Alberta Street is ONLY CLOSED to traffic on Last Thursdays JUNE, JULY, and AUGUST.
Street Vending is sparse in the Fall, Winter, and Spring months due to weather and no street closures.
Please read and follow all vendor information and guidelines below
Last Thursday Vending Guidelines
Last Thursday is for artists, performers, musicians and other creatives.
Local non-profits are allowed.
This is not an event for wholesale, mass produced products, corporations or corporate giveaways, or political campaigning. Street and public space is reserved for art and craft vendors, musicians and other performers. Commercial sales of subscriptions, private sector marketing, non-art/mass produced goods goes against the City of Portland / community vending guidelines and takes away from the purpose of the event:
supporting local arts and takes space away from local artists and performers.
The following Last Thursday vending guidelines were written over 13 years ago as a community owned and developed effort, including local businesses, community organizations, community members and the City of Portland. The community and Alberta Art Works, in partnership with the City of Portland, and the Portland Department of Transportation help steward these guidelines. These guidelines help all involved, and bring people together for a positive and safe Last Thursday focused on arts, culture and small business every month of the year.
No registration is needed for vending your handmade work.
Vending space is free for all creatives.
STREET VENDING GUIDELINES
Last Thursday takes place every month but only the months of June, July and August is the street closed to vehicle traffic from NE 15th to NE 30th Ave. Please set up on the sidewalks when the street is not closed leaving a 6' walk through space large enough to accommodate strollers and wheelchairs before the street becomes car-free.
​
Food vendors: We are not supporting food truck vending at the event as we have in the past. In order to support the restaurants on Alberta Street, we have decided to not allow food trucks. Please see Food Vendor Guidelines below.
​
SET UP:
Vendor spaces are free and first come first served. Please self-manage in partnership with the community, businesses and other vendors.
Please set up on the sidewalk until 5:00 when you can move into the parking strip area of the street. If you have a 10 x 10 tent, please set up two feet of it on the sidewalk and 8 feet in the parking lane. The parking lane where cars park is 8 feet wide, so this will keep you out of the travel lane. It's important for us to leave clear space on the sidewalk for people in wheelchairs and other mobility devices (like strollers) can easily walk down the sidewalk before the street becomes car-free. At 6:00, bring your entire 10x10 onto the street, keeping it against the curb. We need to keep the middle of the street clear for people walking through the event. When the street is closed at 6:00 you may begin vending towards the street. Last Thursday ends at 9 PM.
​
Please do not block the sidewalk. Keep a 6' path for wheelchair access. This will allow for clear, safe and accessible walking paths in accordance with the Americans with Disabilities Act.
​
You are responsible for your own electricity source, if needed.
​
ASK FIRST:
Before setting up in front of a business or residence, please receive their permission and address and respect any needs & concerns they have.
​
CLEAN UP AFTER YOURSELF:
After packing up at night, take a look around and pack out all trash. Please bring your own trash bags and recycling containers.
​
KEEP CLEAR:
Doors and pathways to Alberta businesses and homes must remain clear and open.
All side streets and intersections up and down Alberta and nearby streets must be clear of booths to allow emergency vehicles to pass through.
​
Maintain clearance within a 3 ft radius of fire hydrants.
​
Keep a clear 18 ft path through the center of Alberta Street for people and emergency vehicle access.
​
Please avoid blocking all private driveways, including allowing several feet of access near those driveways for visibility and safety.
​
Selling of alcohol is prohibited.
​
The re-opening of Alberta Street to traffic, takes a half hour or more.
Vendors, thank you for waiting until the opening procession has passed by
before driving your car onto Alberta Street to pack up.
MUSICIANS AND PERFORMERS:
Last Thursday complies with city sound ordinances. City code requires that street musicians should not be audible farther than 100 feet away (about 1/2 block). This way everyone can play and be heard. If you flow over the specified decibel level, you may be at risk for a noise citation (Please be aware that noise violations from the City are $500 for each musician), or you may be asked to leave the event. You are responsible for your own electricity source.
​
FOOD VENDORS:
No Food trucks are allowed to vend at Last Thursday.
GOT A PERMIT? All food vendors are required to hold a temporary restaurant license or have a
licensed domestic kitchen.
WHAT IS A DOMESTIC KITCHEN?
Domestic Kitchens are home kitchens that may be used to cook/prepare food that will be sold.
They are approved and licensed by the Oregon Department of Agriculture – Food Safety
Division. The license runs for 1 year and is much lower than a temporary restaurant permit.
Some of the foods included in this license include:
Brownies- Pastries- Muffins- Pies
Cakes- Cupcakes- Breads- Jams/Jellies
A Domestic Kitchen license allows you to wholesale your goods or sell-direct at venues like Last
Thursday or Farmer’s Markets.
If you are interested in licensing your kitchen or learning more, please contact the Oregon
Department of Agriculture, Food Safety Division @ 503-986-4720; www.oregon.gov/oda/fsd
BUT WAIT!
There are some foods that are exempt from licensure:
-cookies, confections, cotton candy, popcorn, nuts, and candied apples
-commercially packaged items: ice-cream, frozen desserts, potato chips, pretzels and crackers
-commercially processed pickles and jerky
-coffee (not espresso) and tea (use only powdered creamers) and canned or bottled pop
-food samples
​
STREET CLOSURE PERMITS We do not address or handle street closure permits, needs and issues. Please contact the City of Portland for more information.
​