A performance food cart offering a menu of dancing dishes at the Portland Mercado on Friday and Saturday, August 23, 2024-August 24, 2024. The performance food cart will be open for “lunch” from 12 PM to 2 PM and “dinner” from 5 PM – 7 PM. Open to the public, diners can order specials like the “Romantic Platter” or “House Salad with Tango Dressing” delivered to their table and performed live by the artists of Heidi Duckler Dance/Northwest. Stop by and order up with Heidi Duckler Dance Northwest!

The Portland Mercado bridges diverse cultures through food, art, and entertainment within the community of local businesses. It is a hub for Latino culture in Portland and an initiative of Hacienda CDC that provides affordable retail space for businesses to launch and grow. The market is a response to wealth disparities in the region and the strong community desire to have a center for commerce based on Latino heritage.

During the winter, Portland Mercado was severely impacted by the fire that burned through the main building. Multnomah county firefighters responded to the fire started in one of the small businesses located in the Market Hall. A few of the food cart vendors sustained significant damage and had to close temporarily. Hacienda CEO Ernesto Fonseca mentions on Oregon Live, “…On the upper floor, pipes are melted, electricity’s out, second floor windows exploded because of the heat. Everything is affected.” 10% of all proceeds from the performance cart will go towards construction costs for rebuilding the interior spaces at the Mercado which were damaged by the fire.

¡Ordena! was made possible with support from Prosper Portland, the Heidi Duckler Dance/Northwest Board of Directors, and the Hacienda CDC (Community Development Corporation).