Tie Dye Cup and Degenerate Flame Off bring country’s best tie dyers, pipe makers to Portland

The Degenerate Flame Off, a two-day event featuring a glass competition, tie dye exhibition and a lot of cannabis appreciation, is taking place in Southeast Portland this weekend.

The DFO Family Reunion, as fans call it, drew hundreds of people to Northstar Glassworks for live music, food and vendors.

The hottest attraction (literally, because of all the open flames) was the glass competition. On Saturday, eight teams of two glass makers had 10 hours to complete a piece of functional glass art.

The term “functional glass art” encompasses a wide variety of pipes, bongs and art pieces, but the unifying factor seems to be that the pieces can be used for smoking something. The artists worked at stations along the edges of an outdoor tent while a DJ spun dance music and the crowd watched their progress.

On Sunday, judging will take place to determine the winner of the Degenerate Flame Off, plus another 50 glass artists will take to the torches to demonstrate their skills for the crowds.

Tie dye artists at work during the Tie Dye Cup, an exhibition of the country's finest tie dye creators held in Portland as part of the Degenerate Flame Off.Samantha Swindler

Upstairs from the glass blowing, the second annual Tie Dye Cup, an exhibition of some of the most talented tie dye artists from across the country, was taking place. There, 14 tie dyers were showcasing their skills, creating elaborate designs on shirts and tapestries by tying hundreds of knots in fabric with rubber bands and fishing line. Their tie dye creations will be completed Saturday and put on display Sunday.

The Degenerate Flame Off runs from from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, but only two-day passes are sold. For more information, visit dfoportland.com.

-- Samantha Swindler, [email protected], @editorswindler

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