For those of you who enjoy taking your Bondi Uke out into nature to take in the fresh air, the winding trails among tall trees in Portland, Oregon might be just what you’re looking for. Often referred to as the “City of Roses” this picturesque setting is home to over two-million people and it isn’t hard to see why. In 2013 The Guardian named the Portland music scene as one of the “most vibrant” in the United States. Multi-Grammy winning Jazz artist Eperanza Spalding was raised here and rock-artist Courtney Love formed her first band and met her late-husband, legendary grunge rocker Kurt Cobain in good old Portland.

So, what does all of this mean for us Ukesters in Portland? Opportunities aplenty, that’s what. How does a weekly, all-age, all-level uke social featuring rotating hosts and lots of friendly faces sound? If this perks your ears up then head on over to “Portland Ukulele Wednesdays” on North Williams Avenue. Jenn Sturiale heads this lively bunch up as their founder and she ensures that all the hosts are fully prepared leading up to the next meeting. Sheet music and the list of songs to be studied are uploaded to their Facebook page in advance to give everyone a solid start. If you’d like to reach Jenn and her merry bunch you can follow the link listed below.

https://www.meetup.com/Portland-Ukulele-Wednesdays/ 

If a group that’s “dedicated to the fun and fellowship of ukulele playing” sounds like your kind of philosophy then you’re a shoe-in for the Portland Ukulele Association (PUA). These good folks meet up every second Sunday of the month in the early afternoon. This meeting includes a short introductory lesson, followed by a group strum and is concluded with a short open-mic session for those who are looking to wow the crowd with their individual talents. The good news? PUA meets every month, except for July and August. That should give you enough alone time with your Bondi Uke to fine tune your own strumming. The Portland Ukulele Association can be reached on their website which is listed below.

http://pdxuke.com/

Feel like hitting the road? The Bend Ukulele Group (or BUGS) is promoting the ukulele in a very public way. The BUGS have regular sessions at a popular nightspot in the town of Bend, Oregon. Your options are endless – watch, play along or sing along with this lively group of Oregonians (yes, that’s a word). If you’d like to have a chat with the BUGS you can reach them on their Facebook page listed below.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/BendUkuleleGroup/about/?ref=page_internal

While cruising the streets of Portland keep an eye out for HUG, or the Hollywood Ukulele Group in Portland. The classify themselves as a Ukulele Orchestra and perform in various destinations in the city. If you prefer the direct approach you can reach them on their Facebook page which is listed below.

https://www.facebook.com/pg/Hugpdx/about/?ref=page_internal

Among the pine trees reaching for the skies and the rolling mountains of Oregon the ukulele is standing tall and making it’s mark in Portland. Why not make your Bondi Uke a part of it?

Keep strumming, all!