Go to Edgefield for the Music, Stay for the Fondue

Plus, everything you need to know about bringing chairs of the appropriate height.

Edgefield (Kathleen Nyberg)
By Shannon Daehnke

2126 SW Halsey St., Troutdale, 800-669-8610, edgefieldconcerts.com.

Best Shortcut to a View: Once you’re inside the venue, make a beeline for the right side of the field as you face the stage. Sure, the left side might be a breezy, inviting, temptingly shady escape from the summer heat. But trust us…the grass is definitely greener on the right side. All you have to do is stick out the blinding sun for the opener—or between the hours of 5 and 7 pm—before it disappears behind the stage: A small price to pay for a no-zoom-required video of your favorite artist. Seriously, you’ll be that close. Just follow the little path along the very edge of the nearest hill and make your way up as close to the stage as you can get (before you start to feel guilty about how many people you’ve cut in front of). Oh, and wear comfy shoes. Standing at a slanted angle in brand-new (super-cute) pink cowboy boots for an extended period of time is a recipe for blisters. We’d guess, anyway.

Best Chair: Bring lawn chairs, but make sure they’re low enough to the ground. Because Edgefield security will check. Like, pull-out-a-ruler-and-measure-the-chair’s-exact-height check. And if your chairs are too tall, they’ll make you endure a long, somewhat humiliating journey back to your car to put them away. And they’ll point at you and laugh (JK).

Best After-Show Ritual: Don’t even bother heading to your car right after the show ends. Instead, make your way to one of Edgefield’s 10 different restaurants and bars—some of which stay open until 2 am on concert nights. That way, instead of being stuck in your car waiting in frustration for concertgoers to clear out, you’ll be playing pool and enjoying soft pretzels and fondue (arguably the best item on any McMenamins menu). And by the time you’re done, the lot’ll be empty.

Alternate Post-Show Activity: Attempt a hitchhiking scheme. Simply walk off in the direction of Portland and wait for friendly attendees slowed by inevitably snarled traffic to see you and offer rides. But WW is not responsible for your safety. (Note: If you plan to hitchhike, you do need to leave right after the show ends. Otherwise, there will be no one around to host your hike.)

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