Pies take top billing at First Friday

This month’s First Friday event in downtown Camas, scheduled for Friday, Nov. 6, will cap a week of virtual “thankful for you (and pie)” themed events.

“Even during a pandemic year we have lots to be grateful for and the November First Friday Week in Downtown Camas will highlight this with gratitude activities and lots of pie,” the Downtown Camas Association stated in a recent press release about the monthly First Friday festivities. “The annual November First Friday ‘Thankful for Pie!’ theme has been adapted slightly this year … since we want to show how grateful we are for all the support of downtown Camas and of course we want to continue to celebrate with pie as well.”

Virtual activities on the DCA’s First Friday Facebook site included an autumn word search, pictures of all the things local residents are grateful for this season, photos of artful pies and plenty of chances to win a pie from a downtown Camas business, merchant gift cards and tickets to the Liberty Theatre. The DCA will announce the winners at 5 p.m. on its First Friday Facebook site.

Several downtown Camas businesses and restaurants will be open for after-hours dining and shopping, with gallery openings topping off the festivities, from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6.

The day also kicks off the weeklong “Pie, Oh My!” event, which runs Nov. 6-13, and features pie options at participating restaurants, including the following:

* A Beer at a Time (216 N.E. Third Ave.): Chicken pot pie and pizza pie for those who prefer savory pies and an assortment of sweeter pies, too, including chocolate cream, key lime, lemon sour cream, blueberry, peach and four-berry pies.

* Caffe Piccolo (400 N.E. Fourth Ave.): Caramel apple pie blossoms

* Cake Happy (340 N.E. Fourth Ave.): Apple-cherry pie

* Cedar Street Bagel Co. (316 N.E. Cedar St.): Cherry cream cheese hand pies and salted caramel apple hand pies

* Feast 316 (316 N.E. Dallas St.): Rabbit shepherd’s pie

* Grains of Wrath (230 N.E. Fifth Ave.): Savory hand pies

* Salud Wine Bar & Italian Restaurant (224 N.E. Third Ave.): Italian ricotta pie

* Tommy O’s at the Camas Hotel (401 N.E. Fourth Ave.): Kalua pork empanadas (hand pies) and key lime pie

* Truly Scrumptious (Inside Arktana, 415 N.E. Fourth Ave.): Whoopie pies offered for evening holiday events on Thursday, Nov. 5 and Friday, Nov. 6.

Several businesses, including Arktana and Juxtaposition, will also be kicking off the holiday shopping season with special events on Thursday, Nov. 5, as well as during the Nov. 6 First Friday celebration.

Other First Friday activities happening from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, include art receptions at Attic Gallery, 421 N.E. Cedar St., and Camas Gallery, 408 N.E. Fourth Ave.; a ribbon-cutting and grand opening event for Papermaker Pride’s new space at 339 N.E. Fourth Ave. (see related story in this week’s Post-Record) at 5:30 p.m.; and a five-year anniversary event at The Soap Chest, 521 N.E. Everett St.

For more information, visit downtowncamas.com/event/november-first-friday-thankful-you.