Ankeny Plaza

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Mom's Report:

If you want to see Ankeny Plaza, you will have to go during the week. On the weekend, it is buried beneath the wonderful Portland Saturday Market. The Portland Parks & Recreation site has a wonderful historical blurb about the plaza that the children read before we went. We went on a Saturday, so after winding our way through the crowd and the vendors of the market, we finally found the Skidmore Fountain that is the centerpiece of the plaza. During the market, it's usually surrounded by lounging shoppers and ringed by scorpion swallowers, fortune tellers, balloon artists, and musicians. The children enjoyed connecting the text we read from the parks website to the actual fountain--a terrific Portland/Oregon history lesson. They also enjoyed shopping and getting their faces painted.

Saturday Market has just moved into a new location on the Waterfront Park, but the plaza will continue to house some of the vendors. The children and I have decided to try visiting the plaza again at a later date, when we can go during the week and see the plaza for what it is without the tents and crowds.

The plaza is very easy to get to--it's right on the Trimet line in downtown near Burnside and there are lots of parking lots in the area. Good luck getting side street parking, though. If you go on the weekend, there's the Saturday market with all of its wonderful vendors. You may or may not find it kid friendly, based on your own standards. It can get crowded and some shoppers are less than kid friendly, but I've never had a problem taking the kids. They love looking at all the crafty goods and interesting people. Some people take their dogs, but I prefer not to. It's a little too crowded in places and I don't want to trip anyone with the leash! I can't imagine the plaza is all that interesting during the week--it's not very big and the fountain is the only thing to see. You could head across the street to the Waterfront Park, though, which is a lovely walk along the river.


Bug's Report:
The park\plaza is fun...we didn't really see it though, we saw it under the Sunday Market.There's not much to see but the fountain is lovely,a beautiful woman holding something(i forgot.),the fountain has lion heads around the edges.The Sunday Market is really fun too.I got a dragon painted on my face by the face painter!
you should go...its really cool,bring your wallet!



Bear's Report:

Um I was gitting my face pantid and I pitkt a BUNNY RABBIT with a bolon. And I had to be vary stile but it tikelde me a bit and it felt werd.Then I got off of the stule.Then we went to walk around a bit and go home.

Translation: Um, I was getting my face painted and I picked a bunny rabbit with a balloon. And I had to be very still but it tickled me a bit and it felt weird. Then I got off the stool. Then we went to walk around a bit and go home.