North Star Ballroom

I had our ceremony and reception here. I picked this place because it was almost complete without a lot of work and decoration to be added. I also loved the fact that we could bring in all our own vendors. The staff was nice and helpful as well. The only thing that was a little stressful was the fact that they only rent the ballroom for an 8 hour block. We only had two hours to set up and decorate so that caused a little rush and stress the day of. Otherwise, I wouldn’t change a thing. This place is truly beautiful!!!

The venue was beautiful and had that classic charm to it that we were looking for. My parents and their good friend decorated it and gave it a vintage and rustic look that we were hoping for. Everything turned out perfect. The food was amazing and the music was fun and it was just a beautiful and memorable day spent with our family and friends. The reason we are giving this place 3 stars instead of 5 is because of Leslie. I think she is the manager or coordinator for the venue. She is absolutely apathetic, condescending, negative, unhelpful, unimaginative, and frustrating to work with. In this field, I would think one would be friendly, helpful, and willing to do everything they can to make sure your wedding day is a memorable and pleasurable experience. Dealing with Leslie was the least pleasurable aspect of our wedding. I think that is unfortunate. It really is a beautiful venue and the price is affordable compared to other venues we looked at. Whoever owns this venue should really stop and think about who they have hired as the face of their venue.

I was really excited to see this place. The pictures online made it look beautiful and I thought it would be perfect for my wedding. I called and set up an appointment and after a week long wait (which seemed like forever!) I got to tour it. It is even more beautiful in person. Awesome space and great rates.
Unfortunately, because of the staff I would never consider booking this place. We were walked through the building pretty quickly with barely a moment stopped in each space, she was very short on the line of rude. She then left us to look around which is nice. What really got to me is when I asked if she would be there during out rental time. her response «Oh, I hope not. I don’t know who it would be.» I understand that she wouldn’t want to work or something like that, but I am excited about my wedding and that kind of response just hit me a little.
Every other venue has made us at least feel welcome and like they were interested in our business, not here though. It’s such a beautiful venue — I hope others haven’t been treated this same way. Not a good way to make potential clients feel. The only reason it gets two stars instead of one is because it’s such a beautiful place.

We held our wedding reception at the North Star Ballroom, and had a perfect experience. This is a beautiful, vintage venue that is very affordable, clean, and well run.
This venue is completely accessible, ramp access with a small elevator so folks who are unable to use stairs can easily get around this beautiful building.
In the months leading up to our wedding, the manager of the ballroom (Leslie) was very easy to work with and flexible in setting up times to view the ballroom. She was always on time to meet us there, and on the day of the event they were there on time to let us in to decorate, and later on for the reception itself. I had many questions via e-​mail in the months leading up to the wedding, and Leslie patiently answered them for me.
They are very flexible with food — you can bring in your own caterer or your own food (which, if you’ve been looking at other venues, you know that’s hard to come by).
Parking is on the street, but you can park in the PCC lot next to the ballroom on weekends.
The building was very clean when we arrived there, and throughout the event I could easily find the onsite person overseeing our event — he walked around to keep an eye on things, and helped us out with any questions we had, and did the walk through with me at the end of the night.
The sound system is great. We hooked up our laptop and played a playlist and it worked very well. (My father is in the sound business, so for the sound system to get his seal of approval means it’s an excellent system).
This truly was an affordable 5 star venue, and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a reception or indoor wedding venue in Portland.

We just celebrated our daughter’s wedding and reception at the North Star Ballroom in north Portland next to the PCC Cascade Campus on Killingsworth. Not only was it an elegant setting, but it is ADA accessible, with a lift available for wheelchairs (no freight). It has a two sided bar available and a service kitchen in the basement. Table and chair setup/​removal was done by them.
Our family loved the charm of the space and the antique furnishings and chandeliers. The sound system was great and stage lighting is also available. They were very accomodating for the vendors delivering linens, pipe and drape. There is a staff person on site during the whole event, who was very helpful .
There is a negotiated parking arrangement with the PCC campus next door to utilize the parking lot adjacent during specific hours. Family members from out of town also appreciated the easy access to I-​5 and hotels in the area. They even utilized the MAX train while they were in town for the weekend. What a great venue! I recommend it highly to anyone looking to host an event for less than 200 people.

This gem of a ballroom is nestled just off of North Killingsworth Avenue a mere block away from Portland Community College’s Cascade campus. It features a cozy bar, small prep kitchen, additional seating in a downstairs salon, and another room just off the kitchen that can be used for a buffet or staging for an event. The ballroom is fully handicapped accessible thanks to a lift installed and renovated bathrooms. There’s also a small room for a wedding party, or other group, to change in or just have a quiet moment.
The interior is filled with warm wood, tasteful furnishings, and the many windows let in great natural light. This beautiful venue is reasonably priced and does not require any prefer catering contracts. You can choose to hold a potluck for no additional fees and can even arrange for your own bartender service to handle serving alcohol. The event manager and staff helpfully set up all tables needed and are on hand to make sure your great event goes off smoothly. They also let you take down art and other decorations in order to bring in special items.
We recently held our potluck wedding reception in the North Star and everyone just loved the space. It was easy for people to get around, the set up was easy, and everything looked just beautiful. This is a great venue to rent for events up to 200 people. They even have an agreement with PCC to allow guests to use the adjacent campus parking lot!

I had my wedding at the Northstar Ballroom in May and we had a fantastic time. The Northstar is basically just a great big room with wood floors and an old-​Portland feel. They also have a full bar and a huge downstairs, to accommodate any bar tending/​catering that might be needed for your event.
Growing up in Portland made this the perfect place to have our ceremony/​reception. Jane (the owner) was so gracious and giving. You can tell that she really loves the building and having events there. The place was big enough for just over 100 people and everything went smoothly and everyone had a great time.
If you’re not trying to impress everybody by being the fanciest gig in town, and prefer old-​school charm over overpriced «luxury», then the Northstar is the perfect venue for your next big event.