 non-waterfront homeowners the opportunity to live the lake lifestyle without paying waterfront prices.

Buying a home that had easement rights was an important criterion for Bonnie and Jim Trumbull when they bought their house nine years ago. They joined the South Shore Glen easement right away which gave them access to the docks for swimming. One year later, a boat slip opened up and they have been offering the “Trumble Tour” to family and friends ever since.

“We get out on the lake at least two times a week,” Bonnie explains, “usually with friends for picnic dinners and cocktail cruises.” What she loves is introducing people who have never before been on the lake to this backdoor view into the waterfront community. “The gardens and homes are so lovely,” Bonnie adds. “It’s a real treat for people to see.”

When Katharyn and Mike Thompson first moved to Lake Oswego from Colorado, they didn’t know much about the lake but lucked out buying a house with deeded lake access to the Palisades easement. The next time they moved, they made sure their house came with easement rights. Now she is president of the Blue Heron easement. Her family uses it about four times a week during the summer for boating, kayaking, water sports, evening cruises and commuting to the Farmer’s Market and downtown restaurants.

With four kids, Suzy and John Lautze are at their Lakeview Recreation easement more summer days than not, for boating, swimming, and paddle boarding. Recently the easement added a larger dock that has provided a popular gathering place for neighboring families on sunny afternoons. “It’s like having a vacation spot in your backyard,” Suzy explains.

All this fun does come with a price. There are annual dues, an annual meeting and usually a maintenance workday. Some easements also hold socials. Each easement only has a limited number of boat slips for which there can be a waiting list. Once a boat slip is secured there is an annual easement fee as well as Lake Oswego Corporation fees. But to easement members, it’s well worth it.

For a complete listing of Lake Oswego easements, visit the Lake Oswego Corporation website.

If you’re interested in finding a home to buy in Lake Oswego with easement rights, give me a call at 503.939.9801 or email me at kevin.costello@cascadehassonsir.com .

I’d love to show you around.

Photo provided by Lake Oswego Corporation.

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5 Reasons why during summertime, the livin’ is easy in Lake Oswego, Oregon

Posted on August 24, 2011 by lovelakeoswego

The Lake Oswego Swim Park is a perfect place to cool off on a hot summer day.

When DuBose Heyward and Ira Gershwin wrote the lyrics for “Summertime, and the livin’ is easy,” for the opera Porgy and Bess, they could have used Lake Oswego, Oregon for inspiration. This city knows how to do summer. Here are 5 reasons why a summer day is best spent in Lake Oswego.

1. The lake – You can cool off just by looking at the 415-acre namesake lake from several vantage points including Sundeleaf Plaza on State Street or Millennium Plaza Park. Better yet, take a dip at the city’s swim park located at 200 Ridgeway Road open to residents from 12-6 daily during July and August.

2. The Willamette River beach at George Rogers Park.  Lake water isn’t the only fresh water available for cooling off on a hot summer day. Get thee to the 26 acre George Rogers Park and head down to the beach along the Willamette River. This stretch of sand is a perfect place to spread out a picnic, play fetch with your dog or get your feet wet. Once you’ve cooled down, enjoy some of the other things the park has to offer including a playground for the kids, two outdoor tennis courts, picnic tables and recreational fields.

3. The fountain below Millennium Plaza Park. Hordes of kids screaming in delight can’t be wrong. Running and splashing through the fountain located at the base of Millennium Plaza Park is a great way to bring the temps down on a hot summer day.

4. Shade covered trails. Beat the heat while getting your exercise by exploring many natural park settings in Lake Oswego. Choose from Tryon Creek with 670 acres of forest on the boundaries of Portland and Lake Oswego, the Bryant Woods Nature Park with soft surface trails winding through a wooded natural area or check out one of the city’s other trail on their website.

5. Outdoor dining. Too hot to cook? Take a seat at a wide variety of local eateries offering outdoor seating including the Oswego Lake House perched right on the lake, Maher’s Irish Pub in downtown Lake Oswego and the patio at Riccardo’s Italian Ristorante in Lake Grove. Check out the Chamber of Commerce directory for more.

What’s one of your favorite ways for staying cool in Lake Oswego?

I’d love to hear about it.

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Jay Leno’s Guide to the Oswego Heritage Council’s 12th Annual Collector Car and Classic Boat Show

Posted on August 17, 2011 by lovelakeoswego

Winners in last year's Oswego Heritage Collector Car and Classic Boat Show: Philip Hoefer's 1951 Ford Country Squire Wagon and Karl and Viki von Tagen's 1949 Chris Craft Custom Runabout

Jay Leno loves classic cars as his Jay Leno’s Garage website will attest. From a 1906 Baker Electric to a 2006 Corvette, Leno has amassed a collection any serious car buff would covet.

So what would he say about this weekend’s Oswego Heritage Council’s 12th Annual Collector Car and Classic Boat Show? Crank up the engine of whatever drives you and show up! Drawing from his auto-ology, here’s a guide for how to get the most out of the Lake Oswego, Oregon show.

1. Cars (and wooden boats) are to be enjoyed. Leno can often be found driving one of his prized possessions down the streets of Southern California, because, as he says on his website, his collection is not a museum. One of the things 1949 Chris Craft Custom Runabout owner Karl von Tagen loves about the Lake Oswego wooden boat show is that, “It’s not just a show where we park our boat and leave—we get to go out on the lake, take people for rides, talk to people.” If you want to feel what it’s like to cruise around (on the lake) in a bit of history, here’s your chance. In-the-water boats will be docked at the Lake Oswego Corporation Docks in Lakewood Bay and at Foothills Park on the Willamette.

2. Sure looks count, but so do memories. In the midst of his Duesenbergs and Stanley Steamers, it’s a 1955 Buick that holds a special place in Leno’s heart, partly because it became his home on wheels while he was a struggling comic.

Philip Hoefer finds that his 1951 Ford Woody Station Wagon which won the Oswego show last year has that same effect on people. “All kinds of folks come up to me and talk about the car,” he explains, “remembering things like the first time they kissed a girl in the backseat of a car like that.”

Memories are what spurred von Tagen into purchasing his Runabout. As a child growing up in Northern California, he remembers inboard boats on the lake he’d visit every year with his parents. “They made a terrific sound and were so elegant,” he recalls.

3. Car (and wooden boat) owners are to be enjoyed. If you visit Leno’s website, you’ll see he loves to talk about…cars. Talk to von Tagen or Hoefer and you’ll see that they love to talk about…boats and cars. At these shows, they have an audience and they make it worth your while.

“We’re kinda nuts,”admits von Tagen, in describing the collector community to which he belongs. “We look at ourselves as caretakers—we own the boats and enjoy them but they represent a bygone time.” They are more than willing to share that perspective with you.

4. In a world of mass production and fiberglass molds, it’s nice to stand out in a crowd. Leno says there are real advantages to driving around in a classic car. Besides getting noticed, other drivers are more willing to cut you some slack. He proposes that driving would be less automatic and safer if people drove unique cars instead of the clones we see on the freeway today.

Unique is what you will find at the Oswego Heritage show. While Hoefer has participated in much larger car shows like the Concours d’Elegance, he likes the Lake Oswego show with an estimated 250 entries because it offers “a very high class showing of cars.”

Besides being a winner in last year’s Heritage show featuring around 40 boats, von Tagen’s boat placed second in the Marque class in the prestigious Lake Tahoe Concours d’Elegance and was voted best Chris Craft in the Portland show.

In addition to Jay’s guide, here are some other details to help you enjoy the show:

  • Sunday, August 21, 2011
  • 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  • George Rogers Park, Foothills Docks and Lake Oswego Corporation Docks
  • Complementary shuttle will be provided by First Student to take visitors to the three venues.
  • Food available at George Rogers Park
  • Other special events include a welcoming ceremony for PT 658–the only fully restored WWII PT boat–at Foothills Docks at 10 am on Saturday, August 20 followed by a vintage water ski show in Lakewood Bay that afternoon at 3:00 p.m. and a boat parade from Lakewood Bay to Lake Grove Park at 4:00 p.m.
  • You can tour the PT 658 on Sunday, August 21, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

For more details, visit the Oswego Heritage Council Events site or call (503) 635-6373.

Photo: Taken by John Turchi

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4 Reasons why Jimmy Buffett would like to get invited to Lake Oswego’s Hot August Nights

Posted on August 10, 2011 by lovelakeoswego

Boaters enjoy sounds of Lake Oswego's Hot August Nights

1. It’s a Margaritaville state of mind. Setting sun, boats on the lake, forecast in the 80s, friends gathered to listen to music—who has any cares? That’s about as close to a carefree island lifestyle as you can get this side of the Caribbean.

 2. This year’s featured band is The Cheeseburgers. Billing themselves as a self contained party island, this band pays tribute to Buffett’s mindset with an eclectic mix of Caribbean, cowboy and rock n’ roll music, including a long list of Buffett’s hits, highlighted by, you guessed it, Margaritaville.

 3. It’s a great excuse for happy hour. There’s a reason Buffett’s website is titled, Margaritaville and includes recipes for island-inspired drink concoctions. Chances are some of those libations will be seen aboard the more than 100 boats tied up to take in the show.

 4. Joie de vivre. On his website, Buffett is hailed as a storyteller whose tales show that the French term for “the joy of living” is the most important thing in life. Take in the scene at the lake entrance to Half Moon Bay and you’ll see that many Lake Oswegans on a Hot August Night must agree with Buffett.

SO JOIN THE PARTY! Find a friend who has a boat and do like Jimmy Buffett—see if you can get invited. Promise you’ll return the favor—maybe offer to treat them to Lake Oswego’s Riverfest at Foothills Park on August 27. But hurry– the 4th annual Hot August Nights Concert is being held this Saturday, August 13 from 6:30 to 9:00 p.m. at the lake entrance to Half Moon Bay. Boats can tie up starting at 3:00 p.m. with room for about 125 boats. Bring your fins–good chance you’ll want to join in if the Cheeseburgers start singing “fins to the left, fins to the right.” Sponsored by the Lake Corporation and the Oswego Lake House.

 You have a favorite way that you pursue “joie de vivre” in Lake Oswego?        I’d love to hear about it.

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Why Michelangelo would have loved Lake Oswego’s Gallery Without Walls

Posted on August 4, 2011 by lovelakeoswego

Anillos by Maria Wickwire, the 2007 People's Choice Winner

In her book, The Annotated Mona Lisa, Carol Strickland argues that Michelangelo did more than anyone to elevate the status of the artist. The famous sculptor would applaud the Arts Council of Lake Oswego’s efforts to do the same. A non-profit organization started in 1999 to ensure that the arts were woven into the fabric of Oregon’s Lake Oswego community, their Gallery Without Walls program is one that Michelangelo would have loved. Here are three reasons why.

1. It gets the art out where people can see it. According to Michelangelo, “ A beautiful thing never gives so much pain as does failing to hear and see it.” Thanks to the Gallery Without Walls, local as well as national and international sculptors’ works are being seen. Located in public spaces in parks and along city streets, Lake Oswegans don’t have to go out of their way to be exposed to art. There are 55 pieces in the collection—30 on loan from artists for two years—and the rest in the City’s permanent collection. Brochures are available for self-guided tours and the Arts Commission holds free docent led tours as well. There’s also a free app that highlights the sculptures and offers a variety of tours.

2. There is a variety to appeal to every artistic taste. Referring back to our virtual expert once again, Michelangelo said, “The best of artists has no conception that the marble alone does not contain within itself.” While not all the Gallery Without Walls sculptors work with marble, they have let their work evolve out of their chosen materials. The divine M would have marveled at the mediums ranging from his favorite—marble–to steel, wood, granite, recycled objects and more. The subject matter casts a wide artistic net as well with the playful Jazz Drummer to the abstract, The Guardian.

3. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Unfortunately Michelangelo passed away before seeing the long lines of tourists winding their way outside the Galleria dell’Accademia in Florence to ooh and aah over his masterpiece, David. He often seemed like the tormented artist, unappreciated for all his hard work. But Lake Oswegans get a chance every year to vote for their favorite sculpture, giving that artist not only recognition but a paycheck as well. The People’s Choice Winner then becomes part of the City’s permanent collection. I have a feeling Michelangelo would have preferred this method of payment to the patronage system he had to rely on during the Renaissance where bosses like the Medici family got too involved in dictating his works rather than just letting him sit back and create.

Do you have a favorite piece in the Gallery Without Walls? Let us know what it is.

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Top 10 Reasons Kids (and families) Love the Lake Grove Swim Park in Lake Oswego, Oregon

Posted on July 29, 2011 by lovelakeoswego

Our three lake rats with one of their favorite lifeguards, Chad Carter, currently an anchor/ reporter with KOIN Local 6.

When my wife and I first visited Lake Oswego, Oregon, we drove by the Lake Grove Swim Park and jealously eyed the carefree folks who were spending their summer afternoon in a setting that waterfront homeowners pay millions for. Little did we know the Lake Grove Swim Park would become our summer vacation spot for years to come once we bought a home and decided to live in Lake Oswego.

Even though we lived on one of the canals, giving us access to the entire lake, when our kids were little, the swim park was where they wanted to be. What kid wouldn’t with these Top 10 Reasons to Love the Lake Grove Swim Park.

1. It’s a happy place. “Whenever we want to think of something happy, we think about the swim park,” explains Lake Oswego resident Katie Ferris who started hanging out there when she was 12 before continuing the tradition with her own four children. It’s a built-in summertime community with friends for the making—all you have to do is show up!

2. Lifeguards/Park Attendants. These high school/college age kids were the highlight for each of my lake rats. On any given day you could find one of my daughters shadowing her favorite guard or catch my son up at the snack shack in a furious card game of spit or speed with one of the cashiers. Life has come full circle. My oldest daughter is now a lifeguard.

3. Lifeguards again. For parents, having lifeguards puts your mind at ease. All swimmers are required to swim with a buddy, but lifeguards monitor each of the swimming areas.

4. The view. This is priceless real estate on the Lake Oswego waterfront. Spread out your blanket under the tree or on the dock and take it all in.

5. The lake. On a hot summer day, there’s nothing more refreshing than a dip in the lake. There are three swimming areas of graded depths with swim tests required to advanced to each level. Pool three features a diving board.

6. Swim lessons. They could be the best deal in town–two week sessions run from 11 a.m. to noon on weekdays and folks line up outside the swim park gate on registration day to get their kids enrolled.

7. Snack shack. In this world of “you are what you eat,” the snack shack is a throwback to the days we didn’t know that or at least didn’t care. Choose from candy bars, popcorn, hot dogs and slush puppies in a variety of syrupy sweet flavors.

8. Wading pool and play structure. It’s easy to keep the little ones entertained with a concrete wading pool, sand box and play structures (not to mention those slush puppies again).

9. Games. Leave a quarter for a deposit, and you can check out equipment to play ping pong, badminton, basketball or shuffle board.

10. Picnic spots. Shade person? Got that. Want to work on your tan? Got that. Barbecue grates, picnic tables…no wonder the swim park is a popular spot for dinner for two after a long day at work or Charlie’s seventh birthday party.

Here’s just a little bit of history. The swim park was originally deeded to the Lake Grove School District by the Oregon Iron and Steel Company so that all the kids in the Lake Grove district could have access to the lake. In 1953 that district merged with the former Oswego School District to form what is now the Lake Oswego School District. Use of the park, however, is still restricted to residents who live within the original Lake Grove School District boundaries and pay an additional property tax toward the maintenance of the park. Residents need to show proof of residency to receive a park pass, good for the season.

Hours: Open noon to 8 p.m. daily starting the first Saturday after LOSD schools close in June until 5 p.m. on Labor Day.

Check out their website. Better yet, check out the park while there are still lazy summer days to savor.

Want to make sure the house you buy in Lake Oswego has rights to use the Lake Grove Swim Park? Give me a call at 503.939.9801 or email me at kevin.costello@cascadehassonsir.com and I’ll show you around.

What’s your favorite reason for loving Lake Oswego?I’d love to hear from you and get your ideas.

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Movies in the Park offer Lake Oswegans another reason to get out and enjoy summer

Posted on July 21, 2011 by lovelakeoswego

Lake Oswego's Movies in the Park bring out an average of 400 people to Millennium Plaza Park for six Thursday evenings beginning July 21. Photo: provided by Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation

The City of Lake Oswego in Oregon seems determined to give every Lake Oswegan an excuse to get out and enjoy the outdoors this summer. Whether it’s the Farmer’s Market, Art Market, Concert Series, or the opening of the new Sundeleaf Park, Lake Oswegans could have a busy social calendar just keeping up with what the City has to offer. This week it kicks off its Movies in the Park series with movies beginning at dusk at Millennium Plaza Park. It’s a walk-in version of the family drive-in movies. People show up early, with pillows, blankets and sand chairs in hand to stake out their spot for an entertaining evening under the stars. Snacks and popcorn are available for purchase to add to the night’s festivities.

“It’s good, wholesome fun,” explains Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation Events Coordinator, Kathy Kern-Schilling. While a popular venue for families, teenagers also come to hang out in what parents know is a safe, all-American atmosphere. Depending on the movie that’s showing, viewers might come in costume as well as they did for Pirates of the Caribbean one year. Let’s see…with Raiders of the Lost Ark and Toy Story 3 on tap for the summer, things could get interesting!

Here’s the schedule for this summer’s movies. Grab your date or grab your family and make the most of this free entertainment being offered up by Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation.

July 21 Despicable Me
July 28 Raiders of the Lost Ark
August 4 Megamind
August 11 Secretariat
August 18 Toy Story 3
August 25 National Treasure
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Discover Why Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market Is Such a Popular Gathering Spot

Posted on July 13, 2011 by lovelakeoswego

Now in its 11th year of operation, the Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market has grown in size from 50 vendors to over 80 with more than 100,000 visitors coming to shop, sample, and visit during the course of its 22 week schedule from May 14 to October 8. What’s the secret to its success?

  • VARIETY– Farmers’ Market coordinator, Kathy Kern-Schilling, points out that shoppers can choose from organic, no spray, as well as traditional growers.

    Fresh flowers are one of the many offerings at Lake Oswego's Farmers' Market

    While it is  primarily an agricultural market, vendors also offer a variety of produce, meats, eggs, honey, nuts, cheeses, artisan breads, jams and jellies and fresh seafood, not to mention flowers. In addition, over 36 refreshment vendors offer everything from cheesecakes to tamales with a cup of coffee or raspberry lemonade to wash it all down.

  •  ENTERTAINMENT – The sound of music winds its way in and around the market booths with live entertainment every week. The lineup of musicians reflects the variety of the vendors with Andean Music coming up this Saturday followed by the Millennium Brass on October 8 with jazz, flamenco, marimba and more on the Saturdays in between.
  •  DOGGIE DAY CARE– Complimentary day care is provided for your four legged friend while you shop. Staffed by volunteers, dogs are provided with water, shade and TLC.
  • LOCATION – Located in the heart of downtown Lake Oswego at Millennium Plaza Park on the corner of Evergreen and 1st, the Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market offers a chance to explore downtown shops once you’re done as well as  enjoy a fantastic view of Lakewood Bay. Walk the steps down from Lake View Village and enjoy the outdoor fountain where kids can be found cooling off on a sunny Saturday morning. Park in the Lake View Village parking garage and you are only steps away from the Farmers’ Market. Convenient for everyone, it proves to be a popular place for friends to meet, run into each other and visit.
  • POSTER CONTEST – Each year market fans are invited to submit entries in either the adult or youth category for a chance to be designated as  the official Farmers’ Market Poster. This poster art is used throughout the season to promote the market and reinforces what a community event the market continues to be.

For more information about the Lake Oswego Farmers’ Market, click here.

Photo: taken by Brady Costello

 

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Lake Oswego kicks off Summer Concert Series

Posted on July 6, 2011 by lovelakeoswego

Lake Oswego’s Summer Concert Series kicks off this week in two of its three locations. Local country rock duo Cloverdayle, featuring Chad and Rachel Hamar, start things off July 6 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Foothills Park followed by the acoustic Latin jazz sound of Key of Dreams on July 8 from noon to 1:30 at Millennium Plaza Park. There will be 24 performances by the time the September Symphony wraps things up September 4.

There are four different series as part of Lake Oswego’s summer musical lineup, each one having its own personality, according to events coordinator, Kathy Kern-Schilling. The Summer Splash Concerts, held from noon to 1:30 pm on Fridays at Millennium Plaza Park tend to be more casual, featuring smaller groups and drawing an eclectic mix of listeners from businessmen grabbing lunch-to-go from St. Honore, to moms packing a picnic.

Moonlight and Music Concerts from 6 to 7:30 pm on Sundays at Millennium Plaza cater to a more sophisticated sound from jazz to opera. Vendors sell food, beer and wine to a packed crowd that reaches upwards of 1,000 people who prefer listening to the sounds rather than dancing.

The Sounds of Summer Concerts on Wednesdays from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Foothills Park in July and Westlake Park in August cater to all age groups with a lineup from rock to swing that gets people up and dancing. The Foothills Park venue, located on the Willamette River, enables fans to come by land and by water, with boats docked on the river listening to the tunes.

For the fourth year in a row, the  Summer Concert Series will draw to a close with the September Symphony from 4 to 6 pm in Foothills Park.

Summer is a time to kick back and enjoy the things we don’t make time for the rest of the year. With its Summer Concert Series, Lake Oswego has done its best to accommodate all musical tastes and schedules to ensure that everyone has a chance to listen to their favorite tunes in beautiful outdoor settings around town. Check out the Summer Concerts schedule and make plans to attend.

Photo: provided by Lake Oswego Parks and Recreation Department

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4th of July brings Lake Oswego community together

Posted on June 29, 2011 by lovelakeoswego

On the 4th of July, Lake Oswego is at its small town best! Complete with pancake breakfast, children’s parade and fireworks over the lake, residents come out to eat, greet and celebrate.

Before moving to Lake Oswego, Independence Day was near the bottom on my list of favorite holidays. Now it competes for a spot in the top three. What can I say? I’m a sap for tradition and have passed it on to my kids. My son, who now lives and works in San Francisco, is taking valuable vacation time to make sure he’s here in Lake Oswego on the Fourth. Here’s why when Independence Day rolls around, Lake Oswego is the place to be.

  •  Brady Costello: When asked for a favorite memory of the Fourth, my son Brady, was hard pressed. “I don’t know if I have one favorite memory because the Fourth of July has always been my favorite holiday,” he explains. Why? His list runs long from that infamous pancake breakfast in George Rogers Park to water fights on our boat during the boat parade, to backyard parties, to the fact that it seems like the sun always waits until the Fourth to finally emerge and signal the start of summer. But, in a recurring theme he adds, “It seems like the Fourth brings the entire town together.”

    No mistaking what day we're celebrating at our house!

  •  Riley Costello: “It feels like everybody comes out for the Fourth,”Riley echoes. Now a lifeguard at the Lake Grove Swim Park, she views the fireworks show from the dock at the park along with hundreds of other Lake Oswegans. As a kid, however, she remembers our annual backyard bashes complete with relay races, a bike parade down our street and as the kids got a little older, a DJ.
  • Casey Costello: “If you ask any of my friends, they’ll tell you the 4th of the July is the best day of the summer. There’s just a good vibe–everyone is in a good mood because there is so much to do.”
  •  Maddie Vislocky: Maddie doesn’t know where she’s going to live once she is out of college and living on her own, but wherever it is, she’ll always come back to Lake Oswego for the Fourth of July. “I’ve been looking forward to it since sixth grade,” she admits. “I guess it’s the sense of community starting with the Lions’ pancake breakfast,” she explains, to which I can attest as she has joined us at our table many years.
  •  Gretchen Schauffler: “It’s not just about the fireworks,” explains Gretchen. “It’s about a community that actively engages everyone in the celebration. There’s something for all ages throughout the day that makes you feel part of the community.”
  •  Wendy Aldrich: “For me, the 4th of July is about bringing the community all together at the Lake Grove Swim Park—it’s like a good old-fashioned party,” she explains. She should know. Wendy has been watching the fireworks launch out on the lake from the swim park for the past forty years, bringing up her three kids in the same tradition.

Check here for a schedule of events 4th of July weekend. What’s your favorite 4th of July tradition? I’d love to hear it.

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