A new festival in Portland, MXPDX, aims to bridge the craft cultures of Oregon and Mexico through a celebration of unique beers, authentic cuisine, and cultural performances.
Scheduled for July 19, the festival will take place at The Redd, featuring 26 breweries from both Oregon and Mexico, along with local artisans and eateries. Guests will also enjoy cultural performances such as Lucha Libre wrestling and traditional Aztec dance, making it a family-friendly event.
The festival is free to enter, while beer tasting tickets start at $35 for 10 four-ounce pours.
Ezra Johnson-Greenough, a co-founder of Beer Friends, the organization behind both MXPDX and the biennial Fuji to Hood beer festival, expressed enthusiasm for expanding their cultural outreach. He noted that their successful experience with the Japan Festival inspired them to create MXPDX, with a focus on community and cultural connection. Johnson-Greenough stated: “Connecting with that culture and community, both in Japan and in the Pacific Northwest — we wanted to do more of that because it’s broadening everyone’s horizons.”
Red Gillen, another co-founder of Beer Friends, emphasized the importance of authenticity in the festival. He remarked, “It’s a beer festival, but that’s just the basis. It’s more of a cultural festival… Beer is just an excuse to get people together.”
The inspiration for MXPDX came from the increasing interest in cultural exchange seen at Fuji to Hood, which has grown in attendance and attractions since its inaugural event in 2018. Gillen pointed out: “We thought a lot of the beer lovers — the beer geeks — would be showing up. They showed up, of course, but it was the Japanese community, and non-Japanese, who were interested in the Japanese community, coming together and drinking beer, listening to music and eating food.”
Realizing the opportunity to create a new festival that continues in this vein, the organizers decided to celebrate the connection between Oregon and Mexico every off-year.
Johnson-Greenough, an expert beer judge, noted the burgeoning craft beer scene in Mexico, stating, “I knew, as a long time beer expert judge that Mexico has a really up and coming craft beer scene. So that really piqued our interest.”
At MXPDX, each of the 13 Oregon breweries has partnered with a Mexican counterpart to create a unique beer inspired by Mexican flavors, in addition to showcasing selections from Mexican breweries. Johnson-Greenough mentioned that the brewers have been particularly creative, with many beers being fruit-driven.
Some unique flavor profiles include an agua fresca-inspired lager with prickly pear, a hazy IPA with passion fruit and sweet lime oil, and beers incorporating ingredients like worm salt, guava, pink corn, masa, and Mexican honey.
In addition, Mexican breweries are set to showcase inventive creations such as a hazy IPA brewed with Tarrito lollipops, a white IPA infused with agave, and a vanilla cream ale made with guanábana.
Gillen elaborated on the collaborative aspect of the festival, saying: “The foundation is beer. It’s collaborative beer, made between brewers in both countries, but it’s more of a cultural celebration, bringing the two cultures together.”
The festival organizers hope that MXPDX will not only facilitate cultural exchange but also potentially create a market for Mexican craft beer in Oregon. Gillen noted, “In the Greater Portland area you can’t find Mexican craft beer. We’re hoping that, with some exposure, the Mexican breweries might pick up some distribution up here.”
To further enhance this cultural exchange, Beer Friends is hosting an educational seminar for the visiting Mexican breweries. This seminar will provide insights into brewing techniques that may not be as readily accessible in Mexico, emphasizing Oregon-specific practices.
Gillen shared that Mexican brewers will visit various local breweries, gaining knowledge and forging friendships with their Oregon counterparts. He remarked: “They come away with more knowledge, and also the friendships between their collab Oregon site brewers. We want the two brewery communities to come together.”
A Cantina welcome dinner is also scheduled as part of the festival’s opening events on July 18. This dinner will be catered by Xicha Brewing, Oregon’s first Mexican-owned brewery, and one of the participating breweries in MXPDX. Modeled after the lively cantinas of Mexico City, the event will feature beer, food, and music, providing an opportunity for attendees to meet and connect with the brewers and owners from all 26 participating breweries.
Gillen concluded by expressing enthusiasm for the festival’s potential impact: “I think this is a great time to show how important relations are and how involved the two communities are. The Mexican American community in Oregon is so important, and it’s an opportunity to recognize and celebrate that. I hope it shines like a beacon to showcase how the communities get along. We love beer, we love good food, and we love good music.”
If you’re interested in attending MXPDX, early admission for Especial Session ticket holders is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., with general admission from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tasting tickets start at $35 and will take place at The Redd, located at 831 S.E. Salmon St. For more information, visit mx-pdx.com.
image source from：oregonlive
