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Left: Fairgoers linger and sip margaritas from Por Que No in the margarita garden. Right: Mississippi Street is a perfect walking destination, taking less than an hour to walk to from downtown.

Left: A tray of Voodoo Doughnuts is ready for a hungry public. The Doughnut Mobile is run by local nonprofit Urban Opportunities, a group that helps at-risk kids “get marketable skills,” says manager Troy Lauder. Right: Cascade Martin shows off her considerable hula-hoop talent.

Left: The interior of Bella Norte, a vintage shop housed in a building that has been on Mississippi since 1908. Right: Inside Good, an art gallery that used to be owner Scott Foster’s garage.

A famished lad named Dylan makes short work of a cone from Flavour Spot after a day spent car-painting and dart-throwing.

“The street fair helps our relationship with the community,” says ReBuilding Center employee Leo Silba. “We get a lot of first-time customers coming in saying, ‘We didn’t even know this was here.’ Well, now you do!” Anyone need lighting fixtures?

Amnesia Brewing has big plans in store: expanding production to a warehouse, shipping to Seattle, and bottling starting in January 2010.

Amnesia Brewing owner Kevin King started his company after years of working for other brewers. “The fair is good for the street, and good for the vendors,” he says. Judging by the crowds sucking up Amnesia’s Desolation IPA, business is good.

The outdoor patio at Amnesia was consistently packed. “We’ve had a line since 1,” says Amensia owner Kevin King. “It will probably go until 9.” Surprisingly, this isn’t even the brewpub’s busiest day.

Whole Foods employees from the NE 15th and Fremont store hand out free water bottles and samples of Trailhead iced coffee, which is roasted only three blocks away. It was a popular item in the 90-degree heat.

Mississippi’s quick development has also led to the erection of Pearl-style condos. “There are feelings in the neighborhood of outsiders coming in,” says one local business owner.

Alfonso Saint-Louis entertains passersby with his accordion stylings. The determined busker hitchhiked and stowed away on freight trains to make his way to the city. “Ever since I was 15, I’ve been obsessed with getting to Portland,” he says.

The way of the future: a pair of locals cruise by in their three-wheeled electric car. Notice the lack of exhaust fumes.

Yes, that car is entirely covered in paint. As part of a fundraiser for the Children’s Healing Art Project, kids were allowed to make like Jackson Pollock on a donated set of wheels. Uh oh, better get Maaco!

Fairgoers relax at the charity beer garden. Manned entirely by volunteers and bolstered by keg donations from more than five breweries, the beer garden gave all its proceeds to the Albina Youth Opportunity School and Boise-Elliot Elementary school. Cheers!

The sneaky tang of blueberries segues into the subtle sourness of lemongrass in the Blue Grass cone from Junior Ambassador’s, a popular Mississippi Avenue ice cream emporium.

Junior Ambassador’s offers Portland’s most offbeat ice cream flavors such as cream cheese and smoked salmon, gingersnap cookie and basil, and Maple Strip Tease, spiked with real bacon.

Two patrons duck out of the festivities for a contemplative cup at Albina Press. Barista Rita Kaminsky is another local wary of the neighborhood’s growth: “The attention is great as long as the cost of living doesn’t become too expensive.”