Enjoy a meal, listen to music, meet new people – in the dark- and benefit the Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation.
The Blind Café is returning to Portland in October to share its unique blend of community awareness, sensory experimentation, delectable food, riveting music and benefit for the blind. Portland has been extremely supportive of The Blind Cafe, with a series of sold out events as more people learn about this unique experience. The Portland Blind Café returns on October 13th – 15th (6:30 pm check-in / 7:00 pm seating) at the Tabor Space in the Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church (5441 SE Belmont St.).
The Blind Café became an award winning event after receiving the Addison Mini-Grant Award from the Boulder County Arts Alliance for its Boulder Blind Café and recently expanded to Austin and Cincinnati. In every city it’s visited The Blind Café has received great press and connected with local communities. Rosh (Brian Rocheleau) the producer of The Blind Cafés had this to say, “We have such an amazing base of support here. Portland is willing to test boundaries and really embrace the unique experience we offer. It’s hard to articulate how great the people of this city have been. We love coming back to this town!”
The Portland Blind Café is a community awareness event, as well as a dinner and concert in the dark. There will be a delicious vegetarian/vegan meal prepared to delight the senses by Portland’s own Chef Ivy Entreken.
All the waiters will be blind and guests will have the chance to participate in a Q & A with the blind waiters about issues related to visual impairment. There will be heartfelt and moving poetry by Rick Hammond, an exploration of spatial awareness and darkness with guest speaker Gerry Leary, and a concert to indulge in unencumbered music listening. Guests explore their senses, free of visual distractions and build friendships and community in a completely extraordinary event.
For those who visit, it’s a night they will never forget… or SEE!
Working together they build community, make new friends and advocate for a better life for the blind and visually impaired. A percentage of the proceeds from this event will be donated to support a local organization, the Oregon Lions Sight & Hearing Foundation.
Nancy Thompson had this to say about her experience in Portland, “I was one of the very lucky and grateful guests who shared the amazing experience of The Blind Cafe on Saturday night. What a truly informative and inspiring evening. [It] helped us push our boundaries just a little bit further, the food was delicious, a great mixture of people – all ages and interests, and the speakers and the music were spot-on.”
Marco Lam took his wife to the Boulder Blind Café for their date night and had this to say, “The feeling of being in the pitch dark and listening to beautiful music had an ethereal quality that was transcendent. The experience of eating food without any visual cues heightened the sensory appeal of a well cooked meal. I found the blind waiters’ quality of service excellent and the experience gave me insight into the challenges and strengths of their unique community. It was easily one of the best dates I have taken my wife on all year…”
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Event Details:
What: The Portland Blind Café
Where: Tabor Space in Mt. Tabor Presbyterian Church, 5441 SE Belmont St., Portland, OR
When: Oct 13, 14, 15 (Thursday – Saturday), 6:30 pm check-in / 7:00 pm seating
Tickets: Available by calling 1-800-838-3006 and online at http://www.brownpapertickets.
Cost: $45 general admission, $35 students/seniors, and sliding scale fee,
Group Rates available for parties of 8 + (call 720 495 7797 for rates)
Website: www.theblindcafe.com/portland-
